@article{b28e9ff6bd9b42eaad8c4d0f867a5b27,
title = "Biological mercury hotspots in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada",
abstract = "Biological mercury (Hg) hotspots were identified in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada using a data set of biotic Hg concentrations. Eight layers representing three major taxa and more than 7300 observations were used to locate five biological Hg hotspots and nine areas of concern. The yellow perch and common loon were chosen as indicator species for the human and ecological effects of Hg, respectively. Biological Hg hotspots receive elevated atmospheric Hg deposition, have high landscape sensitivity, and/or experience large reservoir fluctuations. In the Merrimack River watershed, local Hg emissions are linked to elevated local deposition and high Hg concentrations in biota. Time series data for this region suggest that reductions in Hg emissions from local sources can lead to rapid reductions of Hg in biota. An enhanced Hg monitoring network is needed to further document areas of high deposition, biological hotspots, and the response to emissions reductions and other mitigation strategies.",
keywords = "Biological mercury hotspots, Common loon, Mercury monitoring, Mercury sources, Yellow perch",
author = "Evers, {David C.} and Han, {Young Ji} and Driscoll, {Charles T.} and Kamman, {Neil C.} and Goodale, {M. Wing} and Lambert, {Kathleen Fallon} and Holsen, {Thomas M.} and Chen, {Celia Y.} and Clair, {Thomas A.} and Thomas Butler",
note = "Funding Information: This work was convened through the Science Links program of the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation with support from the Henry Luce Foundation, the John Merck Fund, the Merck Family Fund, the Harold Whitworth Pierce Charitable Trust, the New York State Energy Research and Develop- ment Authority, and the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems. The Orchard Foundation and the Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust provided support for the BioDiversity Research Institute. This article was based on research funded and supported by the Northeastern States Research Cooperative, a program of the US Department of Agriculture. This project was also supported through grants from the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the National Science Foundation to C. T. D. and from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS; NIH grant no. P42 ES07373) to C. Y. C. We would particularly like to thank Edward Swain (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency), who served as an advisor to this project. The findings published here are independent and do not necessarily reflect the views of the advisors. Joan Barr, Neil Burgess, Louise Champoux, Chris DeSorbo, Andrew Major, Lucas Savoy, Lori Siegel, Kate Taylor, and Dave Yates made general contributions. C. Mark Smith, Michael Hutcheson, and Jane Rose of the Massachusetts Department of Environment Protection kindly provided newly available reports of fish mercury levels. We also thank three anonymous reviewers for their insights.",
year = "2007",
month = jan,
doi = "10.1641/B570107",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "57",
pages = "29--43",
journal = "BioScience",
issn = "0006-3568",
publisher = "Oxford University Press",
number = "1",
}