Interspecific differences in mercury and organochlorine pesticides concentrations in Arctic and subarctic fishes (in benthic and pelagic fishes in the Canadian Arctic and Labrador Sea)

The purpose of the research was to determine whether mercury (Hg) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) concentrations in fish are determined by their ecology and/or their location. Here we assess the drivers of mercury and organochlorine pesticide concentrations in a subarctic ecosystem to predict how climate-related biogeographic shifts will impact contaminant levels in Arctic ecosystems as boreal species expand their northern range. Ecological variability was assessed using stable isotopes (15N, 13C, and 34S) and location variability was assessed using concentration comparisons among three regions in the Canadian Arctic (i.e. Beaufort Sea, Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Baffin Bay) and the Labrador Sea.

本研究旨在探究鱼类体内汞（mercury, Hg）与有机氯农药（organochlorine pesticides, OCPs）的浓度是否由其生态特征或栖息区位决定。本研究以亚北极生态系统（subarctic ecosystem）为研究对象，解析鱼类体内汞与有机氯农药浓度的影响因子，以期预测随着北方针叶林物种（boreal species）向北扩张其分布范围时，与气候相关的生物地理迁移（biogeographic shifts）将如何影响北极生态系统（Arctic ecosystems）中的污染物水平。研究通过稳定同位素（stable isotopes）15N、13C与34S评估鱼类的生态变异性，并通过对比加拿大北极地区三个区域（即波弗特海（Beaufort Sea）、加拿大北极群岛（Canadian Arctic Archipelago）、巴芬湾（Baffin Bay））与拉布拉多海（Labrador Sea）的污染物浓度，评估区位因素带来的浓度差异。