Contaminant Biology: Stable Isotope Applications Active
By Fort Collins Science Center
October 13, 2016
Environmental contaminants of natural and anthropogenic origin represent a major stressor to ecosystems, including human and wildlife populations.
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
A better mechanistic understanding of contaminant cycling under natural environmental conditions is necessary to mitigate and protect our natural resources. Stable isotope techniques are extremely useful in resolving trophic pathways by which contaminants become bioavailable, bioaccumulate, and biomagnify. The objectives of this project are to:
- Utilize stable isotopes to better resolve the geochemical cycling of contaminants that influences bioavailability.
- Use stable isotope data to constrain contaminant sources.
-
Employ stable isotope techniques to infer trophic transfer pathways of select contaminants.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Stable isotope values in pup vibrissae reveal geographic variation in diets of gestating Steller sea lions Eumetopias jubatus
Multiple factors, including limitation in food resources, have been proposed as possible causes for the lack of recovery of the endangered western segment of the Steller sea lion population in the United States. Because maternal body condition has important consequences on fetal development and neonatal survival, the diets of pregnant females may be particularly important in regulating population
Authors
Rick D. Scherer, Andrew C. Doll, Lorrie D. Rea, Aaron M. Christ, Craig A. Stricker, Briana Witteveen, Thomas C. Kline, Carolyn M. Kurle, Michael B. Wunder
Methylmercury production in sediment from agricultural and non-agricultural wetlands in the Yolo Bypass, California, USA
As part of a larger study of mercury (Hg) biogeochemistry and bioaccumulation in agricultural (rice growing) and non-agricultural wetlands in California's Central Valley, USA, seasonal and spatial controls on methylmercury (MeHg) production were examined in surface sediment. Three types of shallowly-flooded agricultural wetlands (white rice, wild rice, and fallow fields) and two types of managed (
Authors
Mark Marvin-DiPasquale, Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Jennifer L. Agee, Evangelos Kakouros, Le H. Kieu, Jacob A. Fleck, Charles N. Alpers, Craig A. Stricker
Selenium and mercury concentrations in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from central California: Health implications in an urbanized estuary
We measured total selenium and total mercury concentrations ([TSe] and [THg]) in hair (n = 138) and blood (n = 73) of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from California to assess variation by geography and sex, and inferred feeding relationships based on carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur stable isotopes. Harbor seals from Hg-contaminated sites had significantly greater [THg], and lesser [TSe] and TSe:THg mo
Authors
Elizabeth A. McHuron, James T. Harvey, J. Margaret Castellini, Craig A. Stricker, Todd M. O'Hara
Mercury cycling in agricultural and managed wetlands, Yolo Bypass, California: Spatial and seasonal variations in water quality
The seasonal and spatial variability of water quality, including mercury species, was evaluated in agricultural and managed, non-agricultural wetlands in the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, an area managed for multiple beneficial uses including bird habitat and rice farming. The study was conducted during an 11-month period (June 2007 to April 2008) that included a summer growing season and flooded con
Authors
Charles N. Alpers, Jacob A. Fleck, Mark C. Marvin-DiPasquale, Craig A. Stricker, Mark Stephenson, Howard E. Taylor
Mercury cycling in agricultural and managed wetlands: a synthesis of methylmercury production, hydrologic export, and bioaccumulation from an integrated field study
With seasonal wetting and drying, and high biological productivity, agricultural wetlands (rice paddies) may enhance the conversion of inorganic mercury (Hg(II)) to methylmercury (MeHg), the more toxic, organic form that biomagnifies through food webs. Yet, the net balance of MeHg sources and sinks in seasonal wetland environments is poorly understood because it requires an annual, integrated asse
Authors
Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Jacob A. Fleck, Joshua T. Ackerman, Mark C. Marvin-DiPasquale, Craig A. Stricker, Wesley A. Heim, Philip A.M. Bachand, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Gary Gill, Mark Stephenson, Charles N. Alpers
Mercury in gray wolves (Canis lupus) in Alaska: Increased exposure through consumption of marine prey
Mercury (Hg) bioaccumulates in the tissues of organismsand biomagnifies within food-webs. Graywolves (Canis lupus) in Alaska primarily acquire Hg through diet; therefore, comparing the extent of Hg exposure inwolves, in conjunction with stable isotopes, from interior and coastal regions of Alaska offers important insight into their feeding ecology. Liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle samples from
Authors
Ashley K. McGrew, Lora R. Ballweber, Sara K. Moses, Craig A. Stricker, Kimberlee B. Beckmen, Mo D. Salman, Todd M. O’Hara
Mercury cycling in agricultural and managed wetlands of California: experimental evidence of vegetation-driven changes in sediment biogeochemistry and methylmercury production
The role of live vegetation in sediment methylmercury (MeHg) production and associated biogeochemistry was examined in three types of agricultural wetlands (domesticated or white rice, wild rice, and fallow fields) and adjacent managed natural wetlands (cattail- and bulrush or tule-dominated) in the Yolo Bypass region of California's Central Valley, USA. During the active growing season for each w
Authors
Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Mark Marvin-DiPasquale, Craig A. Stricker, Jennifer L. Agee, Le H. Kieu, Evangelos Kakouros
Mercury cycling in agricultural and managed wetlands of California: seasonal influences of vegetation on mercury methylation, storage, and transport
Plants are a dominant biologic and physical component of many wetland capable of influencing the internal pools and fluxes of methylmercury (MeHg). To investigate their role with respect to the latter, we examined the changing seasonal roles of vegetation biomass and Hg, C and N composition from May 2007-February 2008 in 3 types of agricultural wetlands (domesticated or white rice, wild rice, and
Authors
Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Mark C. Marvin-DiPasquale, Evangelos Kakouros, Jennifer L. Agee, Le H. Kieu, Craig A. Stricker, Jacob A. Fleck, Joshua T. Ackerman
Methylmercury cycling, bioaccumulation, and export from agricultural and non-agricultural wetlands in the Yolo Bypass
This 18-month field study addresses the seasonal and spatial patterns and processes controlling methylmercury (MeHg) production, bioaccumulation, and export from natural and agricultural wetlands of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area (YBWA). The data were collected in conjuntion with a Proposition 40 grant from the State Water Resources Control Board in support of the development of Best Management Pra
Authors
Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Mark Marvin-DiPasquale, Jacob Fleck, Charles N. Alpers, Joshua T. Ackerman, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Craig Stricker, Mark Stephenson, David Feliz, Gary Gill, Philip Bachand, Ann Brice, Robin Kulakow
Environmental contaminants of natural and anthropogenic origin represent a major stressor to ecosystems, including human and wildlife populations.
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
A better mechanistic understanding of contaminant cycling under natural environmental conditions is necessary to mitigate and protect our natural resources. Stable isotope techniques are extremely useful in resolving trophic pathways by which contaminants become bioavailable, bioaccumulate, and biomagnify. The objectives of this project are to:
- Utilize stable isotopes to better resolve the geochemical cycling of contaminants that influences bioavailability.
- Use stable isotope data to constrain contaminant sources.
-
Employ stable isotope techniques to infer trophic transfer pathways of select contaminants.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Stable isotope values in pup vibrissae reveal geographic variation in diets of gestating Steller sea lions Eumetopias jubatus
Multiple factors, including limitation in food resources, have been proposed as possible causes for the lack of recovery of the endangered western segment of the Steller sea lion population in the United States. Because maternal body condition has important consequences on fetal development and neonatal survival, the diets of pregnant females may be particularly important in regulating population
Authors
Rick D. Scherer, Andrew C. Doll, Lorrie D. Rea, Aaron M. Christ, Craig A. Stricker, Briana Witteveen, Thomas C. Kline, Carolyn M. Kurle, Michael B. Wunder
Methylmercury production in sediment from agricultural and non-agricultural wetlands in the Yolo Bypass, California, USA
As part of a larger study of mercury (Hg) biogeochemistry and bioaccumulation in agricultural (rice growing) and non-agricultural wetlands in California's Central Valley, USA, seasonal and spatial controls on methylmercury (MeHg) production were examined in surface sediment. Three types of shallowly-flooded agricultural wetlands (white rice, wild rice, and fallow fields) and two types of managed (
Authors
Mark Marvin-DiPasquale, Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Jennifer L. Agee, Evangelos Kakouros, Le H. Kieu, Jacob A. Fleck, Charles N. Alpers, Craig A. Stricker
Selenium and mercury concentrations in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from central California: Health implications in an urbanized estuary
We measured total selenium and total mercury concentrations ([TSe] and [THg]) in hair (n = 138) and blood (n = 73) of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from California to assess variation by geography and sex, and inferred feeding relationships based on carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur stable isotopes. Harbor seals from Hg-contaminated sites had significantly greater [THg], and lesser [TSe] and TSe:THg mo
Authors
Elizabeth A. McHuron, James T. Harvey, J. Margaret Castellini, Craig A. Stricker, Todd M. O'Hara
Mercury cycling in agricultural and managed wetlands, Yolo Bypass, California: Spatial and seasonal variations in water quality
The seasonal and spatial variability of water quality, including mercury species, was evaluated in agricultural and managed, non-agricultural wetlands in the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, an area managed for multiple beneficial uses including bird habitat and rice farming. The study was conducted during an 11-month period (June 2007 to April 2008) that included a summer growing season and flooded con
Authors
Charles N. Alpers, Jacob A. Fleck, Mark C. Marvin-DiPasquale, Craig A. Stricker, Mark Stephenson, Howard E. Taylor
Mercury cycling in agricultural and managed wetlands: a synthesis of methylmercury production, hydrologic export, and bioaccumulation from an integrated field study
With seasonal wetting and drying, and high biological productivity, agricultural wetlands (rice paddies) may enhance the conversion of inorganic mercury (Hg(II)) to methylmercury (MeHg), the more toxic, organic form that biomagnifies through food webs. Yet, the net balance of MeHg sources and sinks in seasonal wetland environments is poorly understood because it requires an annual, integrated asse
Authors
Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Jacob A. Fleck, Joshua T. Ackerman, Mark C. Marvin-DiPasquale, Craig A. Stricker, Wesley A. Heim, Philip A.M. Bachand, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Gary Gill, Mark Stephenson, Charles N. Alpers
Mercury in gray wolves (Canis lupus) in Alaska: Increased exposure through consumption of marine prey
Mercury (Hg) bioaccumulates in the tissues of organismsand biomagnifies within food-webs. Graywolves (Canis lupus) in Alaska primarily acquire Hg through diet; therefore, comparing the extent of Hg exposure inwolves, in conjunction with stable isotopes, from interior and coastal regions of Alaska offers important insight into their feeding ecology. Liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle samples from
Authors
Ashley K. McGrew, Lora R. Ballweber, Sara K. Moses, Craig A. Stricker, Kimberlee B. Beckmen, Mo D. Salman, Todd M. O’Hara
Mercury cycling in agricultural and managed wetlands of California: experimental evidence of vegetation-driven changes in sediment biogeochemistry and methylmercury production
The role of live vegetation in sediment methylmercury (MeHg) production and associated biogeochemistry was examined in three types of agricultural wetlands (domesticated or white rice, wild rice, and fallow fields) and adjacent managed natural wetlands (cattail- and bulrush or tule-dominated) in the Yolo Bypass region of California's Central Valley, USA. During the active growing season for each w
Authors
Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Mark Marvin-DiPasquale, Craig A. Stricker, Jennifer L. Agee, Le H. Kieu, Evangelos Kakouros
Mercury cycling in agricultural and managed wetlands of California: seasonal influences of vegetation on mercury methylation, storage, and transport
Plants are a dominant biologic and physical component of many wetland capable of influencing the internal pools and fluxes of methylmercury (MeHg). To investigate their role with respect to the latter, we examined the changing seasonal roles of vegetation biomass and Hg, C and N composition from May 2007-February 2008 in 3 types of agricultural wetlands (domesticated or white rice, wild rice, and
Authors
Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Mark C. Marvin-DiPasquale, Evangelos Kakouros, Jennifer L. Agee, Le H. Kieu, Craig A. Stricker, Jacob A. Fleck, Joshua T. Ackerman
Methylmercury cycling, bioaccumulation, and export from agricultural and non-agricultural wetlands in the Yolo Bypass
This 18-month field study addresses the seasonal and spatial patterns and processes controlling methylmercury (MeHg) production, bioaccumulation, and export from natural and agricultural wetlands of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area (YBWA). The data were collected in conjuntion with a Proposition 40 grant from the State Water Resources Control Board in support of the development of Best Management Pra
Authors
Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Mark Marvin-DiPasquale, Jacob Fleck, Charles N. Alpers, Joshua T. Ackerman, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Craig Stricker, Mark Stephenson, David Feliz, Gary Gill, Philip Bachand, Ann Brice, Robin Kulakow