Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of mercury in Lake Murray, Papua New Guinea

2001 ◽  
Vol 58 (5) ◽  
pp. 888-897 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl C Bowles ◽  
Simon C Apte ◽  
William A Maher ◽  
Matthew Kawei ◽  
Ross Smith
Keyword(s):  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Total Mercury ◽  
Trophic Position ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Piscivorous Fish ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Isotope Measurements ◽  
Methylmercury Bioaccumulation

The bioaccumulation of mercury in the food webs incorporating the major piscivorous fish species of Lake Murray, Papua New Guinea, has been characterised. Methylmercury concentrations increased with trophic level and the proportion of total mercury present as methylmercury increased from <1% in plants to 94% in piscivorous fish. Methylmercury bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) were similar to those found in temperate environments, with a typical increase of 1 log unit between planktivore and piscivore trophic levels. The greatest bioaccumulation of methylmercury occurred between seston and the water column (log BAF of 5.36). The bioaccumulation of mercury to levels of regulatory concern by the lake's piscivores was attributable to the biomagnification power of the plankton-based food chain comprising four trophic levels (phytoplankton, zooplankton, planktivore, piscivore) rather than any elevated concentrations of mercury in waters or sediments. The methylmercury concentrations of individual piscivores were positively correlated with both trophic position, as indicated by δ15N measurements, and fish size. Stable-isotope measurements were used to identify fish species where dietary changes occurring with age significantly augmented age-related bioaccumulation of mercury.

Mercury in Marine and Freshwater Fish of Papua New Guinea

1979 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 617 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Sorentino
Keyword(s):  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Total Mercury ◽  
River System ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Mercury Content ◽  
World Health ◽  
Lates Calcarifer ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Fly River

A survey was carried out of the mercury content of 19 fish species from 18 locations In the coastal and fresh waters of Papua New Guinea. Most commercial catches had total mercury contents well below the 0.5 �g/g limit recommended by the World Health Organization, the only exception being barramundi (Lates calcarifer) caught in the Fly River system. The presence of mercury in this river is discussed.

Twenty-one new records of fish species (Teleostei) from Madang and Papua New Guinea (western Pacific Ocean)

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald Fricke
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
New Records ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Western Pacific ◽  
Western Pacific Ocean

New records of fish species are reported from Papua New Guinea:Gymnothorax angusticauda(Muraenidae) from Madang,Coloconger scholesiChan 1967 (Colocongridae) from Madang and New Guinea,Acromycter longipectoralisKarmovskaya 2004 (Congridae),Doryrhamphus melanopleura(Bleeker, 1858) andFestucalex gibbsiDawson 1977 (Syngnathidae) from Madang,Lioscorpius longicepsGünther 1880 (Setarchidae) from Madang, Morobe and New Guinea,Neomerinthe megalepisFowler 1938 andPontinus rhodochrous(Günther 1872) (Scorpaenidae) from Madang and New Guinea,Parabembras curtus(Temminck &amp; Schlegel 1843) (Parabembridae) from Morobe and New Guinea,Chrionema chryseresGilbert 1905 andPteropsaron levitoni Iwamoto2014 (Percophidae) from Madang and New Guinea,Blenniella caudolineata(Günther, 1877) andPetroscirtes xestusJordan &amp; Seale, 1906 (Blenniidae) from Madang,Synchiropus orstomFricke 2000 (Callionymidae) from West Sepik, Sandaun and New Guinea,Rexea antefurcataParin 1989 (Gempylidae),Lepidoblepharon ophthalmolepisWeber 1913 (Citharidae),Engyprosopon macrolepis(Regan, 1908) (Bothidae),Aseraggodes kimuraiRandall &amp; Desoutter-Meniger 2007 (Soleidae),Cynoglossus bilineatus(Lacepède, 1802) andSymphurus multimaculatusLee, Munroe &amp; Chen 2009 (Cynoglossidae) from Madang andTylerius spinosissimus(Regan 1908) (Tetraodontidae) from Morobe and Papua New Guinea. This papers also includes new depths records forColoconger scholesi, Lioscorpius longiceps, Neomerinthe megalepis, Pontinus rhodochrous, Parabembras curtus, Chrionema chryseresandSynchiropus orstom.

Trophic position and individual feeding histories of fish from Lake Okeechobee, Florida

1999 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 590-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Fry ◽  
Patricia L Mumford ◽  
Franklin Tam ◽  
Don D Fox ◽  
Gary L Warren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fish Species ◽  
Trophic Position ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Small Fish ◽  
Lake Okeechobee ◽  
Isotopic Analyses ◽  
Marsh Site ◽  
C And N ◽  
Almost All

We used C and N stable isotope measurements to identify trophic position and feeding histories of fish from Lake Okeechobee, one of the largest lakes in North America. When δ15N values were used to estimate trophic levels, analyses of about 500 individual fish collected in two seasons at five sites showed that trophic level varied from 2 (herbivore) to 4.3 (second-level carnivore) among the 29 fish species examined. Lower trophic levels predominated among small fish caught at a littoral marsh site, and highest trophic levels were found among larger offshore fish. Marsh fish showed about three times the C isotope variation than did offshore fish, consistent with the wider array of foods in the marsh versus offshore food web. In addition to these community-level results, there were often unexpected large isotopic differences between individuals in almost all fish species examined, suggesting large differences in individual feeding behavior. Isotopic analyses indicate long-term differences in feeding among individuals, in addition to the short-term differences often observed in stomach content studies. Long-term individual variation in fish foraging may be important in understanding variation in other biochemical parameters measured in fish, such as Hg or PCB contents.

scholarly journals First study of food webs in a large glacial river: the trophic role of invasive trout

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Tagliaferro ◽  
Sean P. Kelly ◽  
Miguel Pascual
Keyword(s):  
Rainbow Trout ◽  
Food Webs ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Lake Trout ◽  
Trophic Position ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Basal Resources ◽  
Ecological Importance ◽  
Δ15n And Δ13c

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the food webs structure of a large Patagonian river in two river sections (Upstream and Midstream) and to evaluate isotopic overlap between native and introduced species. We used stable isotope analyses of δ15N and δ13C and stomach content. The Upstream section had a more complex food webs structure with a greater richness of macroinvertebrates and fish species than Midstream. Upstream basal resources were dominated by filamentous algae. Lake Trout were found to have a higher trophic position than all other fish species in that area although, the most abundant fish species, were Rainbow Trout. Depending on the life stage, Rainbow Trout shifted from prey to competitor/predator. In the Midstream section, the base of the food webs was dominated by coarse particulate organic matter, and adult Rainbow Trout had the highest trophic level. Isotopic values changed among macroinvertebrates and fish for both areas. The two most abundant native and invasive species — Puyen and Rainbow Trout — showed an isotopic separation in Midstream but did not in Upstream areas. The presence of invasive fish that occupy top trophic levels can have a significant impact on native fish populations that have great ecological importance in the region.

scholarly journals Could Fish Feeding Behaviour and Size Explain Prevalence Differences of the Nematode Eustrongylides excisus among Species? The Case Study of Lake Garda

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 3581
Author(s):  
Vasco Menconi ◽  
Perla Tedesco ◽  
Paolo Pastorino ◽  
Ivano Confortini ◽  
Giuseppe Esposito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fish Species ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
Perca Fluviatilis ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Coregonus Lavaretus ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Piscivorous Fish ◽  
Lake Garda ◽  
Rdna Sequences

The nematode Eustrongylides excisus is a parasite of freshwater fish- and fish-eating birds, with known differences on prevalence values among fish species. Thus, the present study aims to explore the hypothesis that the feeding behavior and the size of fish belonging to different trophic levels could explain such differences. For that, 14 sampling sites were selected to perform a fish parasitological survey on Lake Garda (Italy) during spring-summer 2020. Amplification of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA sequences of nematodes morphologically ascribable to the genus Eustrongylides allowed to identify them as E. excisus. From the five studied fish species (Perca fluviatilis, Lepomis gibbous, Coregonus lavaretus, Alosa fallax lacustris and Micropterus salmoides), only three presented the parasite E. excisus: P. fluviatilis, L. gibbous and M. salmoides, with significant differences in prevalence values among species (p = 0.002). Additionally, there were differences in prevalence values within the same fish species captured from different sampling sites. Findings showed that mainly piscivorous fish were positive for E. excisus and how the prevalence was highest in M. salmoides. As regard the fish size, a negative correlation between body size and E. excisus was found in P. fluviatilis due to the feeding habit of juvenile perch which feed mainly zooplankton and benthic invertebrates (i.e., oligochaetes, which are the first intermediate hosts of E. excisus). The study findings advance novel knowledge in the field of pathogens of zoonotic importance in the aquatic environment.

scholarly journals Total mercury concentrations in fish from Urrá reservoir (Sinú river, Colombia). Six years of monitoring

2015 ◽  
pp. 4754-4765 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Marrugo-Negrete ◽  
Amado Navarro-Frómeta ◽  
Javier Ruiz-Guzmán
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Total Mercury ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
Fish Length ◽  
Tissue Water ◽  
Fish Food

ABSTRACTObjective. The aim of this study was to monitor the total mercury (T-Hg) concentrations in fish from the Urrá reservoir, after impoundment. Materials and methods. Five fish species at different trophic levels were sampled from 2004 to 2009 and analyzed by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy for T-Hg concentrations in muscle tissue. Water quality parameters were evaluated. Results. The highest (1.39±0.69 μg/g ww) and lowest (0.15±0.02 μg/g ww) T-Hg concentrations were detected in Hoplias malabaricus (piscivorous) and Cyphocharax magdalenae (iliophagous/detritivorous) respectively, whereas Leporinus muyscorum (omnivorous) had an intermediate level (0.40±0.11 μg/g ww). The organic matter content in the water increased with time and depth, whereas dissolved oxygen and pH decreased. A covariance analysis (with fish length as a covariate) shows a steady increase of T-Hg levels in all the studied species after impoundment. Conclusions. The T-Hg concentrations in the evaluated fish species, increased after impoundment. The water quality variables showed conditions favoring Hg methylation and its biomagnification, this last was evident in the fish food chain of the reservoir.

Use of stable isotopes in the evaluation of fish trophic guilds from a tropical hypersaline lagoon

2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (6) ◽  
pp. 979-988
Author(s):  
Marcos A. L. Franco ◽  
Alejandra F. G. N. Santos ◽  
Abílio S. Gomes ◽  
Marcelo G. de Almeida ◽  
Carlos E. de Rezende
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotopes ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Isotopic Niche ◽  
Trophic Guilds ◽  
Piscivorous Fish

AbstractEnvironmental factors, size-related isotopic changes of the most abundant species and isotopic niche overlap were investigated using stable isotopes in order to evaluate spatial changes of fish trophic guilds in the Araruama Lagoon. Based on 440 muscle samples, 17 fish species were grouped into five trophic guilds. Mean salinity was above 40 at both sites sampled and a significant spatial difference was observed. The highest δ13C mean value was observed for an omnivorous species, whereas the lowest carbon signatures were found for the three fish species belonging to the planktivorous guild. Analysis of the carbon signature of fish species in lower trophic levels showed influence of salinity variation, whilst size appeared to play a role for others. A narrow δ15N difference was observed, but the piscivorous fish species showed the highest δ15N values. The Standard Ellipses Analysis (SEA) detected spatial differences and varying degrees of isotopic niche overlap among trophic guilds, but the percentages of most overlaps (<60%) suggest that, to some extent, the guilds had a unique isotopic niche space. These results are in agreement with data previously reported for the Araruama Lagoon, that found the same prey items with varying relative importance among the most abundant species. Further studies are necessary to understand how the interaction between salinity and other factors, such as migration patterns, changes in prey availability, changes in contribution of primary sources and changes in baseline isotopic signatures could affect the stable isotope signatures shown here.

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