A 3-year study of fish from the South River, and the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, and the Shenandoah River in Virginia revealed significant differences in the muscle mercury content of males and females. Female rock bass, Ambloplites rupestris, redbreast sunfish, Lepomis auritus, pumpkinseed, Lepomis gibbosus, and bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus contained higher levels of mercury than the males of each species. An analysis of these species indicated that sex-related differences in mercury levels were not due to differences in body size but may have been related to the onset of reproduction. For example, mercury levels in 1-year-old male and female redbreast sunfish were not significantly different: females averaged 0.66 μg Hg/g and males averaged 0.63 μg Hg/g. However, at 2 years of age, when redbreast sunfish first reproduce, females contained significantly more mercury than males: females averaged 0.84 μg Hg/g and males averaged 0.60 μg Hg/g. Analysis of the other species yielded similar results.
Why is SMOS dry compared to soil moisture observed by the South Fork in situ soil moisture network?