Scientists find mercury threatens next generation of loons
A long-term study by the Wildlife Conservation Society, the BioDiversity Research Institute, and other organizations has found and confirmed that environmental mercury鈥攎uch of which comes from human-generated emissions鈥攊s impacting both the health and reproductive success of common loons in the Northeast.
The results of the 18-year study on loons鈥攁 species symbolic of northern lakes and wilderness鈥攁ppear in the most recent edition of Ecotoxicology.
鈥淭his study demonstrates how top predators such as common loons can be used as the proverbial 鈥榗anaries-in-the-coalmine鈥� for pollutants that concern humans as well,鈥� said David C. Evers of the BioDiversity Research Institute and lead author of the study. 鈥淥ur findings can be used to facilitate national and global decisions for regulating mercury emissions from coal-burning plants and other sources.鈥�
The study uses data from nearly 5,500 samples of blood, feathers, and eggs collected from captured and released loons from some 80 lakes in Maine, New York, New Hampshire, and other states and provinces. The researchers made correlations between the behaviors of individual birds and their levels of methylmercury, the most toxic form of mercury that accumulates up the food chain.
Loons with high levels of mercury鈥攁bout 16 percent of the adult population in the study area鈥攚ere found to spend some 14 percent less time at the nest than normally behaving birds. Unattended nests have a higher rate of failure due to either chilling of the eggs or predation by minks, otters, raccoons and other egg robbers.
With behavioral observations from 1,529 loon territories between 1996 and 2005, researchers found that loon pairs with elevated mercury levels also produced 41 percent fewer fledged young than loons in lakes relatively free of mercury. Other behavioral impacts due to elevated mercury were sluggishness, resulting in decreased foraging for fish by the adults for both themselves and for chicks.
In addition to behavior, the concentration of mercury in loons has physiological impacts as well.
鈥淭his study confirms what we鈥檝e long suspected鈥攎ercury from human activities such as coal-burning power plants鈥攊s having a significant negative impact on the environment and the health of its most charismatic denizens, and potentially, to humans, too,鈥� said Nina Schoch of the Wildlife Conservation Society鈥檚 Adirondack Program. 鈥淭hus, it becomes even more urgent for the EPA to propose effective national regulations for mercury emissions from power plants that are based on sound science.鈥�
Although many northeastern states have implemented stringent mercury emission rules, a nationwide regulation has yet to be passed. The U.S. District Court of Appeals recently struck down the EPA鈥檚 proposed Cap-and-Trade Rule for mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants, which would have led to localized 鈥渉otspots鈥� of mercury, a highly toxic pollutant. 鈥淭he ecological impacts of mercury identified in this study illustrate the need for comprehensive, national regulations to limit mercury emissions,鈥� added Schoch.
Source: Wildlife Conservation Society
