title: Accumulation of mercury and methylmercury by mushrooms and earthworms from forest soils.
abstract: Accumulation of total and methyl-Hg by mushrooms and earthworms was studied in thirty-four natural forest soils strongly varying in soil physico-chemical characteristics. Tissue Hg concentrations of both receptors did hardly correlate with Hg concentrations in soil. Both total and methyl-Hg concentrations in tissues were species-specific and dependent on the ecological groups of receptor. Methyl-Hg was low accounting for less than 5 and 8% of total Hg in tissues of mushrooms and earthworms, respectively, but with four times higher concentrations in earthworms than mushrooms. Total Hg concentrations in mushrooms averaged 0.96 mg Hg kg(-1) dw whereas litter decomposing mushrooms showed highest total Hg and methyl-Hg concentrations. Earthworms contained similar Hg concentrations (1.04 mg Hg kg(-1) dw) whereas endogeic earthworms accumulated highest amounts of Hg and methyl-Hg.
authors.affiliation: Rhizosphere Processes Group, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Stephan R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Rieder
authors.forename: Ivano
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horvat
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Beat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Frey
mesh_terms: D000363:Agaricales / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008628:Mercury / Q000378:metabolism*; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000378:metabolism*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D014197:Trees
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D008628:Mercury