title: Effects of trophic ecology and habitat use on maternal transfer of contaminants in four species of young of the year lamniform sharks.
abstract: Organic contaminant and total mercury concentrations were compared in four species of lamniform sharks over several age classes to examine bioaccumulation patterns and gain insights into trophic ecology. Contaminants found in young of the year (YOY) sharks were assumed to be derived from maternal sources and used as a proxy to investigate factors that influence maternal offloading processes. YOY white (Carcharodon carcharias) and mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) sharks had comparable and significantly higher concentrations of PCBs, DDTs, pesticides, and mercury than YOY thresher (Alopias vulpinus) or salmon (Lamna ditropis) sharks. A significant positive relationship was found between YOY contaminant loads and maternal trophic position, suggesting that trophic ecology is one factor that plays an important role in maternal offloading. Differences in organic contaminant signatures and contaminant concentration magnitudes among species corroborated what is known about species habitat use and may be used to provide insights into the feeding ecology of these animals.
authors.affiliation: California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, USA. kady.lyons@sbcglobal.net
authors.forename: Kady
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carlisle
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Preti
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mull
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blasius
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: Chuck
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Lowe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002140:California; D003634:DDT / Q000378:metabolism; D017753:Ecosystem; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008628:Mercury / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D010575:Pesticides / Q000378:metabolism; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000378:metabolism; D012754:Sharks / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003634:DDT; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D008628:Mercury
keywords: 4,4′-DDE; ANOSIM; Bioaccumulation; DDT; Elasmobranch; Maternal offloading; Metals; Organochlorine; PCBs; SIMPER; Trophic ecology; analysis of similarity; dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethane; dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane; polychlorinated biphenyls; similarity percentage analysis