title: Mercury accumulation in sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) from Lake Huron.
abstract: We determined whole-fish total mercury (Hg) concentrations of 40 male and 40 female adult sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) captured in the Cheboygan River, a tributary to Lake Huron, during May 2011. In addition, bioenergetics modeling was used to explore the effects of sex-related differences in activity and resting (standard) metabolic rate (SMR) on mercury accumulation. The grand mean for Hg concentrations was 519 ng/g (standard error of the mean=46 ng/g). On average, males were 16% higher in Hg concentration than females. Bioenergetics modeling results indicated that 14% higher activity and SMR in males would account for this observed sex difference in Hg concentrations. We concluded that the higher Hg concentration in males was most likely due to higher rate of energy expenditure in males, stemming from greater activity and SMR. Our findings have implications for estimating the effects of sea lamprey populations on mercury cycling within ecosystems, as well as for the proposed opening of sea lamprey fisheries. Eventually, our results may prove useful in improving control of sea lamprey, a pest responsible for substantial damage to fisheries in lakes where it is not native.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, 1451 Green Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA. Electronic address: cmadenjian@usgs.gov.
authors.forename: Charles P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Madenjian
authors.affiliation: U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Hammond Bay Biological Station, 11188 Ray Road, Millersburg, MI 49759, USA. Electronic address: njohnson@usgs.gov.
authors.forename: Nicholas S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Great Lakes Fishery Commission, 2100 Commonwealth Boulevard, Suite 100, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA. Electronic address: msiefkes@glfc.org.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Siefkes
authors.affiliation: Great Lakes Fishery Commission, 2100 Commonwealth Boulevard, Suite 100, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA. Electronic address: jdettmers@glfc.org.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dettmers
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, 1100 N. University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. Electronic address: jdblum@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Joel D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, 1100 N. University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. Electronic address: mwj@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Marcus W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006114:Great Lakes Region; D060106:Lakes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000378:metabolism*; D048428:Petromyzon / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Bioenergetics modeling; Consumption advisories; Excretion; Gross growth efficiency; Sex differences; Standard metabolic rate