title: Effect of diet, location and sampling year on bioaccumulation of mercury, selenium and cadmium in pelagic feeding seabirds in Svalbard.
abstract: Hepatic concentrations of mercury (Hg), selenium (Se) and cadmium (Cd) were determined in black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) and little auks (Alle alle) from two fjords in Svalbard (Kongsfjorden; 78°57'N, 12°12'E and Liefdefjorden; 79°37'N, 13°20'E). The inflow of Arctic and Atlantic water differs between the two fjords, potentially affecting element accumulation. Trophic positions (TP) were derived from stable nitrogen isotope ratios (δ(15)N), and stable carbon isotope ratios (δ(13)C) were assessed to evaluate the terrestrial influence on element accumulation. Mercury, Cd, TP and δ(13)C varied significantly between locations and years in both species. Trophic position and feeding habits explained Hg and Cd accumulation in kittiwakes, but not in little auks. Biomagnification of Hg and Cd were found in the food webs of both the Atlantic and the Arctic fjord, and no inter-fjord differences were detected. The δ(13)C were higher in the seabirds from Kongsfjorden than in Liefdefjorden, but this did not explain variations in element accumulation. Selenium concentrations were not influenced by Hg accumulation in kittiwakes, indicating baseline levels of Se in this species. In contrast, correlations between Hg and Se and lower Se:Hg ratios in little auks from Kongsfjorden than in Liefdefjorden indicate a more pronounced influence of Se-Hg complex formation in little auks feeding in Atlantic waters.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Biology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: ida.beathe.overjordet@sintef.no.
authors.forename: Ida Beathe
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Øverjordet
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Polar Institute, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Geir Wing
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Gabrielsen
authors.affiliation: NTNU, Department of Chemistry, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Torunn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), N-0349 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruus
authors.affiliation: Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway; Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Evenset
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), N-0349 Oslo, Norway; Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Katrine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Borgå
authors.affiliation: Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Guttorm
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.affiliation: NTNU, Department of Chemistry, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Syverin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lierhagen
authors.affiliation: Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Biology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Bjørn Munro
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Jenssen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis*; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D046091:Charadriiformes; D033342:Copepoda; D004032:Diet; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D020387:Food Chain; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D012643:Selenium / Q000032:analysis*; D013538:Svalbard; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; D008628:Mercury; D012643:Selenium
keywords: Arctic; Bioaccumulation; Black-legged kittiwake; Food web; Little auk; Marine environmental pollution