title: Evaluating Hair as a Predictor of Blood Mercury: The Influence of Ontogenetic Phase and Life History in Pinnipeds.
abstract: Mercury (Hg) biomonitoring of pinnipeds increasingly utilizes nonlethally collected tissues such as hair and blood. The relationship between total Hg concentrations ([THg]) in these tissues is not well understood for marine mammals, but it can be important for interpretation of tissue concentrations with respect to ecotoxicology and biomonitoring. We examined [THg] in blood and hair in multiple age classes of four pinniped species. For each species, we used paired blood and hair samples to quantify the ability of [THg] in hair to predict [THg] in blood at the time of sampling and examined the influence of varying ontogenetic phases and life history of the sampled animals. Overall, we found that the relationship between [THg] in hair and blood was affected by factors including age class, weaning status, growth, and the time difference between hair growth and sample collection. Hair [THg] was moderately to strongly predictive of current blood [THg] for adult female Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), adult female California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), and adult harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), whereas hair [THg] was poorly predictive or not predictive (different times of year) of blood [THg] for adult northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris). Within species, except for very young pups, hair [THg] was a weaker predictor of blood [THg] for prereproductive animals than for adults likely due to growth, variability in foraging behavior, and transitions between ontogenetic phases. Our results indicate that the relationship between hair [THg] and blood [THg] in pinnipeds is variable and that ontogenetic phase and life history should be considered when interpreting [THg] in these tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA. sarahpeterson23@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sarah H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: McHuron
authors.affiliation: Division of Wildlife Conservation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, AK, 99701, USA.|Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757750, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Ackerman
authors.affiliation: Institute of Northern Engineering, Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 755910, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA.
authors.forename: Lorrie D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Rea
authors.affiliation: Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757750, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA.
authors.forename: J Margaret
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Castellini
authors.affiliation: Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757750, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA.
authors.forename: Todd M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: O'Hara
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054750:Ecotoxicology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D046049:Phoca; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury