title: Food preferences and Hg distribution in Chelonia mydas assessed by stable isotopes.
abstract: Mercury (Hg) is a highly toxic pollutant that poses in risk several marine animals, including green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Green turtles are globally endangered sea turtle species that occurs in Brazilian coastal waters as a number of life stage classes (i.e., foraging juveniles and nesting adults). We assessed total Hg concentrations and isotopic signatures ((13)C and (15)N) in muscle, kidney, liver and scute of juvenile green turtles and their food items from two foraging grounds with different urban and industrial development. We found similar food preferences in specimens from both areas but variable Hg levels in tissues reflecting the influence of local Hg backgrounds in food items. Some juvenile green turtles from the highly industrialized foraging ground presented liver Hg levels among the highest ever reported for this species. Our results suggest that juvenile foraging green turtles are exposed to Hg burdens from locally anthropogenic activities in coastal areas.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biogeoquímica Costeira, Instituto de Ciências do Mar, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. Abolição 3207, Fortaleza, CE, 60165-081, Brazil. Electronic address: mmoisesfb@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Bezerra
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biogeoquímica Costeira, Instituto de Ciências do Mar, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. Abolição 3207, Fortaleza, CE, 60165-081, Brazil.
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Lacerda
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000, Parque Califórnia, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, 28013-602, Brazil.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Rezende
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000, Parque Califórnia, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, 28013-602, Brazil.
authors.forename: M A L
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000, Parque Califórnia, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, 28013-602, Brazil.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Brazilian Center for the Protection and Research of Sea Turtles Foundation (Pro-Tamar Foundation), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Macêdo
authors.affiliation: Brazilian Center for the Protection and Research of Sea Turtles Foundation (Pro-Tamar Foundation), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.affiliation: Brazilian Center for the Protection and Research of Sea Turtles Foundation (Pro-Tamar Foundation), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rostán
authors.affiliation: Brazilian Center for the Protection and Research of Sea Turtles Foundation (Pro-Tamar Foundation), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Lopez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005518:Food Preferences; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014426:Turtles / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Carbon isotope; Green turtle; Mercury; Nitrogen isotope; Pollution