Assessing element-specific patterns of bioaccumulation across New England lakes.

Little is known about differences among trace elements in patterns of bioaccumulation in freshwater food webs. Our goal was to identify patterns in bioaccumulation of different elements that are large and consistent enough to discern despite variation across lakes. We measured methylmercury (MeHg) and trace element (As, Cd, Hg, Pb, and Zn) concentrations in food web components of seven New England lakes on 3-5 dates per lake, and contrasted patterns of bioaccumulation across lakes, metals and seasons.

The effect of head turn on the perception of gaze.

When subjects viewed straight and turned eyes that were isolated singly or in pairs from a head that was straight or turned, they underestimated their true direction of gaze. They also underestimated the direction of head turn when both eyes were closed. However, the judged direction of gaze was improved when the eyes were layered against the heads.

Mercury bioavailability and bioaccumulation in estuarine food webs in the Gulf of Maine.

Marine food webs are important links between Hg in the environment and human exposure via consumption of fish. Estuaries contain sediment repositories of Hg and are also critical habitat for marine fish and shellfish species consumed by humans. MeHg biotransfers from sites of production in estuarine sediments to higher trophic levels via both benthic and pelagic pathways.

Patterns of Hg bioaccumulation and transfer in aquatic food webs across multi-lake studies in the northeast US.

The northeastern USA receives some of the highest levels of atmospheric mercury deposition of any region in North America. Moreover, fish from many lakes in this region carry Hg burdens that present health risks to both human and wildlife consumers. The overarching goal of this study was to identify the attributes of lakes in this region that are most likely associated with high Hg burdens in fish.