The western stock of the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) in the northern Pacific Ocean has declined by approximately 80% over the past 30 years. This led to the listing of this sea lion population as an endangered species in 1997. Chemical pollution is [corrected] one of several contributing causes. In the present study, 145 individual PCBs were determined in tissues of male sea lions from Tatitlek (Prince William Sound) and St. Paul Island (Bering Sea), and placentae from the Aleutian Islands. PCBs 90/101, 118, and 153 were abundant in all the samples. The mean toxic equivalents (TEQ) were 2.6, 4.7 and 7.4 pg/g lw in the kidney, liver, and blubber samples, respectively. The mean TEQ in placentae was 8 pg/g lw. Total PCBs concentrations (2.6-7.9 μg/g lw) in livers of some males were within a range known to cause physiological effects, further [corrected] suggesting the possibility of adverse effects on this stock.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2010.09.022 | DOI Listing |
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Biogeochemical patterns in prey species reveal complex mercury exposure pathways from the environment to Aleutian Steller sea lions.
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Several wildlife species exhibit marked spatial variation in toxicologically relevant tissue concentrations of mercury across the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, most notably the endangered Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus). To unravel potential environmental and trophic pathways driving mercury variation in this species of concern, we investigated spatiotemporal and ecological patterns in total mercury concentrations and stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen from muscle tissues of twelve mid-trophic level prey species of the region (n = 1461). Dividing samples into island groups explained biogeochemical variation better than larger spatial resolutions, with Amchitka Pass and Buldir Pass acting as strong geographic break points.
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Article Synopsis
- The study analyzes how factors like location, age, diet, and metabolism affect the concentration of essential and non-essential elements in Steller sea lion pups from different Aleutian Islands rookeries.
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