Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ecological Effects and Biomonitoring for Mercury in Tropical Ecosystems

  • Published:
Water, Air, and Soil Pollution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Considerable attention has been devoted to monitoring heavy metals in temperate zones of the world, largely due to the concentration of industries and populations in these regions. With increases in global transport of mercury, it has become important to examine the effects of mercury on components of tropical ecosystems, and to design biomonitoring schemes to assess environmental changes involving mercury. Tropical ecosystems differ from temperate ones in fundamental ways, including increased species diversity, and decreased niche width, spatial heterogeneity, food web lengths and complexity, productivity and soil laterization. Because of these differences, the fate and transport of mercury may differ in temperate and tropical systems, and it is suggested in this paper that bird feathers be used as a biomonitoring tool to assess broad-scale trends in mercury exposure, as well as being indicative of adverse effects on the birds themselves. In many ecosystems, some species of birds o ccupy top trophic levels. It is apparent that the mercury level in feathers of some tropical birds as high as those from temperature regions, exceeding levels associated with adverse effects in laboratory studies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Batty, L. 1989, Biologist 36, 151-154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braune, B. M. and Gaskin, D. E., 1987, Ornis Scand. 18, 244-250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brisbin, I. L. 1991, Acta Internat. Congr. Ornith. 20, 2473.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brisban, I. L., and Peakall, D. B. 1991, Acta Internat. Congr. Ornith. 20, 2470-2510.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brun, D. A., Wiersma, G. B., and Rykiel E. J. Jr. 1991, Environ. Monit. Assess. 17, 3-31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burger, J. 1993, Rev. Environ. Toxicol. 5, 197-306.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burger, J. and Gochfeld, M. 1991, Archiv. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 21, 311-315.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burger, J. and Gochfeld, M. 1993, Archiv. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 25, 322-327.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burger, J., Nisbet, I. C. T., and Gochfeld, M. 1992a, J. Toxicol. Environ. Health 37, 363-374.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burger, J., Parsons, K., Benson, T., Shukla, T., Rothstein, D., and Gochfeld, M. 1992b, Archiv. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 23, 435.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burger, J., Schreiber, E.A.E., and Gochfeld, M. 1992c, Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 11, 815-822.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burger, J., Laska, M., and Gochfeld, M. 1993, Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 12, 1291-1296.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burger, J., Pokras, M., Chafel, R., and Gochfeld, M. 1994, Environ. Monit. Assess. 30, 1-7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, T., Clark, K., Paterson, S., Mackay, D., and Norstrom, R. J. 1988, Environ. Sci. Technol. 22, 120-127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Connell, J. H. and Slayter, R. O. 1977. Am. Natur. 111, 1119-1144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Connell, J. H. and Sonsa, W. C. 1983. Am. Natur. 121 789-824.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeCoursey, P. J. and Vernberg, W. P. 1972, Oikos 23, 241-247.

    Google Scholar 

  • Domingo, J. L. 1994, J. Toxicol. Environ. Health 42, 123-141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Douglas, J. 1994, EPRI J. April/May, 14-20.

  • Eisler, R. 1987, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serv.; Biolog. Report 85.

  • Finley, M. T. and Stendell, R. C. 1978, Environ. Pollut. 16, 51-64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitzgerald, W. F. 1993, Water, Air, Soil Pollut. 80, 245-254.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox, G. A., Gilbertson, M., Gilman, A. P., and Kubiak, T. J. 1991, J. Great lakes Res. 17, 151-152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furness, R.W., Muirhead, S. J., and Woodburn, M. 1986, Mar. Pollut. Bull. 17, 27-30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goede, A.A. and deBruin, M. 1984, Environ. Pollut. ser B 8, 281-298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goede, A.A. and deBruin, M. 1986, Environ. Monit. Assess. 7, 249-256.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hacon, S., Arlaxo, P., Gersh, R., Yamasoe, M.A., Campos, R.C., Conti, L.F., and DeLacerda, L.D. 1995, Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 80, 273-283.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hancock,. and Kushlan, J. 1984, The herons handbook. Harper and Row, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hario, M. and Unksulainen, J. 1993, Fennica 70, 32-39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heinz, G. H. 1974, Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 11, 386-392.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heinz, G. H. 1976, J. Wildl. Manage. 40, 710-715.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heinz, G. H. 1979, J. Wildl. Manage, 43, 394-401.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, E. F. and Soares, J. H. Jr. 1984, Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 3, 489-502.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, D. J. and Moore, J. M. 1979, Tematol. 20, 453-462.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huckabee, J. W., Wheatley, B., and Porcella, D.B. 1995, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 80, 851-870.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jensen, S. and Jernelov, A. 1969, Nature 223, 753-754.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jernelov, A. and Ramel, C. 1995, Ambio, 24, 319-320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kato, H. and Pfeiffer, W.C. 1994, National Instit. Minamata Disease, Japan and Instituto de Biofisica, Universidade Federal de Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lack, D. 1968, Ecological adaptations for breeding in birds, Methuen, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Langston 1990, in Furness, R. W. and Rainbow, P. S. (eds.) Heavy metals in the marine environment, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 14, 101-122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laskowski, B. 1991, Oikos 60, 387-390.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, S. A. and Furness, R. W. 1991, Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 21, 316-320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Louchouarn, P., Lucotte, M., Mucci, A., and Pichet, P. 1993, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 50, 269-281.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackay, D., Wania, F., and Schroeder, W. H. 1995, Water, Air, Soil Pollut. 80, 941-950.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malm, O., Pfeiffer, W.C., Souza, C. M. M., and Reuther, R. 1990, Ambio, 11-14.

  • Maguire, L. A. 1991, Cons. Biol. 5, 123-125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mills, L.S., Soule, M.E., and Koak, D. F. 1993, BioScience 43, 219-224.

    Google Scholar 

  • Monteiro, L. R. and Furness, R. W. 1995, Water, Air and Soil Pollut. 80, 851-870.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nriagu, J. O. 1979, The biogeochemistry of mercury in the environment. Elsevier/North Holland Biomedical Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Odum, E.P. 1959, Fundamentals of Ecology, W.B. Saunders Co. Philadelphia, Pa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohlendorf, H. M., Risebrough, R. W., and Vermeer, K. 1978, Wildl. Res. Rep. 9, 1-40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paine, R.T. 1966, Am. Natur. 100, 65-75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeiffer, W. C., Lacerda, L. D., Salomons, W., and Malm, O. 1993, Environ. Rev. 1, 26-37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Porcella, D.B. 1994, in Watras, C. J., and J. W. Huckabee (eds) Mercury pollution: integration and synthesis. Lewis Publ. Boca, Raton FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rice, D. C. and Gilbert, S.G. 1990, Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 102, 151-163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roulet, M. and Lucotte, M. 1995, Water, Air, Soil Pollut. 80, 1079-1088.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheehan, P.J. 1984, Pp 23-50 in Sheehan, P. J., D. R. Miller, G. C. Butler, and P. Bourdeau (eds) Effects of pollutants at the ecosystem level. Wiley & Sons, Chichester, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solonen, T. and Lodenius, M. 1984, Ornis Fennica 61, 58-63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soule, M. E. (ed.). 1987. Viable populations for conservation. Cambridge Univ. Press, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, P. M. 1990, in Furness, R. W. and Rainbow, P. S. (eds.) Heavy metals in the marine environment, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watras, C. J. and Huckabee, J.W. (eds.): 1994, Mercury Pollution: Integration and Synthesis. Lewis Publ. Boca Raton, Fl.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weis, J.S. and Weis, P. 1995, Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 14, 153-156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, E.O: 1988, Biodiversity, National Academy Press, Washington DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Windom, H. L. and Kendall, D. R. 1979, in Nriagu, J. O. (ed.) The biogeochemistry of mercury in the environment. Elsevier/North Holland Biomedical Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wren, C. D. and G I Stephenson 1991. The effect of acidification on the accumulation and toxicity of metals in freshwater invertebrates, Environ. Pollut. 71:205-241.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program, Biological Sciences, and Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA, 08855

    Joanna Burger

Authors
  1. Joanna Burger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Burger, J. Ecological Effects and Biomonitoring for Mercury in Tropical Ecosystems. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 97, 265–272 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018363108495

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018363108495

Search

Navigation