Abstract
In boreal forest lakes, high Hg concentrations in fish are common, even in remote areas. In this paper, the effects of atmospheric Hg pollution in Sweden are synthesized and related to a concept based on the strong interaction of Hg with biogenic matter (Hg/B). Based on this concept, a compartment model is developed to predict concentrations, pool sizes, flux rates and turnover times of Hg along the biogeochemical cycle, including atmosphere, forest soils, surface runoff, lake waters, and aquatic biota. The aim is to provide a conceptual framework, both for a comprehensive mechanistic model, and for predictions from readily available information, such as regional data on acid deposition, air temperature and surface runoff, and local data on the trophic status of lakes with respect to humus and nutrient concentrations. The model is in good agreement with observations from recent Swedish field studies in all compartments. It suggests a strong influence of climate on the susceptibility of soil and lake ecosystems in the boreal region to Hg contamination. The high Hg concentrations in fish from forest lakes can be largely attributed to the low productivity of both terrestrial and aquatic biota. The impact of historical point sources of Hg is considered, as well as the slow turnover of Hg in forest soils, both resulting in elevated fish Hg levels in humic lakes for centuries following atmospheric deposition.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aastrup, M., Johnson, J., Bringmark, E., Bringmark, L. and Iverfeldt, Å.: 1991, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution (this volume).
Ahlmann, H.W., ed.: 1976, The Nordic countries in text and maps, Generalstabens Litografiska Anstalts Förlag, Stockholm, 116 p. (in Swedish).
Ahmed, R., May, K. and Stoeppler, M.: 1987, Sci. Total Environ. 60,249.
Bengtsson, Å., Viklund, T., Hdggbom, M., Andersson, T. and Håkanson, L.: 1987, Nat. Swed. Env. Prot. Board, Solna, SNV Report 3402, 81 p. (in Swedish).
Bengtsson, Å., Göthe, L., Andersson, T. and Håkanson, L.: 1988, Nat. Swed. Env. Prot. Board, Solna, SNV Report 3564, 70 p. (in Swedish).
Bloom, N.S. and Watras, CI: 1989a, Sci. Total Environ. 87/88, 199.
Bloom, N.S. and Watras, C.I.: 1989b, ‘Seasonal and vertical variability in the mercury speciation of an acidified Wisconsin lake’, in D.P. Vemet (ed.), Heavy Metals in the Environment (VII), CEP Consultants, Edinburgh, UK, Vol. 2, pp. 349–352.
Bruenig, E.F.: 1987, Ambio 16, 68.
Delmas, R.J., Aristarain, A. and Legrand, M.: 1980, ‘Acidity of Antarctic snow: a natural reference level for acid rains’, in D. Drabløs and A. Tollan (eds.), Ecological impact of acid precipitation, Proc. Int. Conf. in Sandefjord, SNSF project, Oslo-Ås, Norway, pp. 104–105.
Fitzgerald, W.F. and Watras, C.J.: 1989, Sci. Total Environ. 87/88, 223.
Godbold, D.L. and Hüttermann, A.: 1988, Physiol. Plant. 74, 270.
Grahn, P., Thorssell, S., Nilsson, Å. and Håkanson, L.: 1987, Nat. Swed. Env. Prot. Board, Solna, SNV Report 3384, 83 p. (in Swedish).
Grahn, P., Thorssell, S., Nilsson, Å. and Håkanson, L.: 1988, Nat. Swed. Env. Prot. Board, Solna, SNV Report 3530, 73 p. (in Swedish).
Grieb, T.M., Driscoll, C.T., Gloss, S.P., Schofield, C.L., Bowie, G.L. and Porcella, D.B.: 1990, Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 9, 919.
Henriksen, A., Lien, L., Traaen, T.S., Sevaldrud, I.S. and Brakke, D.B.: 1988, Ambio 17, 259.
Hessen, D., Andersen, T. and Lyche, A.: 1990, Limnol. Oceanogr. 35, 84.
Hicks, B.B.: 1989, ‘O verview of deposition processes’, in J.L. Malanchuk and J. Nilsson (eds.) , The role of nitrogen in the acidification of soils and surface waters, Nordic Council of Ministers, NORD 1989:92, chapter 3, 21p.
Håkanson, L. and Jansson, M.: 1983, Principles of Lake Sedimentology, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 316 pp.
Håkanson, L., Nilsson, Å. and Andersson, T.: 1988, Environ. Pollut. 49,145.
Håkanson, L., Nilsson, Å. and Andersson, T.: 1990, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 50, 311.
Iverfeldt, Å. and Johansson, K.: 1988, Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 23, 1626.
Iverfeldt, Å.: 1991 a, ‘Occurrence and turnover of atmospheric mercury over the Nordic countries’, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution (this volume).
Iverfeldt, Å.: 1991b, ‘Mercury in forest canopy throughfall water and its relation to atmospheric depositionrs, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution (this volume).
Johansson J.Å., Lindgren G., Andersson, I., Nilsson, Å. and Håkanson, L.: 1987, Nat. Swed. Env. Prot. Board, Solna, SNV Report 3583, 90 p. (in Swedish).
Johansson J.Å., Lindgren G., Sveden, I., Nilsson, Å. and Håkanson, L.: 1988, Nat. Swed. Env. Prot. Board, Solna, SNV Report 3553, 80 p. (in Swedish).
Johansson, K. and Iverfeldt, Å.: 1990, Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 24 (in press).
Johansson, K., Aastrup, M., Andersson, A., Bringmark, L. and Iverfeldt, Å.: 1991, ‘Mercury in Swedish forest soils and waters - assessment of critical load’, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution (this volume).
Jönsson, C. -P., Karlsson, L., Mårtenson, B., Andersson, T. and Håkanson, L.: 1987, Nat. Swed. Env. Prot. Board, Solna, SNV Report 3360, 68 p. (in Swedish).
Jönsson, C. -P., Karlsson, L., Andersson, T. and Håkanson, L.: 1988, Nat. Swed. Env. Prot. Board, Solna, SNV Report 3540 70 p. (in Swedish).
KHM: 1983, Health and environmental effects ofcoal, Final report, main part. Vattenfall, Stockholm, 236 p. (in Swedish).
Lathrop, R.C., Noonan, K.C., Guenther, P.M., Brasino, T.L. and Rasmussen, P.W.: 1989, Mercury levels in walleyes from Wisconsin lakes of different water and sediment chemistry characteristics. Wisconsin Dep. of Natural Resources, Madison, WI, Technical Bulletin 163,41p.
Lee, Y.H. and Mowrer, J.: 1989, Anal. Chim. Acta 221, 259.
Lee, Y.H. and Iverfeldt, Å.: 1991, ‘Measurement of methylmercury and mercury in run-off, lake and rain waters’, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution (this volume).
Lindqvist, O., Jemelöv, A., Johansson, K. and Rodhe, H.: 1984, Mercury in the Swedish environment. Global and local sources. Nat. Swed. Env. Prot. Board, Solna, SNV Report 1816, 105 p.
Lindqvist, O., Johansson, K., Aastrup, M., Andersson, A., Bringmark, L., Hovsenius, G., Håkanson, L., Iverfeldt, Å., Meili, M. and Timm, B.: 1991, ‘Mercury in the Swedish environment — Recent research on causes, consequences and corrective methods.’ Water, Air and Soil Pollution, special issue (in press).
McMurtry, M.J., Wales, D.L., Scheider, W.A., Beggs, G.L. and Dimond, P.E.: 1989, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 46, 426.
Meili, M.: 1991 a, ‘Fluxes, pools and turnover of mercury in Swedish forest lakes’, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution (this volume).
Meili, M.: 1991b, ‘Sources, concentrations and characteristics of organic matter in softwater lakes and streams of the Swedish forest region’, (accepted for publication in Hydrobiologia).
Meili, M.: 1991c, Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 24 (in press).
Meili, M., Iverfeldt, Å. and Håkanson, L.: 1991, ‘Mercury in the surface water of Swedish forest lakes — concentrations, speclation and controlling factors’, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution (this volume).
Nilsson Å., Andersson, T., Håkanson, L. and Andersson, A.: 1989, Mercury in lake fish, linkages to mercury and selenium in mor and historical emissions, Nat. Swed. Env. Prot. Board, Solna, SNV Report 3291, 117 p. (in Swedish, English summary).
Olofsson, H.: 1989, Peat exploitation at Stormyran — effects on water quality. Report LIU 1989 B:3, Institute of Limnology, University of Uppsala (in Swedish).
Overrein, L.N., Seip, H.M. and Tollan, A.: 1980, Acid precipitation — effects on forest and fish. Research report FR 1980, Norwegian Ministry of Enviromnent, Oslo, 175 p.
Parks, J.W., Lutz, A. and Sutton, J.A.: 1989, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 46, 2184.
Persson, G. and Broberg, O.: 1985, Ecol. Bull. (Stockholm) 37, 158.
Rada, R.G., Wiener, J.G., Winfrey, M.R. and Powell, D.E.: 1989, Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 18,175.
Rasmussen, J.B., Godbout, L. and Schallenberg, M.: 1989, Limnol. Oceanogr. 34, 1336.
Richman, L.A., Wren, C.D. and Stokes, P.M.: 1988, Water Air Soil Pollut. 37,465.
SNV: 1986, Acidic and acidified waters. Monitor 1986 (ed. C. Bemes), Nat. Swed. Env. Prot. Board, Solna, 180 p. (in Swedish).
SNV: 1987, Heavy metals - occurrence and turnover in the environment. Monitor 1987 (ed. C. Bernes), Nat. Swed. Env. Prot. Board, Solna, 182 p. (in Swedish).
SNV: 1989, Climate and the natural environment. Monitor 1989 (ed. C. Bemes), Nat. Swed. Env. Prot. Board, Solna, 176 p. (in Swedish).
Tranvik, L.J.: 1989, J. Plankton Res. 11, 985.
Tranvik, L.J. and Höfle, M.G.: 1987, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 53, 482.
Verta, M.: 1984, Aqua Fennica 14, 215. Verta, M.: 1990, Mercury in Finnish forest lakes and reservoirs: anthropogenic contribution to the load and accumulation in fish. Nat. Board of Waters and the Environment Helsinki, Publ. of the Water and Environment Research Institute No. 6, 1990.
Verta, M., Tolonen, K. and Simola, H.: 1989, Sci. Total Environ. 87/88, 1.
Westöö, G.: 1973, Science 181, 567.
Wiener, J.G., Fitzgerald, W.F., Watras, C.J. and Rada, R.G.: 1990, Environ.Toxicol. Chem. 9,909.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Meili, M. The coupling of mercury and organic matter in the biogeochemical cycle — towards a mechanistic model for the boreal forest zone. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 56, 333–347 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00342281
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00342281