Temporal Changes in Mercury Concentrations in Everglades Biota

Abstract

Mercury in Everglades food webs poses human health and ecological risks most notably to anglers, hunters and fish-eating wildlife. These risks vary spatial and temporally across the Everglades landscape. The purpose of this chapter is to present an evaluation of temporal trends in mercury bioaccumulation within specific links in Everglades food webs. Emphasis is given to assessing temporal trends in biotically important species (see Chap. 8, Vol. II for food web descriptions of mosquitofish, largemouth bass, wading birds, and the Florida panther); however, multiple additional species along a gradient of trophic levels and habitats are considered in the context of the recognized high degree of spatial variability in bioaccumulation across the Everglades.

Publication
Mercury and the Everglades. A Synthesis and Model for Complex Ecosystem Restoration: Volume III – Temporal Trends of Mercury in the Everglades, Synthesis and Management Implications