The impact of mercury on North American songbirds: effects, trends, and predictive factors
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The impact of mercury on North American songbirds: effects, trends, and predictive factors Daniel A. Cristol1 David C. Evers2 ●
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Accepted: 10 September 2020 / Published online: 24 September 2020 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Researchers were asked to contribute new results addressing questions about the exposure and effects of mercury (Hg) in North American songbirds, a rapidly declining group of species that is the subject of enduring interest for millions of birdwatchers, the general public and conservation scientists. Important questions to be answered include: Is Hg causing or exacerbating songbird population declines? Which North American songbirds are at most risk and in which landscapes? Are there aspects of songbird natural history that pre-dispose them to risks of Hg exposure and effects, in particular, their migratory behavior? In all, 61 authors contributed 15 studies addressing aspects of these questions. Articles in this special issue address an array of topics including: (1) three studies on health effects in the laboratory using a domesticated songbird model species, the zebra finch; (2) three studies on changes in songbird exposure to Hg over time spans from less than a decade to more than a century; (3) five studies on landscape characteristics or management practices that cause the oft-noted spatial variation in Hg accumulation by resident songbirds, from the subarctic tundra to high-elevation tropical forests; (4) three papers examining the recently recognized role of migration behavior in predicting risk to songbirds from Hg; and (5) one paper on the potential pitfalls of using feather Hg concentration as a bioindicator for Hg exposure. In summary, although there are many questions still to be answered, it is clear that the effects of Hg are persistent long after exposure, Hg exposure of North American songbirds is not improving, predicting exposure requires a detailed understanding of ecosystem processes beyond simply the amount of Hg present at a site, migration behavior predisposes songbirds to risk of Hg exposure and effects, and carefully selecting appropriate bioindicator sites, species, and tissues is critical to any monitoring efforts. Keywords Bioindicator Mercury Methylmercury Migration Passerine Songbird ●
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Importance of understanding mercury exposure for effective conservation Mercury (Hg) enters ecosystems naturally at low levels, but has been augmented many fold by mining, industrial activity, and the burning of fossil fuels. Once converted by microbes to methylmercury (MeHg), this organic form of Hg can biomagnify to levels of concern in terrestrial species
Guest Editors: Daniel A. Cristol and David C. Evers * Daniel A. Cristol [email protected] 1
Department of Biology, William & Mary, PO Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA
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Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Drive, Portland, ME 04105, USA
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such as insectivorous songbirds (avian Order Passeriformes, also known as passerines),
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