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MERCURY IN LAKE MICHIGAN ECOSYSTEM COMPONENTS
Citation:
Schofield, R. B., K. Miller, AND R. Rossmann. MERCURY IN LAKE MICHIGAN ECOSYSTEM COMPONENTS. Presented at International Association for Great Lakes Research 2003, Chicago, IL, June 22-26, 2003.
Description:
Mercury is a toxic bioaccumulative substance in aquatic ecosystems. National fish advisories for mercury increased 115% from 1993 to 2001 and fish consumption is now a major health concern. The Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study measured the concentrations of mercury in the atmosphere, tributaries, lake water, sediments, and food webs of Lake Michigan - - - Seasonal variation was observed for some forms of mercury in tributaries, and the atmosphere, although seasonal variation was not observed for total mercury concentrations measured in the open lake. Open lake concentrations of total mercury were generally homogeneous and similar to those that have been measured in open oceans. Mercury concentration distribution patterns in surficial sediments conform to lake bathymetry. Concentrations of mercury in fish varied among the species included in the study.