Effects of injected methylmercury on the hatching of common loon (Gavia immer) eggs
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Abstract
To determine the level of in ovo methylmercury (MeHg) exposure that results in detrimental effects on fitness and survival of loon embryos and hatched chicks, we conducted a field study in which we injected eggs with various doses of MeHg on day 4 of incubation. Eggs were collected following about 23 days of natural incubation and artificially incubated to observe hatching. Reduced embryo survival was evident in eggs injected at a rate of ≥1.3 μg Hg/g wet-mass. When maternally deposited Hg and injected Hg were considered together, the median lethal concentration of Hg (LC50) was estimated to be 1.78 μg Hg/g wet-mass. Organ mass patterns from eggs of chicks injected at a rate of 2.9 μg Hg/g differed from that of controls and chicks from the 0.5 μg Hg/g treatment, largely related to a negative relation between yolk sac mass and egg mercury concentration. Chicks from eggs in the 2.9 μg Hg/g treatment were also less responsive to a frightening stimulus than controls and chicks from the 0.5 μg Hg/g treatment. We also found that the length of incubation period increased with increasing egg mercury concentration. Tissue Hg concentrations were strongly associated (r 2 ≥ 0.80) with egg Hg concentration.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Effects of injected methylmercury on the hatching of common loon (Gavia immer) eggs |
| Series title | Ecotoxicology |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10646-011-0743-9 |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 7 |
| Publication Date | July 26, 2011 |
| Year Published | 2011 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Contributing office(s) | Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center |
| Description | 10 p. |
| First page | 1684 |
| Last page | 1693 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Forest County, Iron County, Oneida County, Vilas County |