systemwide_header_hometitle - dataset_eml_headerDesc - Whiteface Soil Data

Assessing Biological Mercury Hotspots in Montane Ecosystems of the Northern Forest: Whiteface Soil Data

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Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative

Address:
705 Spear Street
South Burlington, Vermont 05403
United States of America

Phone: (802) 391-4135
Email: femc@uvm.edu
Website: www.uvm.edu/femc

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Global mercury contamination largely results from direct primary atmospheric and secondary legacy emissions, which can be deposited to ecosystems, converted to methylmercury, and bioaccumulated along food chains. We examined organic horizon soil samples collected across an elevational gradient on Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondack region of New York State, USA to determine spatial patterns in methylmercury concentrations across a forested montane landscape. We found that soil methylmercury concentrations were highest in the mid-elevation coniferous zone (0.39 ± 0.07 ng/g) compared to the higher elevation alpine zone (0.28 ± 0.04 ng/g) and particularly the lower elevation deciduous zone (0.17 ± 0.02 ng/g), while the percent of total mercury as methylmercury in soils decreased with elevation. We also found a seasonal pattern in soil methylmercury concentrations, with peak methylmercury values occurring in July. Given elevational patterns in temperature and bioavailable total mercury (derived from mineralization of soil organic matter), soil methylmercury concentrations appear to be driven by soil processing of ionic Hg, as opposed to atmospheric deposition of methylmercury. These methylmercury results are consistent with spatial patterns of mercury concentrations in songbird species observed from other studies, suggesting that future declines in mercury emissions could be important for reducing exposure of mercury to montane avian species.

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Jamie Shanley: dataset_eml_peoplecontentprovider

Charles Driscoll: dataset_eml_peopleprincipleinvestigator

Jacqueline Gerson: dataset_eml_peopleprincipleinvestigator

Jason Demers: dataset_eml_peoplecontentprovider

Amy Sauer: dataset_eml_peoplecontentprovider

Bradley Blackwell: dataset_eml_peoplecontentprovider

Mario Montesdeoca: dataset_eml_peoplecontentprovider

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mercury, methylmercury, soil,

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dataset_eml_locationcords

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dataset_eml_datatabletitle: Whiteface Soil Data

dataset_eml_datatablestartdate: 2015-06-01

dataset_eml_datatableendate: 2015-09-30

dataset_eml_datatabledescription: This dataset contains methylmercury concentration, total mercury concentration, percent mercury as methylmercury, percent nitrogen, percent carbon, carbon: nitrogen ratio, and percent sulfur in soil samples. Plots are located in low elevation deciduous zone, mid-elevation coniferous zone, and high elevation alpine zone. Samples were taken in June, July, and September 2015.

dataset_eml_datatablepurpose: Quantifying concentrations of total mercury and methyl mercury in soil.

dateset_eml_datatableshortname: Z1137_2373_30DZV0

dataset_eml_datatablephysicalobjectname: VMC.1137.2373

dataset_eml_datatabledatatype: mySQL

dataset_eml_datatablecitation: Gerson, Jacqueline. (2017) Whiteface Soil Data. FEMC. Available online at: https://www.uvm.edu/femc/data/archive/project/biological-mercury-hotspots-montane-ecosystems-northern-forest/dataset/whiteface-soil-data

dataset_eml_datatableonlinedistribution: https://vmc.w3.uvm.edu/vmcdevel/CI4/data/archive/project/biological-mercury-hotspots-montane-ecosystems-northern-forest/dataset/whiteface-soil-data