Wading bird guano contributes to Hg accumulation in tree island soils in the Florida Everglades.

Authors :: Zhu Y
Gu B
Irick DL
Ewe S
Li Y
Ross MS
Ma LQ
Source :: Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987) [Environ Pollut] 2014 Jan; Vol. 184, pp. 313-9. Date of Electronic Publication: 2013 Oct 01.
Publication Year :: 2014
Abstract: Tree islands are habitat for wading birds and a characteristic landscape feature in the Everglades. A total of 93 surface soil and 3 soil core samples were collected from 7 degraded/ghost and 34 live tree islands. The mean Hg concentration in surface soils of ghost tree islands was low and similar to marsh soil. For live tree islands, Hg concentrations in the surface head region were considerably greater than those in mid and tail region, and marsh soils. Hg concentrations in bird guano (286 μg kg(-1)) were significantly higher than those in mammal droppings (105 μg kg(-1)) and plant leaves (53 μg kg(-1)). In addition, Hg concentrations and δ(15)N values displayed positive correlation in soils influenced by guano. During 1998-2010, estimated annual Hg deposition by guano was 148 μg m(-2) yr(-1) and ~8 times the atmospheric deposition.<br /> (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Subjects :: Animals
Florida
Birds physiology
Ecosystem
Environmental Monitoring
Environmental Pollutants analysis
Feces chemistry
Mercury analysis
Soil chemistry

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