RT Journal Article
T1 Spatial variation of mercury contamination in yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) in the Western Mediterranean
A1 Patier, Laura
A1 Bustamante, Paco
A1 McCoy, Karen D.
A1 Guillou, Gaël
A1 Hammouda, Abdessalem
A1 Leray, Carole
A1 Martínez Salcedo, Gonzalo Fernando
A1 Payo Payo, Ana
A1 Poiriez, Gauthier
A1 Ramos, Raül
A1 Sanz Aguilar, Ana
A1 Selmi, Slaheddine
A1 Tavecchia, Giacomo
A1 Vittecoq, Marion
A1 Fort, Jérôme
AB Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant of major concern in marine and coastal environments. In the Mediterranean Sea, Hg concentrations in biota are higher than in other seas, even when seawater concentrations are similar. Seabirds, as marine top predators, can reflect Hg contamination on a large spatial scale. By sampling seabirds at 17 different breeding colonies, we evaluated Hg concentrations of yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) in the occidental Mediterranean basin in 2021 and 2022. More specifically, we investigated spatial variation of Hg contamination in both chicks and adults as well as associated toxicological risks through the use of blood and feathers, which reflect contamination over different periods of the year. The highest concentrations in chicks were found in Djerba (Tunisia) with blood Hg values of (mean ± SD) 1.69 ± 0.51 μg g−1 dry weight (dw). Adults were most contaminated in Djerba and Dragonera (Balearic Islands, Spain) with blood Hg concentrations of respectively 3.78 ± 2.54 and 5.25 ± 3.73 μg g−1 dw. Trophic ecology was investigated using stable isotope analyses (δ13C, δ15N and δ34S as proxies of feeding habitat and diet), and showed that spatial variation in Hg was mainly driven by foraging habitat in both chicks and adults. Low Hg concentrations were related to the use of anthropogenic food sources. An effect of colony location was also found, suggesting spatial differences in local environmental pollution transfer up to seabirds. Our results also supported the use of δ34S to discriminate between marine and continental foraging habitats in generalist seabirds. This study provides new insights onto the spatial distribution of Hg contamination in a widespread seabird, reporting some of the highest Hg values recorded for this species. Populations with highest concentrations are of potential concern regarding toxicological risks.
PB Elsevier
SN 0269-7491
YR 2024
FD 2024
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/112024
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/112024
LA eng
NO Patier, L., Bustamante, P., McCoy, K. D., Guillou, G., Hammouda, A., Leray, C., Martínez Salcedo, G. F., Payo-Payo, A., Poiriez, G., Ramos, R., Sanz-Aguilar, A., Selmi, S., Tavecchia, G., Vittecoq, M., & Fort, J. (2024). Spatial variation of mercury contamination in yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) in the Western Mediterranean. Environmental Pollution, 362. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENVPOL.2024.124992
NO This work was funded by the ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche, France) through the EcoDIS project (ANR-20-CE34-0002) and by the OFB (Office Français pour la Biodiversité, France) through the project Suivi des contaminants et de leurs effets chez les oiseaux marins (OFB.20.0409). IMEDEA is an accredited "Maria de Maeztu Excellence Unit" (Grant CEX2021-001198, funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, Spain).
NO Agence Nationale de la Recherche (France)
NO Office Français pour la Biodiversité
NO Instituto Mediteráneo de Estudios Avanzados
DS Docta Complutense
RD 9 abr 2025