Mercury (Hg), and its more biologically available form, methylmercury (MeHg), are powerful neurotoxins that impact development and function of the central nervous system. The Northeast is considered a mercury “hotspot,” due largely to airborne mercury emissions originating in the industrialized Midwest. Few studies have examined mercury in northeastern vernal pools, even though these ephemeral wetlands provide critical breeding habitat for several species of amphibians and a diverse assemblage of invertebrates. A recent paper published in Ecotoxicology describes a groundbreaking investigation of mercury levels in vernal pool foodwebs in coniferous and deciduous forests, and reveals that biota from the pools may be vectors of MeHg to the terrestrial ecosystem.
Click here for original story, Bioaccumulation of methylmercury in wood frogs and spotted salamanders in Vermont vernal pools
Source: Phys.org