Online webinar | Mercury dynamics

SETAC PNC Welcomes Dr. Benjamin Barst, PhD (Assistant Professor, Department of Earth, Energy, and Environment and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary) to our re-vamped Seminar Series.

Mercury dynamics, trophic transfer, and risk in northern aquatic food webs undergoing rapid change

Northern ecosystems are experiencing rapid environmental change, with important implications for trophic dynamics and contaminant cycling. Mercury, transported to high latitudes through long-range atmospheric processes, is converted to methylmercury and efficiently biomagnifies in aquatic food webs. Consequently, northern biota can exhibit relatively high mercury concentrations placing them at risk for toxic effects.

Our group is examining mercury dynamics in various northern regions impacted by glacial melt and permafrost thaw. We focus on how these climate-sensitive processes influence Hg mobilization and bioavailability at the base of aquatic food webs. We are investigating how shifts in food web structure, including changes in species composition and trophic interactions, may alter the transfer of Hg across trophic levels.

Together, these physical and ecological changes highlight the importance of considering climate and changing food webs when evaluating mercury exposure in northern systems. Our goal is to provide a deeper understanding of the drivers of mercury exposures in northern wildlife, which we hope will inform both the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme and the effectiveness evaluation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

Connect to the meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84784910926