Dataset Information

Mercury and selenium concentrations in fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin, southwestern United States: A retrospective assessment.

ABSTRACT: Mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) are contaminants of concern for fish in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB). We explored Hg and Se in fish tissues (2,324 individuals) collected over 50 years (1962-2011) from the UCRB. Samples include native and non-native fish collected from lotic waterbodies spanning 7 major tributaries to the Colorado River. There was little variation of total mercury (THg) in fish assemblages basin-wide and only 13% (272/1959) of individual fish samples exceeded the fish health benchmark (0.27 ?g THg/g ww). Most THg exceedances were observed in the White-Yampa tributary whereas the San Juan had the lowest mean THg concentration. Risks associated with THg are species specific with exceedances dominated by Colorado Pikeminnow (mean = 0.38 and standard error ± 0.08 ?g THg/g ww) and Roundtail Chub (0.24 ± 0.06 ?g THg/g ww). For Se, 48% (827/1720) of all individuals exceeded the fish health benchmark (5.1 ?g Se/g dw). The Gunnison river had the most individual exceedances of the Se benchmark (74%) whereas the Dirty Devil had the fewest. We identified that species of management concern accumulate THg and Se to levels above risk thresholds and that fishes of the White-Yampa (THg) and Gunnison (Se) rivers are at the greatest risk in the UCRB.

SUBMITTER: Day NK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6957192 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Mercury and selenium concentrations in fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin, southwestern United States: A retrospective assessment.

Day Natalie K NK Schmidt Travis S TS Roberts James J JJ Osmundson Barbara C BC Willacker James J JJ Eagles-Smith Collin A CA

PloS one 20200113 1

Mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) are contaminants of concern for fish in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB). We explored Hg and Se in fish tissues (2,324 individuals) collected over 50 years (1962-2011) from the UCRB. Samples include native and non-native fish collected from lotic waterbodies spanning 7 major tributaries to the Colorado River. There was little variation of total mercury (THg) in fish assemblages basin-wide and only 13% (272/1959) of individual fish samples exceeded the fish hea ...[more]

PMID: 31929573

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Project description:In the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB), the principal source of water in the southwestern U.S., demand exceeds supply in most years, and will likely continue to rise. While General Circulation Models (GCMs) project surface temperature warming by 3.5 to 5.6°C for the area, precipitation projections are variable, with no wetter or drier consensus. We assess the impacts of projected 21(st) century climatic changes on subbasins in the UCRB using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool, for all hydrologic components (snowmelt, evapotranspiration, surface runoff, subsurface runoff, and streamflow), and for 16 GCMs under the A2 emission scenario. Over the GCM ensemble, our simulations project median Spring streamflow declines of 36% by the end of the 21(st) century, with increases more likely at higher elevations, and an overall range of -100 to +68%. Additionally, our results indicated Summer streamflow declines with median decreases of 46%, and an overall range of -100 to +22%. Analysis of hydrologic components indicates large spatial and temporal changes throughout the UCRB, with large snowmelt declines and temporal shifts in most hydrologic components. Warmer temperatures increase average annual evapotranspiration by ?23%, with shifting seasonal soil moisture availability driving these increases in late Winter and early Spring. For the high-elevation water-generating regions, modest precipitation decreases result in an even greater water yield decrease with less available snowmelt. Precipitation increases with modest warming do not translate into the same magnitude of water-yield increases due to slight decreases in snowmelt and increases in evapotranspiration. For these basins, whether modest warming is associated with precipitation decreases or increases, continued rising temperatures may make drier futures. Subsequently, many subbasins are projected to turn from semi-arid to arid conditions by the 2080 s. In conclusion, water availability in the UCRB could significantly decline with adverse consequences for water supplies, agriculture, and ecosystem health.

Project description:Fishes of the order Siluriformes, known as catfishes, have a global distribution with more than 3,600 valid species of which 2,087 occur in the Neotropical region. Despite being highly diverse, abundant, and of economic importance as food and ornamental fishes, knowledge about the diversity and distribution of their helminth parasites is fragmentary and scarce. Eight species of catfishes (Pterodoras granulosus, Trachydoras paraguayensis, Pimelodella avanhandavae, Loricariichthys platymetopon, Pterygoplichthys ambrosettii, Rhinelepis aspera, Hemisorubim platyrhynchos, and Sorubim lima) from the Aguapeí River, Upper Paraná River basin, municipality of Castilho, São Paulo State, Brazil, were surveyed for helminth parasites. Collected fishes were weighed, measured, and examined for helminth parasites following standard methodology. Fifty helminth parasite taxa (23 monogeneans, 13 digeneans, 11 nematodes, and three cestodes) were found from a total of 405 fishes screened. The helminth taxon that showed the highest mean intensity of infection and mean abundance was the nematode Rondonia rondoni from P. granulosus, followed by the nematode Parasynodontisia petterae from R. aspera. The ecological analyses were carried out at the component community level and at the infracommunity level. Trachydoras paraguayensis had the richest helminth component community. Pterygoplichthys ambrosettii had the most diverse helminth component community and R. aspera had the lowest. Both hosts are loricariids and have similar diet. However, the high parasite diversity of P. ambrosettii is due to the number of dactylogyrids species found (10), which are directly transmitted, whereas only three dactylogyrid species were found in R. aspera. At infracommunity level, the nematode species R. rondoni and P. petterae dominated the parasite communities. This study presents 38 new host records, contributing considerably to increase the diffuse knowledge of helminth parasites of Neotropical siluriforms.

Dataset Information

Mercury and selenium concentrations in fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin, southwestern United States: A retrospective assessment.

Publications

Mercury and selenium concentrations in fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin, southwestern United States: A retrospective assessment.

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