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Linking landscape development intensity within watersheds to methyl-mercury accumulation in river sediments.
- Source :
-
AMBIO - A Journal of the Human Environment . Mar2016, Vol. 45 Issue 2, p196-204. 9p. - Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- An indicator of the disturbance of natural systems, the landscape development intensity (LDI) index, was used to assess the potential for land-use within watersheds to influence the production/accumulation of methyl-mercury (MeHg) in river sediments. Sediment samples were collected from locations impacted by well-identified land-use types within the Mobile-Alabama River Basin in Southeastern USA. The samples were analyzed for total-Hg (THg) and MeHg concentrations and the obtained values correlated to the calculated LDI indexes of the sampled watersheds to assess the impact of prevalent land use/land cover on MeHg accumulation in sediments. The results show that unlike THg, levels of MeHg found in sediments are impacted by the LDI indexes. Overall, certain combinations of land-use types within a given watershed appear to be more conducive to MeHg accumulation than others, therefore, pointing to the possibility of targeting land-use practices as potential means for reducing MeHg accumulation in sediments, and ultimately, fish contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00447447
- Volume :
- 45
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- AMBIO - A Journal of the Human Environment
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 112967376
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-015-0695-z