Department of Biology, Texas Christian University 2800 S. University Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76129, USA.
J Environ Sci (China). 2010;22(8):1158-63. doi: 10.1016/s1001-0742(09)60232-1.
Most studies that have examined mercury (Hg) contamination of fish have focused on game species feeding near the top of the food web, while studies that examine forage fish that feed near the base of the food web are rare. We conducted a survey of Hg contamination in three species of forage fish, brook silverside (Labidesthes sicculus), threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense) and gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), from Caddo Lake, Texas, USA and found species-specific differences in Hg concentrations. We examined total length, age, trophic position (determined using delta15N), and growth rate of forage fish as factors that could have influenced within- and between-species differences in Hg concentration. Total length and age were the best predictors of within-species differences in Hg concentration. Between-species differences in Hg concentrations were most strongly influenced by trophic position.
大多数研究汞（Hg）污染鱼类的研究都集中在食物链顶层的捕食性鱼类上，而对食物链底层的饵料性鱼类的研究则很少。我们对美国德克萨斯州卡多湖的三种饵料性鱼类（溪银鱼、南美棱鳀和美洲鱥）进行了汞污染调查，发现汞浓度存在种间差异。我们考察了总长度、年龄、营养级（用δ15N 确定）和生长率等因素，这些因素可能会影响种内和种间汞浓度的差异。总长度和年龄是预测种内汞浓度差异的最佳指标。种间汞浓度差异受营养级的影响最大。
