Managing Mercury: Insights from Monitoring and Manipulation at the Marcell Experimental Forest
| Authors: | Jenna Zukswert, Stephen D. Sebestyen, Randall Kolka, Susan L. Eggert |
| Year: | 2024 |
| Type: | Miscellaneous Publication |
| Station: | Northern Research Station |
| Source: | FS |
Abstract
Mercury is a persistent environmental pollutant emitted from fossil fuel combustion. It is widely dispersed in the environment and can be especially concentrated in peatlands. Peatlands provide many ecosystem services, such as carbon storage, water filtration, and wildlife habitat. However, environmental conditions in peatlands can be conducive to the formation of the highly toxic methylmercury that bioaccumulates in the aquatic food chain and leads to harmful health effects in humans, animals, and other fauna.
The mercury methylation process occurs in conditions that are low in oxygen, are high in available carbon, and contain sulfate-reducing or iron-reducing bacteria, all of which are found in peatland environments where mercury has accumulated for decades from emissions and subsequent atmospheric deposition. In northern Minnesota, peatlands occupy about 30 percent of the landscape. Within this landscape lies the Marcell Experimental Forest, an outdoor laboratory for researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Northern Research Station, and other institutions who study how mercury cycles through ecosystems and how human activities influence mercury levels. Three novel studies at the Marcell Experimental Forest, which include long-term monitoring and experimental manipulations, show the effects of pollution reduction and climate change on downstream movement of methylmercury.