Mercury biomagnification in the upper South Saskatchewan River Basin

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dc.contributor.authorBrinkmann, Lars
dc.contributor.authorUniversity of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
dc.contributor.supervisorRasmussen, Joseph B.
dc.date.accessioned2009-07-08T20:08:19Z
dc.date.available2009-07-08T20:08:19Z
dc.date.issued2007
dc.degree.levelMasters
dc.descriptionxiii, 130 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm. --en
dc.description.abstractIn this thesis mercury concentrations in biota of the upper South Saskatchewan River Basin are assessed in three non-industrialized systems. Mercury levels in large sport fish (northern pike, walleye, lake trout) frequently exceeded the consumption limit of 0.5ppm. Goldeye and mooneye of the Oldman River and lake whitefish of Waterton Lakes were below 0.5ppm total mercury. Agricultural and urban effluents constituted no sources of significant mercury loadings to the Oldman River. A doubling of mercury biomagnification factors between longnose dace and their food suggests bioenergetic heterogeneity of these fish along the river gradient. Basin-specific mercury levels were detected for the upper and middle basins in Waterton Lakes, and are associated with food web characteristics, and fish bioenergetics. High mercury levels in a new reservoir were in part attributed to increased loadings from flooded soils, as is commonly observed, but also to bioenergetic constraints and growth inefficiency as a result of non-piscivory of this population.en
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10133/742
dc.language.isoen_USen
dc.publisherLethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Arts and Science, 2007en
dc.publisher.departmentBiological Sciencesen
dc.publisher.facultyArts and Scienceen
dc.relation.ispartofseriesThesis (University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science)en
dc.subjectDissertations, Academicen
dc.subjectFishes -- Mercury content -- Alberta -- South Saskatchewan River Basinen
dc.subjectMercury -- Environmental aspects -- Alberta -- South Saskatchewan River Basinen
dc.subjectSouth Saskatchewan River Basin (Alta.)en
dc.titleMercury biomagnification in the upper South Saskatchewan River Basinen
dc.typeThesisen
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