Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes and metal concentration in food webs from a mining-impacted coastal lagoon

Two food webs from the Mar Menor coastal lagoon, differing in the distance from the desert-stream through which mining wastes were discharged, were examined by reference to essential (Zn and Cu) and non-essential (Pb and Cd) metal concentrations and stable isotopes content (C and N). The partial extraction technique applied, which reflects the availability of metals to organisms after sediment ingestion, showed higher bioavailable metal concentrations in sediments from the station influenced by the mining discharges, in agreement with the higher metal concentrations observed in organisms, which in many cases exceeded the regulatory limits established in Spanish legislation concerning seafood. Spatial differences in essential metal concentrations in the fauna suggest that several organisms are exposed to metal levels above their regulation capacity. Differences in isotopic composition were found between both food webs, the wadi-influenced station showing higher delta(15)N values and lower delta(13)C levels, due to the discharge of urban waste waters and by the entrance of freshwater and allochthonous marsh plants. The linear-regressions between trophic levels (as indicated by delta(15)N) and the metal content indicated that biomagnification does not occur. In the case of invertebrates, since the "handle strategy" of the species and the physiological requirements of the organisms, among other factors, determine the final concentration of a specific element, no clear relationships between trophic level and the metal content are to be expected. For their part, fish communities did not show clear patterns in the case of any of the analyzed metals, probably because most fish species have similar metal requirements, and because biological factors also intervened. Finally, since the study deals with metals, assumptions concerning trophic transfer factors calculation may not be suitable since the metal burden originates not only from the prey but also from adsorption over the body surfaces and seawater ingestion.