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Experiments with large enclosed ecosystems.

J M Davies, J C Gamble

    Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
    |August 8, 1979
    PubMed
    Summary
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    Enclosure experiments reveal mercury transforms rapidly in water, with low concentrations showing minimal biological impact. Higher mercury levels significantly reduced zooplankton, altering aquatic ecosystems.

    Area of Science:

    • Marine ecology
    • Environmental toxicology
    • Aquatic ecosystem research

    Background:

    • Enclosure experiments offer controlled environments for studying aquatic populations over time.
    • These experiments allow for manipulation of replicate populations, but face challenges with vertical mixing and replication scale.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the effects of mercury (Hg) on pelagic populations within enclosed marine ecosystems.
    • To determine mercury transformation rates and biological response thresholds in a controlled aquatic environment.

    Main Methods:

    • Two 95 m3 enclosures were dosed with 1 microgram Hg/l, followed by an additional 10 micrograms Hg/l.
    • Pelagic populations were monitored for 20 days after each mercury addition, assessing mercury speciation and biological responses.

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    Main Results:

    • Inorganic mercury rapidly converted to bound forms, with 25% associating with settling organic matter.
    • Low mercury concentrations (1 microgram Hg/l) caused only a transient reduction in carbon uptake per chlorophyll, with no population-level changes.
    • Higher mercury concentrations (10 micrograms Hg/l) significantly reduced zooplankton, leading to shifts in zooplankton and phytoplankton community structure.

    Conclusions:

    • Mercury levels in UK coastal waters are below thresholds that elicit a measurable biological response in pelagic populations.
    • Large-scale enclosed ecosystems, particularly those linking water column and sediments, are valuable for future pollution research, enabling flux and sediment interaction studies.