Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32232628›Full record

ArticleEcotoxicology (London, England)2020

Mercury exposure in songbird communities along an elevational gradient on Whiteface Mountain, Adirondack Park (New York, USA).

Amy K Sauer, Charles T Driscoll, David C Evers, Evan M Adams, Yang Yang

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Ecotoxicology (London, England), 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 32% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Amy K SauerBiodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA. amy.sauer@briloon.org.
Charles T DriscollDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA.
David C EversBiodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA.
Evan M AdamsBiodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA.
Yang YangDepartment of Forest and Natural Resources Management, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA.
Biodiversity Research Institute · USSyracuse University · USUniversity of California, Merced · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Mercury (Hg) is a potent neurotoxin that biomagnifies within food webs. Adverse effects have been documented for avian species related to exposure of elevated Hg levels. High elevation, boreal forests generally receive higher atmospheric Hg deposition and regional studies have subsequently identified elevated blood Hg concentrations in songbird species inhabiting these montane habitats. The overall goal of this study was to investigate spatial and seasonal Hg exposure patterns in songbird species along an elevational gradient on Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondack Park of New York State. Songbird blood samples were collected from June-July in 2009 and 2010 along an elevational gradient at 13 study plots (450-1400 m) with a focus on Catharus thrushes, including the hermit thrush, Swainson's thrush, and Bicknell's thrush. The main results of this study documented: (1) an overall linear pattern of increasing blood Hg concentrations with increasing elevation, with additional analysis suggesting a nonlinear elevational pattern of increasing blood Hg concentrations to 1075 m, followed by decreasing concentrations thereafter, for all Catharus thrush species across the elevational gradient; and (2) an overall nonlinear seasonal pattern of increasing, followed by decreasing blood Hg concentrations across target species. Avian exposure patterns appear driven by elevated atmospheric Hg deposition and increased methylmercury bioavailability within high elevation habitats as compared with low elevation forests. Seasonal patterns are likely influenced by a combination of complex and dynamic variables related to dietary selection and annual molting cycles. Considering that few high elevation analyses have been conducted within the context of regional songbird research, this project complements the results from similar studies and highlights the need for further monitoring efforts to investigate environmental Hg contamination within avian communities.

Indexed as

AnimalsEnvironmental PollutantsFood ChainForestsMercuryMethylmercury CompoundsNew YorkSongbirdsTreesEnvironmental PollutantsMercuryMethylmercury CompoundsAdirondack ParkElevationMercurySongbirdWhiteface Mountain

Identifiers

PMID32232628
OpenAlexW3013617125

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.