Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Pacific Northwest CESU

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The USGS Alaska Science Center seeks to provide financial assistance for research in mercury dynamics in contrasting watersheds in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. The main objectives of this research are to (1) determine the level of mercury contamination in water, sediment, and biological tissues of three streams in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, (2) assess the scale and nature of differences in mercury concentrations and fluxes among three streams with contrasting watershed landscape types and anadromous fish use, and (3) examine the extent of temporal variation in concentrations and fluxes in mercury in the streams over an annual time period to cover the range of hydrochemical conditions during the salmon spawning period. While this research should have applications for watersheds throughout Alaska and the Arctic, emphasis should be placed on watersheds in southeast Alaska. The world’s atmosphere, oceans, and terrestrial ecosystems currently contain 2-6 times more mercury than in the pre-industrial era. China and India have significantly increased coal consumption in recent years. Mercury released from this combustion is carried atmospherically to the north coast of North America, and models show that Alaska is at the receiving end of rapidly rising levels of mercury. However, changes in the ecosystems of watersheds due to mercury deposition have not been studied. The research solicited here will help bridge this gap will expand our knowledge of mercury deposition on watershed ecosystems.

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