3 days ago
Scientists stunned by 'lethal' discovery made while studying popular swamp: 'We wonder what else is being affected'
Scientists stunned by 'lethal' discovery made while studying popular swamp: 'We wonder what else is being affected'
Although swamps have garnered a reputation for being formidable locations with dangerous species and spooky visuals, they play a pivotal role in an ecosystem. That is why a recent discovery made in some swamps of Georgia and South Carolina has researchers worried.
What's happening?
According to a recent study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, elevated levels of mercury have been detected in several swamps throughout the Deep South. The discovery was made when a team of researchers was conducting a study on alligators in the region. They selected Jekyll Island and the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia as well as the Yawkey Wildlife Center in South Carolina as their primary locations.
While speaking to UGA Today, Kristen Zemaitis, lead author of the study and a graduate of the University of Georgia, noted the importance of alligators. "Alligators are very ancient creatures, and we can look at them in these areas as an indicator of what else might be happening in the ecosystem," Zemaitis said. "Studying them can relate to many different things in the food web."
This is why the team of researchers was stunned when they began measuring mercury levels at the three research sites. Mercury exists naturally in the Earth's crust and can be released into the environment through natural processes. However, as noted in the study, mercury is a "potent neurotoxin, commonly assessed in contaminant body burdens."
Why are elevated levels of mercury in swamps important?
Oftentimes, human activities such as industrial pollution and urbanization can result in regional "hot spots" with elevated mercury concentrations. With this in mind, the research team spent several months analyzing blood samples from more than 100 alligators across the Okefenokee Swamp, Jekyll Island, and the Yawkey Wildlife Center.
Their findings revealed that mercury concentrations were around eight times higher in alligators inhabiting the Okefenokee Swamp than at any of the other sites. "That's one of the results from the study that was most striking to me," said Jeb Byers, co-author of the study.
"Mercury is a neurotoxin that is very lethal to organisms. If it builds up, it moves through the food web and creates the perfect storm. That's what we have in the Okefenokee," added Byers, a UGA professor.
The researchers determined that mercury is perhaps moving up through the food chain at a faster rate than previously thought. When mercury enters marine environments from various sources, it can be absorbed by small organisms in the food chain. As larger species eat these smaller organisms, it can lead to higher levels in larger predators, such as alligators.
What's being done about these high levels of mercury?
High levels of mercury can prove to be problematic for local communities that rely on fishing industries for their food supply. "Mercury contamination can be a high concern for the people who can be consuming a lot of fish or game species from the rivers, swamps or oceans that have high mercury," Zemaitis noted.
While the study has revealed alarming results, Zemaitis said that this can potentially help us learn more about which species are most affected in our environment. "Now that we know this about one of the apex predators in these systems, we wonder what else is being affected?" added Zemaitis.
The researcher explained that further studies could better explain where the excess mercury levels are coming from and how prominent the neurotoxin is in the ecosystem.
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