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Journal
Publications
Johnson, C.J., M.S. Boyce, R.L. Case, H.D.
Cluff, R.J. Gau, A. Gunn, and
R. Mulders. 2005. Cumulative effects on human developments on Arctic
wildlife. Wildlife Monograph no. 160. 36 pages.
Abstract:
Contaminants in the Canadian Arctic have been studied over the last twelve
years under the guidance of the Northern Contaminants Program. This paper
summarizes results from that program from 1998 to 2003 with respect to
terrestrial animals in the Canadian Arctic. The arctic terrestrial
environment has few significant contaminant issues, particularly when
compared with freshwater and marine environments. Both current and
historical industrial activities in the north may have a continuing effect
on biota in the immediate area, but effects tend to be localized. An
investigation of arctic ground squirrels at a site in the
Northwest Territories that had historically received applications of DDT
concluded that DDT in arctic ground squirrels livers was the result of
contamination and that this is an indication of the continuing effect of a
local point source of DDT. Arsenic concentrations were higher in berries
collected from areas around gold mines in the Northwest Territories than
from control sites, suggesting that gold mining may significantly affect
arsenic levels in berries in the Yellowknives Dene traditional territory.
Although moose and caribou from the Canadian Arctic generally carry
relatively low contaminant burdens, Yukon moose had high renal selenium
concentrations, and moose and some woodland caribou from the same area had
high renal cadmium levels, which may put some animals at risk of
toxicological effects. Low hepatic copper levels in some caribou herds may
indicate a shortage of copper for metabolic demands, particularly for
females. Similarities in patterns of temporal fluctuations in renal element
concentrations for moose and caribou suggest that environmental factors may
be a major cause of fluctuations in renal concentrations of some elements.
Concentrations of persistent organochlorines and metals in beaver and
muskrat from the
Northwest Territories, and carnivores from across the Canadian Arctic were
very low and considered normal for terrestrial wildlife. Two new classes of
persistent fluorinated contaminants, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and
perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) were found in arctic carnivores and were
most abundant in arctic fox and least abundant in mink. Although trace
element concentrations in king and common eider ducks were low and not of
toxicological concern, the number of nematode parasites in common eiders was
positively correlated with total and organic mercury concentrations. Future
research should focus on cadmium in moose and caribou, mercury in caribou,
and emerging contaminants, with an effort to sample moose and caribou
annually where possible to explore the role of naturally occurring cycles in
apparent temporal trends. |
