Climate induced thermocline change has an effect on the methyl mercury cycle in small boreal lakes.

We conducted a whole-lake experiment by manipulating the stratification pattern (thermocline depth) of a small polyhumic, boreal lake (Halsjärvi) in southern Finland and studying the impacts on lake mercury chemistry. The experimental lake was compared to a nearby reference site (Valkea-Kotinen Lake). During the first phase of the experiment the thermocline of Halsjärvi was lowered in order to simulate the estimated increase in wind speed and in total lake heat content (high-change climate scenario). The rate of methyl mercury (MeHg) production during summer stagnation (May-August) was calculated from water profiles before the treatment (2004), during treatment (2005, 2006) and after treatment (2007). We also calculated fluxes of MeHg from the epilimnion and from the hypolimnion to the sediments using sediment traps. Experimental mixing with a submerged propeller caused a 1.5-2 m deepening of the thermocline and oxycline. Methyl mercury production occurred mostly in the oxygen free layers in both lakes. In the experimental lake there was no net increase in MeHg during the experiment and following year; whereas the reference lake showed net production for all years. We conclude that the new exposed epilimnetic sediments caused by a lowering of the thermocline were a major sink for MeHg in the epilimnion. The results demonstrate that in-lake MeHg production can be manipulated in small lakes with anoxic hypolimnia during summer. The climate change induced changes in small boreal lakes most probably affect methyl mercury production and depend on the lake characteristics and stratification pattern. The results support the hypothesis that possible oxygen related changes caused by climate change are more important than possible temperature changes in small polyhumic lakes with regularly occurring oxygen deficiency in the hypolimnion.

The effects of forestry on Hg bioaccumulation in nemoral/boreal waters and recommendations for good silvicultural practice.

Mercury (Hg) levels are alarmingly high in fish from lakes across Fennoscandia and northern North America. The few published studies on the ways in which silviculture practices influence this problem indicate that forest operations increase Hg in downstream aquatic ecosystems. From these studies, we estimate that between one-tenth and one-quarter of the Hg in the fish of high-latitude, managed forest landscapes can be attributed to harvesting. Forestry, however, did not create the elevated Hg levels in the soils, and waterborne Hg/MeHg concentrations downstream from harvested areas are similar to those from wetlands. Given the current understanding of the way in which silviculture impacts Hg cycling, most of the recommendations for good forest practice in Sweden appear to be appropriate for high-latitude regions, e.g., leaving riparian buffer zones, as well as reducing disturbance at stream crossings and in moist areas. The recommendation to restore wetlands and reduce drainage, however, will likely increase Hg/MeHg loadings to aquatic ecosystems.

Forestry practices increase mercury and methyl mercury output from boreal forest catchments.

We observed significant increases in the runoff output of total mercury (TotHg) and methyl mercury (MeHg) from a small spruce forest catchment (0.071 km2) after clear-cutting and soil treatment. Here we show that forest regeneration practices may act as an important additional source of TotHg and MeHg to forest lakes. TotHg and MeHg in runoff from two small forested catchments were monitored during the period 1994 to 2001. In the autumn of 1997, one of the catchments was clear-cut Soil preparation (mounding) was carried out in the autumn of 1998 and replanting in the summer of 1999. During the 3 years after the silvicultural treatment, medians of monthly flow-weighted TotHg and MeHg concentrations (12.02 ng L(-1) and 0.35 ng L(-1), respectively) and output loads (0.80-0.97 g km(-2) a(-1) and 0.011-0.036 g km(-2) a(-1), respectively) increased significantly compared to the 3 years calibration period (8.13 ng L(-1) and 0.15 ng 1(-1); 2.0-5.3 g km(-2) a(-1) and 0.11-0.16 g km(-2) a(-1), respectively). These results indicate that clear-cutting and/or soil treatment significantly increases the mobility of TotHg and MeHg accumulated in forest soil and may thus be an important factor for the total input of Hg to boreal freshwater ecosystems.

Total and methyl mercury concentrations and fluxes from small boreal forest catchments in Finland.

Total mercury (TotHg) and methyl mercury (MeHg) concentrations were studied in runoff from eight small (0.02-1.3 km2) boreal forest catchments (mineral soil and peatland) during 1990-1995. Runoff waters were extremely humic (TOC 7-70 mg l-1). TotHg concentrations varied between 0.84 and 24 ng l-1 and MeHg between 0.03 and 3.8 ng l-1. TotHg fluxes from catchments ranged from 0.92 to 1.8 g km-2 a-1, and MeHg fluxes from 0.03 to 0.33 g km-2 a-1. TotHg concentrations and output fluxes measured in runoff water from small forest catchments in Finland were comparable with those measured in other boreal regions. By contrast, MeHg concentrations were generally higher. Estimates for MeHg output fluxes in this study were comparable at sites with forests and wetlands in Sweden and North America, but clearly higher than those measured at upland or agricultural sites in other studies. Peatland catchments released more MeHg than pure mineral soil or mineral soil catchments with minor area of peatland.