Chemical and Biological Control of Mercury Cycling in Upland, Wetland and Lake Ecosystems in the Adirondack Region of New York
Abstract
A detailed study is being conducted on the biogeochemistry of Hg at Sunday Pond, a forested wetland/lake/watershed in the Adirondack region of New York. Wet Hg deposition was 10.8 mg/m2-yr, with 0.6 percent occurring as methyl Hg. Concentrations and fluxes of total Hg were elevated in forest floor leachate, with soil solution concentrations decreasing in the mineral soil. Likewise, soil concentrations of Hg were highest in the forest floor (13-188 ng/g), and decreased with increasing depth in the mineral soil. Concentrations of Hg in surface waters ranged from 1.9 to 4.6 ng/L, with methyl Hg concentrations from 0.2 to 2.53 ng/L. Drainage water concentrations of Hg seem to be related to concentrations of dissolved organic carbon. A preliminary mass balance shows that about 79 percent of wet Hg deposition is retained in the watershed. Sunday Pond is a sink for inputs of total Hg. However, the watershed and lake are sources of methyl Hg to downstream surface waters. The Hg biogeochemistry data are being used to calibrate the Mercury in Adirondack Wetlands Lakes and Terrestrial Systems (MAWLTS) model for the site.
- Publication:
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AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- May 2001
- Bibcode:
- 2001AGUSM...B42B07D
- Keywords:
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- 1806 Chemistry of fresh water;
- 1845 Limnology;
- 1890 Wetlands