Total Mercury and Methylmercury Dynamics; stream export in an upland forested watershed in the Adirondack region of New York State

Although levels of mercury and acid rain deposition have greatly declined in recent years due to legislation controls on industry emissions, their legacy has had a lasting effect on the Adirondack region of New York State. This historical mercury deposition is of concern because of the high chance for methylmercury production and export to occur. The impact of forested uplands on methylmercury export remains poorly understood in relation to other ecosystems. Research indicates that sulfate dynamics play a large role in regulating the production of methylmercury in the presence of inorganic mercury; however the relationship between methylmercury production and nitrate availability at various times of the year is less understood, yet, hypothesized to potentially impact sulfate reduction and ultimately methylmercury production in a variety of ecosystems. In this study, mercury and water quality (including sulfate and nitrate) will be monitored in spring, summer and fall of 2012 at 7 locations in Arbutus Watershed, Adirondacks, NY. Proxies (UV absorbance, Fluorescence indices) for total mercury and methylmercury will be utilized to predict export. The main objectives of this research are to determine the relevance of forested uplands in methylmercury export, as well as gain further understanding of mercury dynamics and associated proxies in relation to nitrate and sulfate availability. Photo courtesy of the Adirondack Ecological Center