The increase in organic matter causes the accumulation of toxic mercury in fish

2017/02/03 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ekologia
• Biologia

The increase in organic matter in aquatic ecosystems means an accumulation of toxic mercury seven times more in zooplankton. According to a study in Sweden, the rains caused by climate change cause the organic matter to get less light inside the water. This makes the trophic chain from being an autotroph to being mainly heterotrophic, that is, the zooplankton, which feeds on organic matter, becomes the main one. According to the researchers, in the heterotrophic trophic chain the accumulation of mercury increases until reaching the fish we eat. These results demonstrate, therefore, that climate change affects the accumulation of mercury in fish. The study was published in the journal Science Advances.