Mercury in fur of Daubenton\u2019s bat (Myotis daubentonii) in Southern Sweden and Comparison to Ecotoxicological Thresholds

Staffan Åkerblom,Johnny de Jong

doi:10.1007/s00128-017-2206-3

Staffan Åkerblom, Johnny de Jong

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-017-2206-3

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Abstract

To characterise mercury (Hg) exposure in Daubenton’s bat (Myotis daubentonii, Kuhl 1817) in southern Sweden, 17 specimens were captured in 2013 and back fur samples were taken for analysis to determine Hg concentrations. The fur Hg levels determined [1.15 ± 0.27 (mean ± standard deviation, n = 17) µg Hg g−1 fresh weight (fw)] represent a baseline for comparison in future assessments of Hg exposure in bat populations in northern Europe. Mercury concentrations were close to those reported in fur from other bat species, but were lower than proposed toxicological thresholds in bats (> 30 µg Hg g−1 fw) and mice (5 µg Hg g−1 fw). This is the first study to examine Hg exposure in bats in Scandinavia.

Highlights

Mercury (Hg) has severe impacts as an environmental pollutant, with aquatic ecosystems in particular functioning as an important route for Hg exposure in wildlife (Chan et al 2003; Driscoll et al 2013)
Bats can be used as bio-indicators, and for this reason bat population mapping is an important component of environmental monitoring programmes
Daubenton’s bat (Myotis daubentonii, Kuhl 1817) is common in Sweden, with a distribution that extends above the Arctic circle, and is useful for comparison of Hg exposure between regions (Ahlén 2011; Siivonen and Wermundsen 2008)

Summary

Introduction

Mercury (Hg) has severe impacts as an environmental pollutant, with aquatic ecosystems in particular functioning as an important route for Hg exposure in wildlife (Chan et al 2003; Driscoll et al 2013). Toxic effects in bats from Hg exposure include impairment of neurological function [toxic threshold in fur = 100 μg g−1 fresh weight (fw)] (Nam et al 2012), while damage to mitochondrial DNA has been reported (toxic threshold in fur = 30 μg Hg g−1 fw) (Karouna-Renier et al 2014). The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of Hg in fur from Daubenton’s bat, of both sexes and different stages of maturation, at two sites in southern Sweden that are not subject to local sources of Hg pollution or other disturbances. We tested whether variation in Hg concentration in the fur of Daubenton’s bat could be explained by sex and maturation stage (adult/juvenile). Bat fur specimens from both adults and juveniles were collected at Södra Åsum, but only adult bats were sampled at Stockamöllan

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