Metal concentrations in three species of Fucus L. on the Murmansk coast of the Barents Sea

Abstract

This research executed biomonitoring of anthropogenic changes in the fragile ecosystems of the Arctic by implementing a system of repeated observations of several coastal areas in the Barents Sea that differ in their geographical location, anthropogenic load and seawater salinity level. The level of metal pollution (Cu, Cd, Pb) was determined by their concentrations in brown algae of the genus Fucus. The data covers a period from 2010 to 2018. The results show that the average metal concentrations were much higher than the background levels at most stations for all algae compared to a reference point. In the most polluted waters, the average concentrations of Сu, Cd and Pb exceeded the background levels by 5–6, 1.5–2.5 and 3–5 times, respectively. The average metal concentrations were much lower than that in other regions of the world ocean (over 2–14 times). Seasonal variability somewhat differed by species; however, at most stations, the metal concentration showed a decreasing tendency from winter to summer for all species. MANOVA showed that the salinity level, interaction between site and season and all three factors combined had the strongest influence on the metal concentration. A decreasing series of polluted water bodies in the Murmansk coast was compiled, and the metal pollution index (MPI) calculated for the seawater and algae samples confirmed these levels of anthropogenic impact. It was demonstrated that the metal concentrations in algae correlated well with that in water. This study provides valuable background level data for the Murman Coast of the Barents Sea.