Collaborative Research: Mercury Dynamics from the Holocene to the Anthropocene: Tracking Aleutian Mercury in Ocean Species important to Native Alaskan Diets

合作研究：从全新世到人类世的汞动态：追踪对阿拉斯加本土饮食重要的海洋物种中的阿留申汞

基本信息

批准号：
1935816
负责人：
Julie Avery
金额：
$ 225.94万
依托单位：
University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Continuing Grant
财政年份：
2020
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2020-04-01 至 2025-03-31
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1935816&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
Collaborative Research Mercury Dynamics Holocene

项目摘要

Mercury is one of the top 10 contaminants of concern for human health. The global processes that concentrate mercury in the Polar regions make coastal Arctic communities especially vulnerable to the effects of mercury contamination. Pacific cod, Northern fur seals, and Steller sea lions are marine species important to Alaskan coastal communities. These species are critical for subsistence, cultural, and commercial purposes. Due to their vital roles as predator and prey in the Aleutian food web, these three species are considered Ecosystem Sentinels. This study provides new information about patterns and potential sources of mercury pre- and post-industrial revolution. It also has critical implications for Indigenous peoples’ traditional food ways and the economic well-being of communities in the Aleutian Region. Importantly, mercury contamination also has global economic implications for the region’s commercial cod fishery. The historical dynamics of mercury in top predators across the Aleutian Islands provides the basis for understanding contaminant progression across the Arctic. This research evaluates hypotheses regarding natural and anthropogenic sources of mercury contamination and the timing of that contamination over the past three millennia. This project uses modern, historical, and archaeological bone to examine changes in mercury concentrations and trophic position in these marine species over the last 3000 years in three Ecosystem Sentinels. This sampling method clarifies the timing and sources of mercury dynamics in the Aleutians. This project supports graduate and undergraduate students, including students from Native and Rural communities. Community outreach includes fixed and traveling museum exhibits developed for rural Alaska communities and education events for elementary, high school, and community members that increases science literacy in environmental contaminants and the health benefits of traditional foods.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

汞是影响人类健康的十大污染物之一。全球极地地区的汞浓缩过程使北极沿海社区特别容易受到汞污染的影响。太平洋鳕鱼、北海狗和北海狮都是海洋生物。对阿拉斯加沿海社区很重要的物种。由于它们在阿留申食物网中作为捕食者和猎物的重要作用，这些物种对于生存、文化和商业目的至关重要。哨兵。这项研究提供了有关工业革命前后汞的模式和潜在来源的新信息，它对阿留申地区土著人民的传统饮食方式和社区的经济福祉也具有重要影响。污染还对该地区的商业鳕鱼渔业产生全球经济影响阿留申群岛顶级捕食者体内汞的历史动态为了解整个阿留申群岛的污染进展提供了基础。该研究评估了有关汞污染的自然和人为来源以及过去三千年污染时间的假设。该项目使用现代、历史和考古骨骼来检查这些海洋物种的汞浓度和营养位置的变化。该采样方法阐明了阿留申群岛过去 3000 年汞动态的时间和来源。该项目为研究生和本科生提供支持，包括来自本土的学生。社区外展活动包括为阿拉斯加农村社区开发的固定和流动博物馆展览以及针对小学、高中和社区成员的教育活动，以提高环境污染物的科学素养和传统食品的健康益处。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命。通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，并被认为值得支持。