User:Rcepolski/Bioaccumulation

Aquatic examples[edit]
Coastal fish (such as the smooth toadfish) and seabirds (such as the Atlantic puffin) are often monitored for heavy metal bioaccumulation. Methylmercury gets into freshwater systems through industrial emissions and rain. As its concentration increases up the food web, it can reach dangerous levels for both fish and the humans who rely on fish as a food source.

Naturally produced toxins can also bioaccumulate. The marine algal blooms known as "red tides" can result in local filter-feeding organisms such as mussels and oysters becoming toxic; coral reef fish can be responsible for the poisoning known as ciguatera when they accumulate a toxin called ciguatoxin from reef algae.

In some eutrophic aquatic systems, biodilution can occur. This trend is a decrease in a contaminant with an increase in trophic level and is due to higher concentrations of algae and bacteria to "dilute" the concentration of the pollutant.

Wetland acidification can raise the chemical or metal concentrations which lead to an increased bioavailability in marine plants and freshwater biota. Plants situated there which includes both rooted and submerged plants can be influenced by the bioavailability of metals.

Popular studies in Turtles
Bioaccumulation in turtles is when heavy metals or high levels of trace elements enter a singular organism potentially violating their health. Although there are ongoing studies for bioaccumulation in turtles, factors like pollution, climate change, and shifting landscape can affect how much of these heavy metal toxins are exposed in the ecosystem. The most common metals studied for turtles are mercury, cadmium, argon, and selenium. Heavy metals are released into rivers, streams, lakes, oceans and other aquatic environments and the plants that live in these environments will absorb the metals. Since the levels of trace elements are high in aquatic ecosystems, turtles will naturally consume various trace elements throughout various aquatic environments by eating plants and sediments. Once these metals enter the bloodstream and muscle tissue, they will increase in concentration and will become toxic to the turtles. Effects after the turtles reach toxic levels include metabolic, endocrine system, and reproductive failure. This then shortens the lifespan of the turtles by not being able to develop properly or lay eggs.

Turtles are used as a method to analyze bioaccumulation because of their shoreline habitats. This makes it easier for them to collect blood samples and other means of data. The turtle species are very diverse and contribute greatly to biodiversity, so many researchers find it valuable to collect data from various species.

DEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS OF TURTLES:
If the eggs of the turtles reach toxic concentrations, this can then damage the developmental process of the turtle. The heavy metals that were observed were transferred by the mother or absorbed by the environment. For example, the presence of toxic levels of heavy metals decreased the egg-hatching rates in the Amazon river turtle, Podocnemis expansa. In this particular turtle egg, the heavy metals reduce the fat in the eggs and changes how water is filtered throughout the embryo, and because of this, it can affect the survival rate of the turtle egg.