Temporal and seasonal changes in mercury accumulation in Tatra chamois from West Carpathians.

The main aim of this study was to determine the concentration of total mercury (T-Hg) in different tissues, hair, and faeces from a long-lived animal that actively lives in the subalpine and alpine zone within temperate climate zone throughout the year. Levels of T-Hg in samples from naturally deceased Tatra chamois (n = 72) from the Tatra Mountains (Slovakia) were determined using direct mercury analyses on the basis of dry weight. The mercury concentrations in hair samples were compared over the last three decades. Seasonal changes in mercury concentration and differences in the amounts of mercury in various tissues, hairs, and faeces between age and sex groups were also studied. The highest mercury concentrations in organs were found in the kidneys of Tatra chamois, with mean values of 0.45 ± 0.07 µg/g (dry weight) for adults (n = 18) and 0.39 ± 0.12 µg/g (dry weight) for juveniles (n = 6). These values are considerably high compared to expected Hg levels in wild ungulates from foothill and mountain areas in the temperate zone. Juveniles had higher levels of T-Hg in their muscles (0.011 ± 0.001 µg/g dry weight, n = 10) and faeces (0.189 ± 0.025 µg/g dry weight, n = 7) when compared to adults that had 0.007 ± 0.001 µg/g dry weight of T-Hg in muscles (n = 29) and 0.113 ± 0.015 µg/g dry of T-Hg weight in faeces (n = 19). T-Hg concentrations in individual tissues (heart, kidney, liver, lungs, spleen, tongue, muscle, bone), hairs, and faeces were not significantly different between males and females. Mercury levels in the hair of Tatra chamois have increased significantly since the 1990s (median value of T-Hg: 0.025 µg/g dry weight) with the highest values presenting during the 2000s (0.029 µg/g dry weight). Since 2010 (0.016 µg/g dry weight), levels have declined when compared to those observed during the 1990s and 2000s. Therefore, we can conclude that T-Hg deposition in alpine areas of the Tatra Mountains shows a declining trend since the 2010s. T-Hg concentrations in the heart, muscle, and hair were higher in summer compared to winter. Seasonal changes in mercury concentrations are likely most related to the seasonal availability of food, but may also be related to moulting periods, and this correlation must be explored further.

The influence of preferred habitat and daily range of the European hare on its contamination by heavy metals: a case study from the West Carpathians.

The Spisská Magura mountain range, located in the Middle Spis, is one of the regions in Slovakia most contaminated by heavy metals resulting from mining and smelting activities. Heavy metals and other potentially toxic elements have accumulated in mountain areas via atmospheric transport. The influence of the daily range size of the European hare on its contamination by heavy metals was investigated in three habitat types (forest, woodland edge, meadow) in the Spisská Magura mountain range in the West Carpathians. Individual hares (n = 21) were traced and located by GPS following snowfall. Pair samples of their faeces (n = 64) and food (n = 64) were collected from feeding sites. The maps created were used for determination of the size of the daily range as being small or large. All hares that have a small daily range avoid meadows and open spaces due to the higher predation risk. However, individuals with a large daily range feed in all habitats, including meadows. Hares with a small daily range in a forest habitat ingested higher amounts of bio-elements Ca, Cr, S, and Mn as well as higher amounts of heavy metals Ba and Pb than hares with a large daily range. Moreover, dominant hares with a small daily range, with access to abundant food sources in a forest habitat, may gradually take on higher levels of bio-elements including heavy metals that are present in their food source. In contrast, in the woodland edge, hares with a small daily range had a smaller concentration of Ca, Cr, Mn, S, Ba, and Pb compared to hares with a large daily range. Caecotrophy plays a very significant role as far as the intake of nutrients and other elements is concerned. We found significant dependence between concentrations of the elements Cr, S, Ba, Pb, and Cd in the food of European hares and in their faeces.

Occurrence and vertical distribution of Ca, Cl, Cr, Fe, Mn, Mo, K, Rb, Sr, S, Sn, and Zn in the skull bones of alpine bullhead (Cottus poecilopus) in the West Carpathians.

The aim of this study was to examine the contents of calcium, chlorine, chromium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, potassium, rubidium, strontium, sulfur, tin, and zinc in the bones of the alpine bullhead (Cottus poecilopus) related to its vertical distribution in the mountain river Javorinka. This river is located on the northern side of the High Tatras, the West Carpathians. Sampling took place during 2017, 2018, and 2019. One hundred three individuals of bullheads were collected. Only deceased individuals were selected for sampling; there was no deliberate harm to any sampled individuals. Weight, body length, and head length and width were measured. The amounts of Ca, Rb, and Mo were significantly dependent on the altitude and the fish size. At higher altitudes, there are smaller fish that colonize more inaccessible waters with smaller habitat flow options and these smaller fish contain relatively more Ca, Rb, and Mo in their skulls than large fish. The presence of Mn, Sr, and Zn was related to the altitude. Concentrations of Zn and Sr increase with altitude in the alpine bullhead skulls. The amounts of S, Cl, K, Cr, Sn, and Mo did not differ among fish living at different elevations.

Relationship between heavy metal accumulation and histological alterations in voles from alpine and forest habitats of the West Carpathians.

The interaction between toxic heavy metals and bio-elements in internal organs and femoral bones and their potential impacts on bone structural properties and renal histopathological changes in bank voles and snow voles were investigated. Our results reveal that heavy metals Hg and Pb accumulate more in femoral bones of alpine habitats than forests. In snow voles, the parameters of the primary osteons' vascular canals (length, average perimeter and area) simultaneously decreased with an increase of Pb and Sr. Wider primary osteons' vascular canals of snow voles contained decreased levels of K, but increased Ba. In bank voles, the number of primary osteons increased in alpine habitats along with K, Hg, and Pb accumulation. In the kidneys of bank voles, rising levels of Rb, Hg, and Zn were detected in alpine habitats. Hg increases the most in kidney tissue from alpine habitats in both vole species, and Hg levels (mean value 0.25 µg/g, max. value 0.55 µg/g) in the renal tissues of bank voles from alpine localities are similar to Hg levels from Hg-polluted industrial areas in other studies. This reflects that alpine areas of the Tatra Mountains are highly contaminated with Hg. The intensity of renal hemosiderosis relates significantly to Zn, Fe, and Cu levels in snow voles, with Fe and Zn levels in bank voles from forest habitats, and with Rb in bank voles from alpine habitats. The intensity of tubule necrosis in renal tissues of bank voles from alpine habitats was negatively related to Se content. In bank voles from forest habitats, significant positive correlations were found between the intensity of glomerular hyperplasia and amounts of Zn. The interactions of the detected element's association with bone tissue and internal organs are discussed.