Enhanced Mercury Accumulation in Riparian Spiders: An Evidence of Insects' Emergence Effect in Aquatic and Upland Terrestrial Crossed Habitat.

ABSTRACT

Many studies have focused on mercury (Hg) accumulation in both aquatic and terrestrial organisms, but the effects of aquatic Hg on terrestrial organisms have rarely been documented. Here we report the accumulation of Hg in two species of spiders, Argiope bruennichi, inhabiting paddy fields, and Nephila clavata, inhabiting small forests in the riparian zones of two hydroelectric reservoirs in Guiyang, southwest China. The mean concentration of total mercury (THg) was higher in N. clavata (0.38 mg kg-1) than in A. bruennichi (0.20 mg kg-1). The monthly average THg in N. clavata, collected consecutively from May to October, and the highest values for THg in June (1.2 mg kg-1) could be related to the emergence of aquatic insects during early summer, suggesting that emerging insects play a crucial role in the accumulation of Hg in riparian spiders. The high values could also be attributable to the different times of spider sampling or individual differences.