Mercury (Hg) is a potent neurotoxin that biomagnifies within both aquatic and terrestrial food webs resulting in adverse physiological and reproductive effects on impacted wildlife populations, including songbird communities. Due to reducing conditions, wetland ecosystems promote the formation of methylmercury. Regional studies have documented elevated blood mercury concentrations in songbird species within these habitat types. The overall goal of this research was to examine spatial and seasonal patterns of Hg exposure for targeted songbird species within Sphagnum bog wetland systems and compare these patterns with adjacent upland forests in the Adirondack Park of New York State. Project sampling was conducted at study plots within four Sphagnum bog and associated upland forest sites from May - August during the 2008, 2009, and 2011 field seasons. The overall results documented: (1) blood Hg concentrations were elevated in songbird species inhabiting Sphagnum bog habitats as compared to nearby upland forest species; (2) target species within each habitat type exhibited consistent species-level patterns in blood Hg concentrations at each study site; and (3) no seasonal change in blood Hg concentrations within Sphagnum bog habitats was documented, but an increasing, followed by a decreasing seasonal pattern in mercury exposure was detected for upland forest species. Habitat type was demonstrated to influence avian Hg exposure levels. Moreover, Sphagnum bog ecosystems may be contributing to elevated Hg concentrations in biota within the surrounding environment. Seasonal patterns for blood Hg concentrations were found to vary between habitat type and are likely related to a combination of variables including habitat-driven Hg concentrations in prey items, seasonal dietary shifts, and annual molting cycles. This project emphasizes the importance of prioritizing future research efforts within identified high Hg habitat types, specifically wetland systems, to better characterize associated avian exposure levels, estimate the spatial extent of wetland systems on the surrounding environment, and identify locations of potential biological hotspots across the Adirondack Park.

汞（Hg）是一种有效的神经毒素，可在水生和陆生食物网中进行生物放大，从而对受影响的野生动物种群（包括鸣禽群落）造成不利的生理和生殖影响。由于条件的减少，湿地生态系统促进了甲基汞的形成。区域研究表明，在这些栖息地类型内，鸣禽物种中的血液汞浓度升高。这项研究的总体目标是检查泥炭藓沼泽湿地系统内目标鸣禽物种汞接触的空间和季节模式，并将这些模式与纽约州阿迪朗达克公园中的邻近山地森林进行比较。项目采样是在四个泥炭纪内的研究地块进行的在2008年，2009年和2011年野外季节的5月至8月，沼泽和相关的高地森林地点。总体结果记录如下：（1）与附近的山地森林物种相比，生活在泥炭藓沼泽地的鸣禽物种中的血Hg浓度升高；（2）在每个研究地点，每种生境类型内的目标物种在血汞浓度方面均表现出一致的物种水平模式；（3）没有记录到泥炭藓沼泽地生境中血液汞浓度的季节性变化，但是发现陆地森林物种汞接触的季节模式增加，然后是减少。已证明栖息地类型会影响禽类汞暴露水平。此外，泥炭藓沼泽生态系统可能是导致周围环境中生物群中汞浓度升高的原因。发现血液中汞浓度的季节性模式在栖息地类型之间有所不同，并且可能与变量的组合有关，包括猎物中栖息地驱动的汞浓度，季节性饮食变化和年度蜕皮周期。该项目强调了在已确定的高汞生境类型（尤其是湿地系统）中优先进行未来研究工作的重要性，以更好地表征相关的禽类暴露水平，估计湿地系统在周围环境中的空间范围，并确定整个地区潜在的生物热点的位置。阿迪朗达克公园。