Mercury Pollution

The Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation conducts scientific research to assess the impact of environmental mercury pollution on the Adirondack breeding loon population. Since loons are a long-lived top predator of aquatic ecosystems, they are exposed to toxins, such as mercury, which bioaccumulate and biomagnify in the foodweb. This study is now one of the longest-running studies in the Northeast that monitors the biotic impact of airborne pollutants on aquatic ecosystems, using the Common Loon as an indicator species.

Our goals for this study are to:

  1. Assess trends over time in mercury exposure of Adirondack loons

  2. Assess the impacts of mercury pollution and lake acidity to Adirondack loon reproductive success

  3. Evaluate the effectiveness of local and regional mercury emission and acid deposition regulations

  4. Assess the impact of mercury exposure to loon health and immune function

  5. Integrate our research with other mercury and water quality studies to provide a more robust assessment of how airborne pollutants affect the aquatic ecosystem as a whole

Loon capture, sampling and banding are conducted under US Fish and Wildlife Service and New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation permits.

Loon capture, sampling and banding are conducted under US Fish and Wildlife Service and New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation permits.

 

How We Collect Data on Loons:

Ten to twenty Common Loons are captured on Adirondack lakes each breeding season using nightlighting and playback techniques. Blood and feather samples are collected from these birds for mercury analysis. The birds are banded with a USGS numbered band and a unique combination of colored bands to allow for future identification and monitoring.

 

Capture lakes are monitored each summer to determine if the banded loons return. Returning banded loons are monitored on a weekly basis throughout the breeding season to determine if they successfully paired with another loon, nested, hatched chicks, and raised the chicks to fledging. Nonviable eggs are opportunistically collected to determine their mercury levels.

Researcher and volunteers collect valuable data each summer about the Adirondack Park’s nesting loons.

Researcher and volunteers collect valuable data each summer about the Adirondack Park’s nesting loons.