BEHAVIOURAL ECOTOXIOCOLOGY MEETS CLIMATE CHANGE: Interactive effects of mercury pollution and climate change on behaviour, physiology and fitness in a keystone arctic seabird

Descripción del proyecto

La interacción entre las sustancias contaminantes y el cambio climático

El cambio climático y los contaminantes antropogénicos suponen una creciente amenaza para los ecosistemas árticos. A medida que el Ártico se calienta, las sustancias contaminantes —como el metilmercurio, que se acumula en las cadenas alimentarias marinas— representan una amenaza cada vez mayor desde el punto de vista ecológico. Sin embargo, la investigación ecotoxicológica en el Ártico aún no ha tratado en la necesaria profundidad los efectos de los contaminantes en el comportamiento y la salud de los animales o en las interacciones entre estos contaminantes y el cambio climático. El proyecto BehavToxArc, financiado con fondos europeos, abordará este problema estudiando una de las principales aves marinas del Ártico, el mérgulo atlántico. Se recopilarán datos sobre el comportamiento y la salud de este animal en dos colonias con condiciones ambientales diferentes y afectadas de un modo distinto por el cambio climático. BehavToxArc determinará si las alteraciones de la fisiología del comportamiento o del estrés causadas por el mercurio podrían reducir la adaptación a los cambios ambientales.

Objetivo

The arctic marine biota is vulnerable to effects of climate change and anthropogenic contaminants. The artic is warming rapidly and is a sink for pollutants, including methylmercury (MeHg), which bioaccumulates in marine food chains. Ecotoxicological studies in the arctic have not adequately considered effects of contaminants on animal behaviour and fitness, or interactions between contaminants and climate change. This study (BehavToxArc) will address these urgent research areas using a keystone arctic seabird, the little auk (Alle alle). I will collect data from two colonies that are experiencing different environmental conditions and climate change impacts, and explore whether disruption of behaviour or stress physiology by Hg might limit adjustments to environmental change. I will use ultralight GPSs and accelerometers to collect unique behavioural data, which will be linked to state-of-the-art Hg measurements, and complemented by a long-term dataset (from accelerometers since 2009). I will also perform cutting-edge experiments to manipulate stress physiology, and explore cross-generational effects of Hg exposure in the context of climate change, focusing on telomeres. I will work with Dr. Jérôme Fort within the AMARE (Responses of Marine Organisms to Environmental Variability) group at La Rochelle University’s Institute Littoral Environnement et Sociétés. BehavToxArc will synthesize my expertise in behavioural ecotoxicology and telomere biology with Dr. Fort’s expertise in arctic ecotoxicology and spatial ecology. The project will introduce me to state-of-the art methods to monitor movement behaviour and measure telomeres, and the highly topical fields of arctic ecotoxicology and global change biology. Results will be disseminated by top-tier publications, conferences and public engagement, and used to advance scientific knowledge and environmental policy. The project will pivotally advance my career and propel me towards a permanent research position.