Indicator: Contaminants in biota

Glaucous gull found dead during the breeding season in Bjørnøya. It died most likely due to high levels of PCB's in the blood. Photo: Odd Harald Selboskar, Norwegian Polar Institute

Contaminants in biota
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Rationale: Contaminant levels in biota show the levels of contaminants (radionuclides, heavy metals and POPs) at different trophic levels in marine food webs. When monitored over several years it would also be possible to determine spatial and temporal trends.

 

Theme: Human activities

Component: Pollution

Type of indicator: E/I, describes state of the ecosystem but is impacted by human activities.

Priority of indicator: e, essential.

Parameters:

• Contaminants in Brünnich’s guillemots (NPI, NRPA)
• Contaminants in polar bears (NPI)
• Contaminants in Atlantic Cod (NIFES, PINRO)
• Contaminants in king crab (NIFES, PINRO)
• Contaminants in Greenland halibut (IMR, PINRO)
• Radioactivity in seaweed (Fucus vesiculosus) (NRPA, MMBI)

Responsible institution:

 

Sampling positions for the baseline study of Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) sampled from February 2009 to May 2010. 25 fishes were sampled at each position. Source: NIFES

Parameters:

• Contaminants in Brünnich’s guillemots (NPI, NRPA)
• Contaminants in polar bears (NPI)
• Contaminants in Atlantic Cod (NIFES, PINRO)
• Contaminants in king crab (NIFES, PINRO)
• Contaminants in Greenland halibut (IMR, PINRO)
• Radioactivity in seaweed (Fucus vesiculosus) (NRPA, MMBI)

Responsible institution:

 

Sampling positions for the baseline study of Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) sampled from February 2009 to May 2010. 25 fishes were sampled at each position. Source: NIFES

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