Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI), a nonprofit ecological research group based in Portland, Maine, conducts innovative wildlife science worldwide.
BRI’s Center for Mercury Studies plays a lead scientific role in understanding the exposure and effects of mercury on wildlife in New England, North America, and around the world. The Center for Waterbird Studies is dedicated to assessing current and emerging threats to waterbirds. The programs in our Center for Ecology and Conservation Research aim to understand the workings of wildlife and their habitats while exploring how ecological stressors affect different species and ecosystems.
BRI's researchers are available to talk to journalists and provide expert information on both their work and the broader topics of their expertise.
To set up interviews, contact:
Deborah McKew, Communications Director
BRI research on mercury concentrations in fish was recently published in the journal, Science of the Total Environment. The article, A global-scale assessment of fish mercury concentrations and the identification of biological hotspots, presents data on a rapid assessment of fish total mercury (THg) concentrations from 40 different waterbodies in 26 countries, including data from a total of 451 fish of 92 species. The study found that fish THg is positively correlated with body size, trophic level, and latitude of sampling location; however, high THg concentrations observed in a lower trophic level species highlights the importance of biomonitoring across a wide range of trophic levels and characterizing site-specific processes that influence the bioavailability of mercury. The study also provides a model for mercury monitoring in support of the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
