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McKinney, Melissa A; Letcher, Robert J; Aars, Jon; Born, Erik W; Branigan, Marsha; Dietz, Rune; Evans, Thomas J; Gabrielsen, Geir W; Muir, Derek C G; Peacock, Elizabeth; Sonne, Christian (2011): (Tables S1,2) Stable isotopes in muscle tissue of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from various regions of the Arctic [dataset]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.816752, Supplement to: McKinney, MA et al. (2011): Regional contamination versus regional dietary differences: Understanding geographic variation in brominated and chlorinated contaminant levels in polar bears. Environmental Science & Technology, 45(3), 896-902, https://doi.org/10.1021/es102781b

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Abstract:
The relative contribution of regional contamination versus dietary differences to geographic variation in polar bear (Ursus maritimus) contaminant levels is unknown. Dietary variation between Alaska, Canada, East Greenland, and Svalbard subpopulations was assessed by muscle nitrogen and carbon stable isotope (d15N, d13C) and adipose fatty acid (FA) signatures relative to their main prey (ringed seals). Western and southern Hudson Bay signatures were characterized by depleted d15N and d13C, lower proportions of C20 and C22 monounsaturated FAs and higher proportions of C18 and longer chain polyunsaturated FAs. East Greenland and Svalbard signatures were reversed relative to Hudson Bay. Alaskan and Canadian Arctic signatures were intermediate. Between-subpopulation dietary differences predominated over interannual, seasonal, sex, or age variation. Among various brominated and chlorinated contaminants, diet signatures significantly explained variation in adipose levels of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants (14-15%) and legacy PCBs (18-21%). However, dietary influence was contaminant class-specific, since only low or nonsignificant proportions of variation in organochlorine pesticide (e.g., chlordane) levels were explained by diet. Hudson Bay diet signatures were associated with lower PCB and PBDE levels, whereas East Greenland and Svalbard signatures were associated with higher levels. Understanding diet/food web factors is important to accurately interpret contaminant trends, particularly in a changing Arctic.
Further details:
Hoekstra, Paul F; O'Hara, T M; Fisk, Aaron T; Borgå, Katrine; Solomon, Keith R; Muir, Derek C G (2003): Trophic transfer of persistent organochlorine contaminants (OCs) within an Arctic marine food web from the southern Beaufort-Chukchi Seas. Environmental Pollution, 124(3), 509-522, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0269-7491(02)00482-7
Norstrom, Ross J; Belikov, S E; Born, Erik W; Garner, G W; Malone, B; Olpinski, S; Ramsay, M A; Schliebe, S; Stirling, Ian; Stishov, M S; Taylor, M K; Wiig, Øystein (1998): Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Contaminants in Polar Bears from Eastern Russia, North America, Greenland, and Svalbard: Biomonitoring of Arctic Pollution. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 35(2), 354-367, https://doi.org/10.1007/s002449900387
Coverage:
Median Latitude: 68.407273 * Median Longitude: -83.982727 * South-bound Latitude: 56.000000 * West-bound Longitude: -168.000000 * North-bound Latitude: 78.500000 * East-bound Longitude: 15.500000
Event(s):
Alaska-Bering-Chukchi_Sea  * Latitude: 66.000000 * Longitude: -168.000000 * Location: Bering Sea * Method/Device: Biological sample (BIOS)
BaffinBay-NE-Baffin_Is  * Latitude: 71.000000 * Longitude: -72.500000 * Location: Baffin Bay * Method/Device: Biological sample (BIOS)
DavisStrait-SE-Baffin-Is  * Latitude: 62.500000 * Longitude: -68.000000 * Location: Hudson Strait * Method/Device: Biological sample (BIOS)
Comment:
Data extracted in the frame of a joint ICSTI/PANGAEA IPY effort, see http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.150150
Parameter(s):
#NameShort NameUnitPrincipal InvestigatorMethod/DeviceComment
Event labelEventMcKinney, Melissa A
Latitude of eventLatitudeMcKinney, Melissa A
Longitude of eventLongitudeMcKinney, Melissa A
Area/localityAreaMcKinney, Melissa A
δ15Nδ15NMcKinney, Melissa A
δ15N, standard deviationδ15N std dev±McKinney, Melissa AIsotope ratio mass spectrometry
δ13Cδ13C‰ PDBMcKinney, Melissa AIsotope ratio mass spectrometry
δ13C, standard deviationδ13C std dev±McKinney, Melissa AIsotope ratio mass spectrometry
Ursus maritimusU. maritimus#McKinney, Melissa A
10 Male, matureMale m#McKinney, Melissa A>4 yr old
11 Female, matureFemale m#McKinney, Melissa A>4 yr old
12 NumberNoMcKinney, Melissa Aof subadults <5 yr old
13 Time coverageCoverageMcKinney, Melissa A
14 Sampling dateSampling dateMcKinney, Melissa A
15 Sample commentSample commentMcKinney, Melissa Alatitudinal capture range
16 Sample commentSample commentMcKinney, Melissa Alongitudinal capture range
17 Age, relative, number of yearsAgeaMcKinney, Melissa Amedian
18 Age, relative, number of yearsAgeaMcKinney, Melissa Arange min
19 Age, relative, number of yearsAgeaMcKinney, Melissa Arange max
20 CommentCommentMcKinney, Melissa Acollection region of ringed seal samples used to adjust polar bear fatty acids
21 CommentCommentMcKinney, Melissa Acollection region of ringed seal samples used to adjust polar bear stable isotopes
Status:
Curation Level: Enhanced curation (CurationLevelC)
Size:
193 data points

Data

Download dataset as tab-delimited text — use the following character encoding:


Event

Latitude

Longitude

Area

δ15N []

δ15N std dev [±]

δ13C [‰ PDB]

δ13C std dev [±]

U. maritimus [#]
10 
Male m [#]
(>4 yr old)
11 
Female m [#]
(>4 yr old)
12 
No
(of subadults <5 yr old)
13 
Coverage
14 
Sampling date
15 
Sample comment
(latitudinal capture range)
16 
Sample comment
(longitudinal capture range)
17 
Age [a]
(median)
18 
Age [a]
(range min)
19 
Age [a]
(range max)
20 
Comment
(collection region of ringed s...)
21 
Comment
(collection region of ringed s...)
Alaska-Bering-Chukchi_Sea 66.0000-168.0000Alaska- Bering-Chukchi Sea (AL)21.080.29-16.810.19127232005-20078Feb- 19May63-69°N166-170°W6.0222NBSAL (Hoekstra et al. 2003)
S-Beaufort_Sea 70.0000-131.6000S. Beaufort Sea (SBS)20.770.56-19.280.30178452006-20079Dec- 24May69-70°N120-138°W8.0220NBSNBS (Norstrom et al. 1998)
N-Beaufort_Sea 71.0000-121.0000N. Beaufort Sea (NBS)21.630.28-19.180.2229128920072Feb- 13May69-73°N116-126°W6.0324NBSNBS (Norstrom et al. 1998)
Gulf-of-Boothia 69.5000-91.0000Gulf of Boothia (GB)21.510.52-17.380.377313200730Mar- 15May69-70°N90-92°W7.0324LJSLJS (Norstrom et al. 1998)
Lancaster-Jones_Sound 75.5000-92.0000Lancaster/Jones Sound (LJS)21.280.26-17.530.28138232007-200826Dec- 18May73-78°N84-100°W6.0311LJSLJS (Norstrom et al. 1998)
BaffinBay-NE-Baffin_Is 71.0000-72.5000Baffin Bay- N.E. Baffin Island (BB)20.230.36-17.450.27149142007-20081Oct-6May69-73°N67-78°W5.5210BBBB (Norstrom et al. 1998)
DavisStrait-SE-Baffin-Is 62.5000-68.0000Davis Strait- S.E. Baffin Island (DS)19.580.59-16.490.409603200826Jan- 27Mar62-63°N66-70°W5.0315DSDS (Norstrom et al. 1998)
W_Hudson_Bay 60.9800-93.7100W. Hudson Bay (WHB)18.880.96-18.760.32126152007-20081Nov- 26May60-62°N91-95°W6.0329WHBWHB (Norstrom et al. 1998)
S_Hudson_Bay 56.0000-79.0000S. Hudson Bay (SHB)19.220.30-18.850.122115422007-200825Feb- 23Mar55-57°N78-80°W9.0328WHBWHB (Norstrom et al. 1998)
E-Greenland-Scoresby_Sound 71.5000-22.5000E. Greenland- Scoresby Sound (EG)18.310.18-18.660.152085720067Jan-16Mar69-74°N20-25°W6.5319EGEG
Svalbard-BarentsSea 78.500015.5000Svalbard- Barents Sea (SV)9090200726Mar- 11Apr77-80°N12-19°E9.0515EG