Chapter 6 - ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF MERCURY

There is a huge and rapidly growing scientific literature on the distribution of mercury in ecosystems. Mercury has been measured in aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, in a variety of plants, and in many higher organisms including humans. High concentrations of mercury have been associated with developmental and behavioral abnormalities, impaired reproduction and survival, and in some cases with direct mortality. There is evidence that mercury may act synergistically with organic pollutants such as PCBs (Gochfeld 1975). The Task Force was charged to address the question: “Does the current body of scientific knowledge indicate that mercury in the environment is at levels of potential wildlife and ecological impact?”