Hg concentrations and accumulations in fungal fruiting bodies, as influenced by forest soil substrates and moss carpets

摘要

This article summarizes trends in total Hg concentrations (THg) in fungal fruiting bodies (basidiomata) and their underlying soil substrates in the absence and presence of surrounding moss layers. Three forest locations across south-western New Brunswick spanning from a central mainland location to Grand Manan Island in the Bay of Fundy were chosen for the study. Geographic location had an effect on THg in the soil layers and in the basidiomata (THg on island > THg along the mainland coast > THg mainland) but this effect was weak and probably obscured by the large THg variations within the basidiomata and their soil and moss substrates at each location. Within the soil, THg increased with increasing total organic S (TS) and C (TC) concentrations, and depended on type of moss cover if present. Within the mosses, THg varied by species, by moss-internal TS, and by THg and TS within the underlying soil. Basidiomatal THg also varied strongly by species, and was further affected by: (i) developmental stage, from emergence to senescence, (ii) cap versus stalk, (iii) basidiomatal TS, and (iv) soil THg, TS and TC. These variations and their interdependencies were explored and quantified by way of multiple regression analyses. Basidiomatal bioconcentration of soil THg (F layer) varied strongly by species as well. Basidiomatal Hg extraction from the soil was estimated to be small in terms of reducing the accumulated Hg loads within the soil, but represents a re-entry point of Hg into the local food chain.