The daunting question of how to manage land and wildlife with respects to impacts made by mercury cycling and bioaccumulation are difficult to address on a local, regional, national, and international level. In a collaborative effort lead by the Biodiversity Research Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey, with involvement of mercury researches from many agencies and institutions, the Western North American Synthesis (WNAMS) Project was created to take on these questions. WNAMS is comprised of the world’s leading mercury researchers who are compiling data (sediment, water, invertebrates and other biota, emissions, mining, etc.) and formulating a holistic synthesis of the western regions of the U.S., Canada, and parts of Mexico. The intent of this project is to better determine the factors which drive mercury methylation and accumulation. This knowledge is essential for management and long term planning, and will hopefully reduce mercury impacts.
An endeavor such as this worthy of much more coverage; Brooks Rand Labs would encourage you to read about this project further at the Biodiversity Research Institute website. Also, data sets that have not been made publicly available would be welcomed for evaluation; please contact one of the four principal investigators listed on the website regarding submittal.
For more than 25 years, Brooks Rand Labs has been involved in supporting vital mercury research such as the WNAMS project with our specialized mercury speciation services.