Collaborators:  University of Michigan – Ecotoxicology Lab

Mercury, specifically methylmercury, in environmentally relevant concentrations is known to cause a wide range of toxic effects on fish, wildlife and humans.  These negative effects include behavioral, hormonal, reproductive, and neurochemical changes.  We are examining the influence of mercury and other contaminants on the critical health of apex marine predators by measuring an array of key neurochemical biomarkers and other physiological parameters.  Initial efforts are focusing on the shortfin mako shark as a model predatory species.