TY - JOUR

T1 - Shells of Pearlmussels, Margaritifera dahurica (Bivalvia

T2 - Margaritiferidae), as a biogeochemical indicator of the background (Holocene) and current major and trace elements content in riverine waters of Transbaikalia (southeast Siberia)

AU - Klishko, Olga K.

AU - Berdnikov, Nikolay V.

AU - Bogan, Arthur E.

AU - Vinarski, Maxim V.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021

PY - 2022/1/1

Y1 - 2022/1/1

N2 - The concentration of the major and trace elements in the riverine waters of the Upper Amur basin (Transbaikalia, southeast Siberia) in the Late Holocene (5.5–1.2 kya) was determined by their accumulation in the archaeological shells of the Pearlmussel Margaritifera dahurica (Margaritiferidae, Bivalvia). A positive relationship between the accumulation of elements in the recent shells and their average long-term content in the aquatic environment was revealed. Based on the equations of the relationship between the accumulation of metals in the Pearlmussel shells from archaeological excavations, the content of each element in the aquatic paleoenvironments on the territory of the Upper Amur basin was calculated. We show that the current content of heavy metals in the river waters of this region is significantly increased compared with the same of Late Holocene, which indicates an increase in pollution of the aquatic environment by anthropogenic impact. The empirical relationship between the accumulation of metals in shells and their content in water adequately describes their accumulation in archaeological shells and living mollusks of the same species. The concentrations of the major and trace elements in archaeological shells of Margaritifera and their paleoenvironment may be accepted as background values for the rivers of the Upper Amur basin.

AB - The concentration of the major and trace elements in the riverine waters of the Upper Amur basin (Transbaikalia, southeast Siberia) in the Late Holocene (5.5–1.2 kya) was determined by their accumulation in the archaeological shells of the Pearlmussel Margaritifera dahurica (Margaritiferidae, Bivalvia). A positive relationship between the accumulation of elements in the recent shells and their average long-term content in the aquatic environment was revealed. Based on the equations of the relationship between the accumulation of metals in the Pearlmussel shells from archaeological excavations, the content of each element in the aquatic paleoenvironments on the territory of the Upper Amur basin was calculated. We show that the current content of heavy metals in the river waters of this region is significantly increased compared with the same of Late Holocene, which indicates an increase in pollution of the aquatic environment by anthropogenic impact. The empirical relationship between the accumulation of metals in shells and their content in water adequately describes their accumulation in archaeological shells and living mollusks of the same species. The concentrations of the major and trace elements in archaeological shells of Margaritifera and their paleoenvironment may be accepted as background values for the rivers of the Upper Amur basin.

KW - Applied zooarchaeology

KW - Heavy metals

KW - Holocene

KW - Riverine pollution

KW - Shell

KW - Transbaikalia

KW - L.

KW - HEAVY-METALS

KW - RINGS

KW - POPULATIONS

KW - MUSSEL SHELLS

KW - GROWTH

KW - UNIONIDAE

KW - AGE

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85121147089&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/abe42ea3-5db4-39d6-b8e7-8eab6a642687/

U2 - 10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108482

DO - 10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108482

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85121147089

VL - 134

JO - Ecological Indicators

JF - Ecological Indicators

SN - 1470-160X

M1 - 108482

ER -