ORIGINAL ARTICLE Landscape Controls on Mercury in Streamwater at Acadia National Park, USA J. M. Peckenham & J. S. Kahl & S. J. Nelson & K. B. Johnson & T. A. Haines Received: 16 January 2004 / Accepted: 20 April 2005 / Published online: 2 February 2007 # Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2007 Abstract Fall and spring streamwater samples were analyzed for total mercury (Hg) and major ions from 47 locations on Mount Desert Island in Maine. Samples were collected in zones that were burned in a major wildfire in 1947 and in zones that were not burned. We hypothesized that Hg concentrations in streamwater would be higher from unburned sites than burned watersheds, because fire would volatilize stored Hg. The Hg concentrations, based on burn history, were not statistically distinct. However, significant statistical associations were noted between Hg and the amount of wetlands in the drainage systems and with streamwater dissolved organic carbon (DOC). An unexpected result was that wet- lands mobilized more Hg by generating more DOC in total, but upland DOC was more efficient at trans- porting Hg because it transports more Hg per unit DOC. Mercury concentrations were higher in samples collected at lower elevations. Mercury was positively correlated with relative discharge, although this effect was not distinguished from the DOC association. In this research, sample site elevation and the presence of upstream wetlands and their associated DOC affected Hg concentrations more strongly than burn history. Keywords Acadia National Park . Dissolved organic carbon . Maine, USA . Mercury . Surface water quality 1 Introduction Mercury (Hg) has a global distribution from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Because Hg bioaccumulates, human fish consumption advisories based on Hg have been posted in forty-two U.S. states (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2003) and all Canadian provinces (Environment Canada 2003). Mercury at levels as low as 0.15 mg/kg in fish tissue can cause reproductive and developmental damage to humans (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2001). Fish Hg concentrations are spatially variable, with elevated Hg concentrations found in systems as diverse as remote ‘pristine’ high elevation lakes and to major lakes and rivers. Environ Monit Assess (2007) 126:97–104 DOI 10.1007/s10661-006-9334-2 J. M. Peckenham (*) : J. S. Kahl : S. J. Nelson : K. B. Johnson Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental and Watershed Research, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA e-mail: jpeck@maine.edu T. A. Haines U.S. Geological Survey, Orono Field Station, Leetown Science Center, Orono, ME, USA T. A. Haines Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA J. S. Kahl Center for the Environment, Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH, USA Present address: Present address: