Wild Brown Trout Affected by Historical Mining in the Cévennes National Park, France

Historical mining and metallurgy in the Cévennes National Park, France, have left a lasting impact on wild brown trout populations. Sixty percent of trout at one site exceed EU maximum allowed cadmium or lead concentrations in foodstuffs, with metal levels in fish tissues reflecting sediment contamination. Lead isotope signatures confirm exposure to mining waste drainage, while developmental instability, measured through fluctuating asymmetry, correlates significantly with cadmium and lead concentrations, suggesting adverse effects on fish development. Despite the region's current low industrial activity, these findings highlight the need to consider historical mining heritage in long-term environmental management strategies.

Monna, F., Camizuli, E., Revelli, P., Biville, C., Thomas, C., Losno, R., Scheifler, R., Bruguier, O., Baron, S., Chateau, C., Ploquin, A., & Alibert, P. (2011). Wild Brown Trout Affected by Historical Mining in the Cévennes National Park, France. Environmental Science & Technology, 45(16), 6823–6830. https://doi.org/10.1021/es200755n