Exploring the effects of consumer-resource dynamics on contaminant bioaccumulation by aquatic herbivores

We explore the consequences of consumer-resource interactions for bioaccumu lation in two aquatic systems (cadmium accumulation in Dreissena polymorpha and polychlorinated biphenyl accumulation in calanoid copepods). We explic itly link the feeding and growth rates of consumers to the abundance of res ources under a variety of assumptions about the nature of the interactions between them. The models are parameterized using field and laboratory data, and predictions are quantitatively compared with field-measured distributi ons of tissue concentrations. Different assumptions about consumer-resource interactions result in different predicted distributions of tissue concent rations and illustrate the way these interactions constrain the bioaccumula tion of contaminants. Linking feeding and growth rates to resource abundanc es will be important whenever these abundances change over time. User-frien dly software will make these ideas accessible to nonthcoreticians.