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Wei L, Huang Q, Qiu Y, Zhao J, Rantakokko P, Gao H, Huang F, Bignert A, Bergman Å. Legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in eggs of night herons and poultries from the upper Yangtze Basin, Southwest China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:93744-93759. [PMID: 37516701 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28974-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) eggs have been identified as useful indicators for biomonitoring the environmental pollution in China. In this study, we investigated thirty eggs of black-crowned night heron collected from the upper Yangtze River (Changjiang) Basin, Southwest China, for the occurrence of legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Our results showed a general presence of POPs in night heron eggs with OCPs being the dominant contaminants, having a geometric mean concentration of 22.2 ng g-1 wet weight (ww), followed by PCBs (1.36 ng g-1 ww), PBDEs (0.215 ng g-1 ww), and PCDD/Fs (23.0 pg g-1 ww). The concentration levels were found to be significantly higher in night heron eggs than in poultry eggs by one or two magnitude orders. Among OCP congeners, p,p'-DDE was found to be predominant in night heron eggs, with a geometric mean concentration of 15.1 ng g-1 ww. Furthermore, species-specific congener patterns in eggs suggested similar or different sources for different POPs, possibly associated with contaminated soil and parental dietary sources. Additionally, estimated daily intakes (EDIs) were used to evaluate non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk associated with consumption of bird eggs. Our results revealed non-negligible non-cancer and cancer risk for humans who consume wild bird eggs as a regular diet instead of poultry eggs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lai Wei
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of the Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Qinghui Huang
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of the Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, China.
- International Joint Research Center for Sustainable Urban Water System, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Yanling Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of the Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
- International Joint Research Center for Sustainable Urban Water System, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Jianfu Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of the Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
- International Joint Research Center for Sustainable Urban Water System, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Panu Rantakokko
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Environmental Health, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Hongwen Gao
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of the Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Fei Huang
- Yibin Research Base of the Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of the Ministry of Education, Yibin University, Sichuan Province, Yibin, 644000, China
| | - Anders Bignert
- Yibin Research Base of the Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of the Ministry of Education, Yibin University, Sichuan Province, Yibin, 644000, China
- Swedish Museum of Natural History, 104 05, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Åke Bergman
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment of the Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
- Department of Environmental Science (ACES), Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden
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Bottini CLJ, Whiley RE, Branfireun BA, MacDougall-Shackleton SA. Effects of methylmercury and food stress on migratory activity in song sparrows, Melospiza melodia. Horm Behav 2022; 146:105261. [PMID: 36126358 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Avian migration is a challenging life stage susceptible to the adverse effects of stressors, including contaminants like methylmercury (MeHg). Although birds often experience stressors and contaminants concurrently in the wild, no study to date has investigated how simultaneous exposure to MeHg and food stress affects migratory behavior. Our objectives were to determine if MeHg or food stress exposure during summer, alone or combined, has carry-over effects on autumn migratory activity, and if hormone levels (corticosterone, thyroxine) and body condition were related to these effects. We tested how exposure to dietary MeHg and/or food stress (unpredictable temporary food removal) affected migratory behavior in captive song sparrows, Melospiza melodia. Nocturnal activity was influenced by a 3-way interaction between MeHg × stress × nights of the study, indicating that activity changed over time in different ways depending on prior treatments. Thyroxine was not affected by treatment or sampling date. During the migratory season, fecal corticosterone metabolite concentrations increased in birds co-exposed to MeHg and food stress compared to controls, suggesting an additive carry-over effect. As well, during the period of behavioral recording, body condition increased with time in unstressed birds, but not in stressed birds. Fecal corticosterone metabolite concentrations were positively correlated to duration of nocturnal activity, but thyroxine levels and body condition were not. The differences in nocturnal activity between groups suggest that food stress and MeHg exposure on breeding grounds could have direct and indirect carry-over effects that have the potential to affect the fall migration journey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire L J Bottini
- University of Western Ontario, Department of Biology, 1151 Richmond St., London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada; Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Rebecca E Whiley
- University of Western Ontario, Department of Biology, 1151 Richmond St., London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada; Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian A Branfireun
- University of Western Ontario, Department of Biology, 1151 Richmond St., London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Scott A MacDougall-Shackleton
- Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; University of Western Ontario, Department of Psychology, 1151 Richmond St., London, Ontario N6A 5C2, Canada
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Ma Y, Choi CY, Thomas A, Gibson L. Review of contaminant levels and effects in shorebirds: Knowledge gaps and conservation priorities. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 242:113868. [PMID: 35863215 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Environmental pollution has emerged as a major threat to bird populations. Many shorebird populations are declining, although contamination has been documented in some shorebirds, evidence of negative impacts is sparse and this important topic remains understudied. To guide future research and develop effective conservation strategies, we carried out a comprehensive review of environmental pollutants and their consequences on shorebirds. In total, we found 93 relevant articles which examined pollutant contamination in ~37% (79 of 215) of all shorebird species, mostly from the Charadriidae and Scolopacidae families. Studies were geographically biased: the majority were conducted in American flyways, while only 1 was found from Australasia and few were conducted in Asian flyways. The main geographic gap for research includes East Africa, South Asia and Siberian Arctic. The most well-documented pollutants included mercury (Hg, 37 studies), cadmium (33), and lead (Pb, 28); less well studied pollutants were barium (1), calcium (1), strontium (1), dicofols (1), and other newly emerging contaminants, such as plastic debris/microplastics (4) and antibiotics resistance (2). Several pollutants have caused considerable concerns in shorebirds, including embryotoxicity caused by PCBs at non-optimum temperature (laboratory experiments); reduced reproduction performance linked to maternal Hg and paternal Pb (field evidence); and reduced refueling and flight performance related to oil contamination (both field and laboratory evidence). Our results confirm that an in-depth understanding of the local, regional and global factors that influence population trends of shorebirds in light of increasing pollution threats is essential for accurate and effective management and conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanju Ma
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Chi-Yeung Choi
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Alex Thomas
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Luke Gibson
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China.
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Hao Y, Zheng S, Wang P, Sun H, Matsiko J, Li W, Li Y, Zhang Q, Jiang G. Ecotoxicology of persistent organic pollutants in birds. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2021; 23:400-416. [PMID: 33660728 DOI: 10.1039/d0em00451k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Considering the explosive growth of the list of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), the scientific community is combatting increasing challenges to protect humans and wildlife from the potentially negative consequences of POPs. Herein, we characterize the main aspects and progress in the ecotoxicology of POPs in avian species since 2000. The majority of previous efforts has revealed the global occurrence of high levels of various POPs in birds. Laboratory research and epidemiological studies imply that POPs exert a broad-spectrum of side-effects on birds by interfering with their endocrine, immune and neural system, reproduction, and development, and growth. However, inconsistent results suggest that the potential effects of POP exposure on the physiological parameters in birds are multifactorial, involving a multitude of biological processes, species-specific differences, gender, age and types of compounds. Great progress has been achieved in identifying the species-specific sensitivity to dioxin-like compounds, which is attributed to different amino acid residues in the ligand-binding domain of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor. Besides the conventional concentration additivity, several studies have suggested that different classes of POPs possibly act synergistically or antagonistically based on their concentration. However, ecotoxicology information is still recorded in a scattered and inadequate manner, including lack of enough avian species, limited number of POPs investigated, and insufficient geographical representation, and thus our understanding of the effects of POPs on birds remains rudimentary, although mechanistic understanding of their mode of action is progressing. Particularly, research on what happens to wild bird populations and their ecosystems under POP stress is still unavailable. Thus, our aim is to predict and trace the effects POPs at different biological organization levels, especially from the molecular, cellular and individual levels to the population, community and ecosystem levels because of the limited and scattered information, as mentioned above.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfen Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
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Espín S, Sánchez-Virosta P. A review of metal-induced effects on vitamins A, E and D3 in birds. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2021; 30:1-16. [PMID: 33151447 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-020-02296-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Birds have been historically affected by metals and are considered powerful sentinels of environmental pollution. Some toxic elements (Pb, Cd, Hg, As) have been broadly studied in avian species and are well known for their accumulation capacity and deleterious effects, including alterations in vitamin levels. Vitamins A, E and D3 are fat-soluble nutrients involved in multiple physiological functions (e.g., immune function, vision, reproduction, growth and development). Publications reporting metal-induced effects on vitamins in birds are growing and, in some cases, results seem contradictory, making them difficult to interpret. Therefore, a clear view of the overall picture is needed. This mini-review article aims to compile relevant data and describe current knowledge on the effects of the most toxic elements (i.e., Pb, Cd, Hg, As) on vitamins A, E and D3 in birds. Although vitamins are diet dependent, they are strongly regulated and transformed in the organism, and metal-related disruption in their homeostasis may provoke alterations in different directions. Moreover, vitamin status and form in vivo is the result of complex interacting processes in the organism and metal exposure may produce cascade effects. Different factors that may contribute to the variable response of vitamins to metals in birds are discussed. Some final remarks and recommendations are provided for future studies. This mini-review shows an overview of the current knowledge in metal-induced alterations in vitamins of special concern for avian ecotoxicology, a research discipline facing important challenges in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Espín
- Area of Toxicology, Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
| | - Pablo Sánchez-Virosta
- Area of Toxicology, Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
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Seewagen CL. The threat of global mercury pollution to bird migration: potential mechanisms and current evidence. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2020; 29:1254-1267. [PMID: 30159636 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-018-1971-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mercury is a global pollutant that has been widely shown to adversely affect reproduction and other endpoints related to fitness and health in birds, but almost nothing is known about its effects on migration relative to other life cycle processes. Here I consider the physiological and histological effects that mercury is known to have on non-migrating birds and non-avian vertebrates to identify potential mechanisms by which mercury might hinder migration performance. I posit that the broad ability of mercury to inactivate enzymes and compromise the function of other proteins is a single mechanism by which mercury has strong potential to disrupt many of the physiological processes that make long-distance migration possible. In just this way alone, there is reason to expect mercury to interfere with navigation, flight endurance, oxidative balance, and stopover refueling. Navigation and flight could be further affected by neurotoxic effects of mercury on the brain regions that process geomagnetic information from the visual system and control biomechanics, respectively. Interference with photochemical reactions in the retina and decreases in scotopic vision sensitivity caused by mercury also have the potential to disrupt visual-based magnetic navigation. Finally, migration performance and possibly survival might be limited by the immunosuppressive effects of mercury on birds at a time when exposure to novel pathogens and parasites is great. I conclude that mercury pollution is likely to be further challenging what is already often the most difficult and perilous phase of a migratory bird's annual cycle, potentially contributing to global declines in migratory bird populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad L Seewagen
- Great Hollow Nature Preserve & Ecological Research Center, 225 Route 37, New Fairfield, CT, USA.
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Champoux L, Rail JF, Houde M, Giraudo M, Lacaze É, Franci CD, Fairhurst GD, Hobson KA, Brousseau P, Guillemette M, Pelletier D, Montevecchi WA, Lair S, Verreault J, Soos C. An investigation of physiological effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on a long-distance migratory seabird, the northern gannet. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 153:110953. [PMID: 32275518 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.110953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to oil can have long-term impacts on migratory birds. Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), we investigated potential impacts of oil exposure on a population of northern gannets (Morus bassanus) that breed on Bonaventure Island (Québec, Canada) and winter in GOM and along the U.S. Atlantic coast (AC). Blood and feather samples were collected from adults previously equipped with geolocators to determine wintering locations. Parent and alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); trace metals; stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen; and immune, thyroid, steroid, retinoid, and genetic endpoints were measured. PAH and trace metal concentrations did not differ between gannets using different wintering sites. Feather stable isotope values varied significantly between birds from different wintering locations. Gannets wintering in GOM showed higher feather corticosterone and plasma thyroid hormone levels, which may indicate increased energetic demands and/or greater exposure to environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Champoux
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-François Rail
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Magali Houde
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Maeva Giraudo
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Émilie Lacaze
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Graham D Fairhurst
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Keith A Hobson
- Wildlife Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Pauline Brousseau
- Institut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Stéphane Lair
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jonathan Verreault
- Centre de recherche en toxicologie de l'environnement (TOXEN), Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Catherine Soos
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
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Løseth ME, Flo J, Sonne C, Krogh AKH, Nygård T, Bustnes JO, Jenssen BM, Jaspers VLB. The influence of natural variation and organohalogenated contaminants on physiological parameters in white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) nestlings from Norway. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 177:108586. [PMID: 31377582 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Environmental exposure to organohalogenated contaminants (OHCs), even at low concentrations, may cause detrimental effects on the development and health of wild birds. The present study investigated if environmental exposure to OHCs may influence the variation of multiple physiological parameters in Norwegian white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) nestlings. Plasma and feather samples were obtained from 70 nestlings at two archipelagos in Norway in 2015 and 2016. The selected physiological parameters were plasma concentrations of thyroid hormones (thyroxine, T4 and triiodothyronine, T3), plasma proteins (prealbumin, albumin, α1-, α2-, β- and γ-globulins) and selected blood clinical chemical parameters (BCCPs) associated with liver and kidney functioning. Feather concentrations of corticosterone (CORTf) were also included to investigate the overall stress level of the nestlings. Concentrations of all studied physiological parameters were within the ranges of those found in other species of free-living birds of prey nestlings and indicated that the white-tailed eagle nestlings were in good health. Our statistical models indicated that perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and legacy OHCs, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorinated pesticides and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, influenced only a minor fraction of the variation of plasma thyroid hormones, prealbumin and CORTf (5-15%), and partly explained the selected BCCPs (<26%). Most of the variation in each studied physiological parameter was explained by variation between nests, which is most likely due to natural physiological variation of nestlings in these nests. This indicates the importance of accounting for between nest variation in future studies. In the present nestlings, OHC concentrations were relatively low and seem to have played a secondary role compared to natural variation concerning the variation of physiological parameters. However, our study also indicates a potential for OHC-induced effects on thyroid hormones, CORTf, prealbumin and BCCPs, which could be of concern in birds exposed to higher OHC concentrations than the present white-tailed eagle nestlings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Engvig Løseth
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Jørgen Flo
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Aarhus University (AU), DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Anne Kirstine Havnsøe Krogh
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Frederiksberg C, DK-1870, Denmark
| | - Torgeir Nygård
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), NO-7034, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jan Ove Bustnes
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), FRAM - High North Research Centre on Climate and the Environment, NO-9007, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Bjørn Munro Jenssen
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Veerle L B Jaspers
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway.
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The great egret (Ardea alba) as a bioindicator of trace element contamination in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region, Brazil. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-017-5687-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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10
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Whitney MC, Cristol DA. Impacts of Sublethal Mercury Exposure on Birds: A Detailed Review. REVIEWS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2018; 244:113-163. [PMID: 28710647 DOI: 10.1007/398_2017_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Mercury is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant known to accumulate in, and negatively affect, fish-eating and oceanic bird species, and recently demonstrated to impact some terrestrial songbirds to a comparable extent. It can bioaccumulate to concentrations of >1 μg/g in tissues of prey organisms such as fish and insects. At high enough concentrations, exposure to mercury is lethal to birds. However, environmental exposures are usually far below the lethal concentrations established by dosing studies.The objective of this review is to better understand the effects of sublethal exposure to mercury in birds. We restricted our survey of the literature to studies with at least some exposures >5 μg/g. The majority of sublethal effects were subtle and some studies of similar endpoints reached different conclusions. Strong support exists in the literature for the conclusion that mercury exposure reduces reproductive output, compromises immune function, and causes avoidance of high-energy behaviors. For some endpoints, notably certain measures of reproductive success, endocrine and neurological function, and body condition, there is weak or contradictory evidence of adverse effects and further study is required. There was no evidence that environmentally relevant mercury exposure affects longevity, but several of the sublethal effects identified likely do result in fitness reductions that could adversely impact populations. Overall, 72% of field studies and 91% of laboratory studies found evidence of deleterious effects of mercury on some endpoint, and thus we can conclude that mercury is harmful to birds, and the many effects on reproduction indicate that bird population declines may already be resulting from environmental mercury pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret C Whitney
- Department of Biology, Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, 23187, USA
| | - Daniel A Cristol
- Department of Biology, Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, 23187, USA.
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Champoux L, Boily M. Temporal trends of mercury and organohalogen contaminants in great blue heron eggs from the St. Lawrence River, Québec, Canada, 1991-2011, and relationships with tracers of feeding ecology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 609:1270-1285. [PMID: 28797142 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Since 1991, great blue heron (Ardea herodias) eggs have been collected and analyzed for mercury (Hg), persistent organic contaminants (OCs), brominated and non-brominated flame retardants (FRs) as well as stable isotopes δ13C and δ15N. In the present study, temporal trends of contaminants were analyzed in eggs sampled in four regions along the St. Lawrence River (Quebec, Canada) and inland sites using new and previously published data. Most contaminants declined significantly over time in most regions. Globally, the highest annual change, -17.5%, was found for pp'-DDD, while the smallest annual decline, -0.54%, was observed for Hg. Concentrations of ΣDDT and ΣFR8 (sum of 8 congeners) decreased by -11.6% and -7.3%, respectively. Declines in ΣPCBs differed among regions, from -5.6% in the fluvial section to -14.7% in the inland region. The highest concentration of ΣFR8 was measured in eggs from Grande Ile in the fluvial section of the river in 1996 (2.39μg/g). Stable isotope ratios also showed temporal trends in some regions: δ13C decreased in the fluvial section and increased in Gulf region, while δ15N decreased in the fluvial section and increased in the upper estuary. Significant positive relationships were found between ΣDDT, ΣPCBs and ΣFRs and δ15N and δ13C in freshwater colonies, but not in estuarine or marine colonies. These results suggest that changes in trophic level and foraging areas over time were influential factors with respect to contaminant burden in great blue heron eggs in the fluvial section, but not in the other regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Champoux
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Wildlife and Landscape Science Directorate, Science and Technology Branch, 801-1550 av d'Estimauville, Québec, Québec G1J 0C3, Canada.
| | - Monique Boily
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada
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