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Lemesle P, Jouanneau W, Cherel Y, Legroux N, Ward A, Bustamante P, Chastel O. Mercury exposure and trophic ecology of urban nesting black-legged kittiwakes from France. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 363:142813. [PMID: 38986774 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Seabirds are increasingly used as bioindicators for assessing the chemical contamination of marine ecosystems, including by mercury (Hg) worldwide. However, some geographical areas are still poorly documented, as metropolitan France that is home to 28 seabird species including the black-legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, in the part of the southern limit of the North Atlantic range of the species. Here, we investigated Hg contamination and trophic ecology of black-legged kittiwakes breeding in the harbour of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Northern France. Mean blood Hg concentration was 4.81 ± 1.20 μg g-1 dw (dry weight), 3.66 ± 0.75 μg g-1 dw and 0.43 ± 0.07 μg g-1 dw for adult males, adult females, and chicks, respectively. According to Hg toxicity benchmarks for avian blood, 30% of the sampled adults were considered to be at moderate risk to Hg toxicity. Stable isotope and food analyses showed that highest δ15N values (reflecting a higher trophic position) were related to highest blood Hg concentrations in adult birds, and that Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) and Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) were the main prey. Adult kittiwakes from Boulogne-sur-Mer showed Hg levels three times higher than those found in Arctic nesting kittiwakes, where sublethal effects have been documented. This study provides a first description of Hg contamination of black-legged kittiwakes breeding in France and calls for future ecotoxicological research to assess the vulnerability of this species in the southern part of its distribution range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prescillia Lemesle
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France; Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France.
| | - William Jouanneau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Yves Cherel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Nathan Legroux
- Groupe ornithologique et naturaliste (agréé Hauts-de-France), 5 rue Jules de Vicq, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Alain Ward
- Groupe ornithologique et naturaliste (agréé Hauts-de-France), 5 rue Jules de Vicq, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
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2
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Evers DC, Ackerman JT, Åkerblom S, Bally D, Basu N, Bishop K, Bodin N, Braaten HFV, Burton MEH, Bustamante P, Chen C, Chételat J, Christian L, Dietz R, Drevnick P, Eagles-Smith C, Fernandez LE, Hammerschlag N, Harmelin-Vivien M, Harte A, Krümmel EM, Brito JL, Medina G, Barrios Rodriguez CA, Stenhouse I, Sunderland E, Takeuchi A, Tear T, Vega C, Wilson S, Wu P. Global mercury concentrations in biota: their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 33:325-396. [PMID: 38683471 PMCID: PMC11213816 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02747-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
An important provision of the Minamata Convention on Mercury is to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the adopted measures and its implementation. Here, we describe for the first time currently available biotic mercury (Hg) data on a global scale to improve the understanding of global efforts to reduce the impact of Hg pollution on people and the environment. Data from the peer-reviewed literature were compiled in the Global Biotic Mercury Synthesis (GBMS) database (>550,000 data points). These data provide a foundation for establishing a biomonitoring framework needed to track Hg concentrations in biota globally. We describe Hg exposure in the taxa identified by the Minamata Convention: fish, sea turtles, birds, and marine mammals. Based on the GBMS database, Hg concentrations are presented at relevant geographic scales for continents and oceanic basins. We identify some effective regional templates for monitoring methylmercury (MeHg) availability in the environment, but overall illustrate that there is a general lack of regional biomonitoring initiatives around the world, especially in Africa, Australia, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Temporal trend data for Hg in biota are generally limited. Ecologically sensitive sites (where biota have above average MeHg tissue concentrations) have been identified throughout the world. Efforts to model and quantify ecosystem sensitivity locally, regionally, and globally could help establish effective and efficient biomonitoring programs. We present a framework for a global Hg biomonitoring network that includes a three-step continental and oceanic approach to integrate existing biomonitoring efforts and prioritize filling regional data gaps linked with key Hg sources. We describe a standardized approach that builds on an evidence-based evaluation to assess the Minamata Convention's progress to reduce the impact of global Hg pollution on people and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA.
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | | | - Dominique Bally
- African Center for Environmental Health, BP 826 Cidex 03, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Nil Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Kevin Bishop
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Upsalla, Sweden
| | - Nathalie Bodin
- Research Institute for Sustainable Development Seychelles Fishing Authority, Victoria, Seychelles
| | | | - Mark E H Burton
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Celia Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Cliamte Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Linroy Christian
- Department of Analytical Services, Dunbars, Friars Hill, St John, Antigua and Barbuda
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Paul Drevnick
- Teck American Incorporated, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Collin Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Luis E Fernandez
- Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability and Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 29106, USA
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazonica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, Peru
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Shark Research Foundation Inc, 29 Wideview Lane, Boutiliers Point, NS, B3Z 0M9, Canada
| | - Mireille Harmelin-Vivien
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS/INSU/IRD, Institut Méditerranéen d'Océanologie (MIO), UM 110, Campus de Luminy, case 901, 13288, Marseille, cedex 09, France
| | - Agustin Harte
- Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Chem. des Anémones 15, 1219, Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eva M Krümmel
- Inuit Circumpolar Council-Canada, Ottawa, Canada and ScienTissiME Inc, Barry's Bay, ON, Canada
| | - José Lailson Brito
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Sao Francisco Xavier, 524, Sala 4002, CEP 20550-013, Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Medina
- Director of Basel Convention Coordinating Centre, Stockholm Convention Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean, Hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Iain Stenhouse
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Elsie Sunderland
- Harvard University, Pierce Hall 127, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Akinori Takeuchi
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, Health and Environmental Risk Division, 16-2 Onogawa Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Tim Tear
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Claudia Vega
- Centro de Innovaccion Cientifica Amazonica (CINCIA), Jiron Ucayali 750, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17001, Peru
| | - Simon Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, N-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Pianpian Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
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3
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Fuentes E, Moreau J, Millet M, Bretagnolle V, Monceau K. Organic farming reduces pesticide load in a bird of prey. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 930:172778. [PMID: 38670354 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Human activities have led to the contamination of all environmental compartments worldwide, including bird species. In birds, both the environment and maternal transfer lead to high inter-brood variability in contamination levels of pollutants, whereas intra-brood variability is generally low. However, most existing studies focused on heavy metals or persistent compounds and none, to our knowledge, addressed the variability in contamination levels of multiple pesticides and the factors influencing it. In this study, the number of pesticides detected (of 104 compounds searched) and the sum of their concentrations in the blood of 55 Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus) nestlings from 22 nests sampled in 2021 were used as metrics of contamination levels. We investigated the effect of organic farming at the size of male's home range (i.e., 14 km2) and chicks' sex and hatching order on contamination levels. We did not find a difference between inter-brood and intra-brood variability in pesticide contamination levels, suggesting a different exposure of siblings through food items. While chicks' sex or rank did not affect their contamination level, we found that the percentage of organic farming around the nests significantly decreased the number of pesticides detected, although it did not decrease the total concentrations. This finding highlights the potential role of organic farming in reducing the exposure of birds to a pesticide cocktail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elva Fuentes
- UMR 7372, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé, La Rochelle Université & CNRS, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France.
| | - Jérôme Moreau
- UMR 7372, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé, La Rochelle Université & CNRS, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France; UMR CNRS 6282 Biogéosciences, Équipe Écologie Évolutive, Université de Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Maurice Millet
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS-UMR 7515, ICPEES, 67087 Strasbourg cedex 2, France
| | - Vincent Bretagnolle
- UMR 7372, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé, La Rochelle Université & CNRS, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France; LTSER "Zone Atelier Plaine & Val de Sèvre", CNRS, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Karine Monceau
- UMR 7372, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé, La Rochelle Université & CNRS, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
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4
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Bertram J, Bichet C, Moiron M, Schupp PJ, Bouwhuis S. Sex- and age-specific mercury accumulation in a long-lived seabird. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172330. [PMID: 38599409 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Mercury levels in the environment are increasing, such that they are also expected to accumulate in top-predators, but individual-based longitudinal studies required to investigate this are rare. Between 2017 and 2023, we therefore collected 1314 blood samples from 588 individual common terns (Sterna hirundo) to examine how total blood mercury concentration changed with age, and whether this differed between the sexes. Blood mercury concentrations were highly variable, but all exceeded toxicity thresholds above which adverse health effects were previously observed. A global model showed blood mercury to be higher in older birds of both sexes. Subsequent models partitioning the age effect into within- and among-individual components revealed a linear within-individual accumulation with age in females, and a decelerating within-individual accumulation with age in males. Time spent at the (particularly contaminated) breeding grounds prior to sampling, as well as egg laying in females, were also found to affect mercury concentrations. As such, our study provides evidence that male and female common terns differentially accumulate mercury in their blood as they grow older and calls for further studies of the underlying mechanisms as well as its consequences for fitness components, such as reproductive performance and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Bertram
- Institute of Avian Research, An der Vogelwarte 21, Wilhelmshaven, Niedersachsen DE 26386, Germany.
| | - Coraline Bichet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), CNRS-La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Maria Moiron
- Institute of Avian Research, An der Vogelwarte 21, Wilhelmshaven, Niedersachsen DE 26386, Germany; Department of Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Peter J Schupp
- Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Department for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Terramare, Wilhelmshaven, Niedersachsen DE 26382, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg DE 26129, Germany
| | - Sandra Bouwhuis
- Institute of Avian Research, An der Vogelwarte 21, Wilhelmshaven, Niedersachsen DE 26386, Germany
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Mills WF, Bustamante P, Ramírez F, Forero MG, Phillips RA. Mercury Concentrations in Feathers of Albatrosses and Large Petrels at South Georgia: Contemporary Patterns and Comparisons with Past Decades. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2024; 86:363-374. [PMID: 38762667 PMCID: PMC11142957 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-024-01067-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is an environmental contaminant that can negatively impact the health of humans and wildlife. Albatrosses and large petrels show some of the highest levels of Hg contamination among birds, with potential repercussions for reproduction and survival. Here, body feather total Hg (THg) concentrations were determined in breeding adults of five species of albatrosses and large petrels in the foraging guild at South Georgia during the mid-2010s. We tested the effects of species, sex and trophic ecology (inferred from stable isotopes) on THg concentrations and compared our results with published values from past decades. Feather THg concentrations differed significantly among species (range: 1.9-49.6 µg g-1 dw), and were highest in wandering albatrosses Diomedea exulans, intermediate in black-browed albatrosses Thalassarche melanophris and northern giant petrels Macronectes halli, and lowest in southern giant petrels M. giganteus and white-chinned petrels Procellaria aequinoctialis. Females were more contaminated than males in all species, potentially due to differences in distributions and diet composition. Across species, THg concentrations were not correlated with feather δ13C or δ15N values, implying that species effects (e.g., breeding and moulting frequencies) may be more important than trophic effects in explaining feather THg concentrations in this foraging guild. Within species, the only significant correlation was between THg and δ13C in wandering albatrosses, which could reflect higher Hg exposure in subtropical waters. Comparisons with THg concentrations from past studies, which reflect contamination from 10 to > 60 years ago, revealed considerable annual variation and some evidence for increases over time for wandering and black-browed albatrosses since before 1950 and from the late 1980s, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- William F Mills
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK.
- Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading, Reading, UK.
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Francisco Ramírez
- Departament de Recursos Marins Renovables, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuela G Forero
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Avda. Américo Vespucio, 26, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Richard A Phillips
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
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Morrissey C, Fritsch C, Fremlin K, Adams W, Borgå K, Brinkmann M, Eulaers I, Gobas F, Moore DRJ, van den Brink N, Wickwire T. Advancing exposure assessment approaches to improve wildlife risk assessment. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2024; 20:674-698. [PMID: 36688277 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The exposure assessment component of a Wildlife Ecological Risk Assessment aims to estimate the magnitude, frequency, and duration of exposure to a chemical or environmental contaminant, along with characteristics of the exposed population. This can be challenging in wildlife as there is often high uncertainty and error caused by broad-based, interspecific extrapolation and assumptions often because of a lack of data. Both the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have broadly directed exposure assessments to include estimates of the quantity (dose or concentration), frequency, and duration of exposure to a contaminant of interest while considering "all relevant factors." This ambiguity in the inclusion or exclusion of specific factors (e.g., individual and species-specific biology, diet, or proportion time in treated or contaminated area) can significantly influence the overall risk characterization. In this review, we identify four discrete categories of complexity that should be considered in an exposure assessment-chemical, environmental, organismal, and ecological. These may require more data, but a degree of inclusion at all stages of the risk assessment is critical to moving beyond screening-level methods that have a high degree of uncertainty and suffer from conservatism and a lack of realism. We demonstrate that there are many existing and emerging scientific tools and cross-cutting solutions for tackling exposure complexity. To foster greater application of these methods in wildlife exposure assessments, we present a new framework for risk assessors to construct an "exposure matrix." Using three case studies, we illustrate how the matrix can better inform, integrate, and more transparently communicate the important elements of complexity and realism in exposure assessments for wildlife. Modernizing wildlife exposure assessments is long overdue and will require improved collaboration, data sharing, application of standardized exposure scenarios, better communication of assumptions and uncertainty, and postregulatory tracking. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:674-698. © 2023 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy Morrissey
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | | | - Katharine Fremlin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | | | - Katrine Borgå
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Markus Brinkmann
- School of Environment and Sustainability and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Igor Eulaers
- FRAM Centre, Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Frank Gobas
- School of Resource & Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | | | - Nico van den Brink
- Division of Toxicology, University of Wageningen, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ted Wickwire
- Woods Hole Group Inc., Bourne, Massachusetts, USA
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7
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Xing L, Zhang T, Han X, Xie M, Chao L, Chen J, Yu X, Zhou J, Yu G, Sun J. Variability in methylmercury exposure across migratory terrestrial bird species: Influencing factors, biomagnification and potential risks. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:167775. [PMID: 37839483 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Despite China's considerable mercury (Hg) emissions, monitoring of methylmercury (MeHg) levels in its terrestrial environments remains limited. This study examined the occurrence and accumulation of MeHg in body feathers of 12 migratory terrestrial bird species originating from Siberia and northeastern China. Considerable variations in foraging habits and MeHg levels were observed among these species. Accipiters, including Eurasian and Japanese sparrowhawks (A. gularis and A. nisus) and northern goshawk (A. gentilis), along with insectivorous songbirds including grey-backed thrush (T. hortulorum) and orange-flanked bluetail (T. cyanurus), showed notable levels of MeHg (0.62-1.20 mg/kg). Up to 25 % of the individuals within these species were classified as low-risk based on feather Hg toxicity thresholds, while the remaining species fell into the no-risk category. Despite showing enriched δ15N, MeHg concentrations in short-eared and long-eared owls (A. flammeus and A. otus) were lower than in sparrowhawks. The herbivorous oriental turtle dove (S. orientalis) exhibited significantly lower MeHg levels compared to all other species. There was a significant positive correlation between MeHg concentrations and δ15N across species, highlighting the substantial biomagnification potential of MeHg within the terrestrial food web. Additionally, we found significantly higher MeHg levels in adults than juveniles in both sparrowhawk species. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of utilizing migratory bird feathers for monitoring terrestrial Hg contamination, and underscore the importance of further assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Xing
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, Shandong, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, Shandong, China
| | - Xuetao Han
- Shandong Changdao National Nature Reserve Administration, Yantai 265800, Shandong, China
| | - Maowen Xie
- Shandong Changdao National Nature Reserve Administration, Yantai 265800, Shandong, China
| | - Le Chao
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, Shandong, China
| | - Jingrui Chen
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaoming Yu
- Shandong Changdao National Nature Reserve Administration, Yantai 265800, Shandong, China
| | - Jiahong Zhou
- Shandong Changdao National Nature Reserve Administration, Yantai 265800, Shandong, China
| | - Guoxiang Yu
- Shandong Changdao National Nature Reserve Administration, Yantai 265800, Shandong, China.
| | - Jiachen Sun
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, Shandong, China.
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8
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Ibañez AE, Mills WF, Bustamante P, Morales LM, Torres DS, D' Astek B, Mariano-Jelicich R, Phillips RA, Montalti D. Deleterious effects of mercury contamination on immunocompetence, liver function and egg volume in an antarctic seabird. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 346:140630. [PMID: 37939926 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a globally important pollutant that can negatively impact metabolic, endocrine and immune systems of marine biota. Seabirds are long-lived marine top predators and hence are at risk of bioaccumulating high Hg concentrations from their prey. Here, we measured blood total mercury (THg) concentrations and relationships with physiology and breeding parameters of breeding brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) (n = 49 individuals) at Esperanza/Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula. Mean blood THg concentrations were similar in males and females despite the differences in body size and breeding roles, but differed between study years. Immune markers (hematocrit, Immunoglobulin Y [IgY] and albumin) were negatively correlated with blood THg concentrations, which likely indicates a disruptive effect of Hg on immunity. Alanine aminotransferase (GPT) activity, reflecting liver dysfunction, was positively associated with blood THg. Additionally, triacylglycerol and albumin differed between our study years, but did not correlate with Hg levels, and so were more likely to reflect changes in diet and nutritional status rather than Hg contamination. Egg volume correlated negatively with blood THg concentrations. Our study provides new insights into the sublethal effects of Hg contamination on immunity, liver function and breeding parameters in seabirds. In this Antarctic species, exposure to sublethal Hg concentrations reflects the short-term risks which could make individuals more susceptible to environmental stressors, including ongoing climatic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés E Ibañez
- Sección Ornitología, Div. Zool. Vert. Museo de la Plata (FCNyM-UNLP-CONICET), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - William F Mills
- Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Lara M Morales
- Sección Ornitología, Div. Zool. Vert. Museo de la Plata (FCNyM-UNLP-CONICET), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Diego S Torres
- Sección Ornitología, Div. Zool. Vert. Museo de la Plata (FCNyM-UNLP-CONICET), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Beatriz D' Astek
- Sección Ornitología, Div. Zool. Vert. Museo de la Plata (FCNyM-UNLP-CONICET), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rocío Mariano-Jelicich
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), UNMdP-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Richard A Phillips
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Diego Montalti
- Sección Ornitología, Div. Zool. Vert. Museo de la Plata (FCNyM-UNLP-CONICET), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto Antártico Argentino, San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Perkins M, Stenhouse IJ, Lanctot RB, Brown S, Bêty J, Boldenow M, Cunningham J, English W, Gates R, Gilchrist HG, Giroux MA, Grond K, Hill B, Kwon E, Lamarre JF, Lank DB, Lecomte N, Pavlik D, Rausch J, Regan K, Robards M, Saalfeld ST, Smith F, Smith PA, Wilkinson B, Woodard P, Basu N. Factors influencing mercury exposure in Arctic-breeding shorebirds. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 32:1062-1083. [PMID: 37874523 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-023-02708-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) pollution remains a concern to Arctic ecosystems, due to long-range transport from southern industrial regions and melting permafrost and glaciers. The objective of this study was to identify intrinsic, extrinsic, and temporal factors influencing Hg concentrations in Arctic-breeding shorebirds and highlight regions and species at greatest risk of Hg exposure. We analyzed 1094 blood and 1384 feather samples from 12 shorebird species breeding at nine sites across the North American Arctic during 2012 and 2013. Blood Hg concentrations, which reflect Hg exposure in the local area in individual shorebirds: 1) ranged from 0.01-3.52 μg/g ww, with an overall mean of 0.30 ± 0.27 μg/g ww; 2) were influenced by species and study site, but not sampling year, with birds sampled near Utqiaġvik, AK, having the highest concentrations; and 3) were influenced by foraging habitat at some sites. Feather Hg concentrations, which reflected Hg exposure from the wintering grounds: 1) ranged from 0.07-12.14 μg/g fw in individuals, with an overall mean of 1.14 ± 1.18 μg/g fw; and 2) were influenced by species and year. Most Arctic-breeding shorebirds had blood and feather Hg concentrations at levels where no adverse effects of exposure were predicted, though some individuals sampled near Utqiaġvik had Hg levels that would be considered of concern. Overall, these data increase our understanding of how Hg is distributed in the various shorebird breeding areas of the Arctic, what factors predispose Arctic-breeding shorebirds to Hg exposure, and lay the foundation for future monitoring efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Perkins
- Agriculture & Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI, USA.
| | | | | | | | - Joël Bêty
- Département de biologie and Centre d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
| | | | | | - Willow English
- Centre for Wildlife Ecology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - River Gates
- National Audubon Society, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | | | - Marie-Andrée Giroux
- Centre d'Études Nordiques, Department of Biology, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada
| | - Kirsten Grond
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska-Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Brooke Hill
- Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, Corpus Christi, TX, USA
| | - Eunbi Kwon
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Jean-Francois Lamarre
- Département de biologie and Centre d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
| | - David B Lank
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Nicolas Lecomte
- Centre d'Études Nordiques, Department of Biology, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada
| | - David Pavlik
- Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI, USA
| | - Jennie Rausch
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Yellowknife, NT, Canada
| | - Kevin Regan
- Biodiversity Research Institute, Portland, ME, USA
| | | | | | - Fletcher Smith
- Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Brunswick, GA, USA
| | - Paul A Smith
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Paul Woodard
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Yellowknife, NT, Canada
| | - Niladri Basu
- Agriculture & Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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10
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Kruzikova KN, Siroka Z, Kral T, Hliwa P, Gomulka P, Spodniewska A, Svobodova Z. Mercury distribution in the great cormorant ( Phalacrocorax carbo) from the Krogulna ponds and Nysa Kłodzka River (Poland). VET MED-CZECH 2023; 68:164-174. [PMID: 37982090 PMCID: PMC10581525 DOI: 10.17221/16/2023-vetmed] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Mercury belongs among the highly hazardous substances present in the environment and represents a great health risk for many animals including predatory and piscivorous birds. The aim of this study was to assess the total mercury content in the main detoxifying organs (liver and kidney) and in the muscles of adult great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) caught at two localities (the Krogulna ponds and the Nysa Kłodzka River) in southern Poland. The aim was to compare the locality with the iron ore mining history (the Krogulna ponds) with a site without such load (the Nysa Kłodzka River). The total mercury content in the great cormorants decreases as follows: kidneys > liver > muscle in both monitored localities and significantly differs between the localities. The average mercury content varied from 0.58 ± 0.38 mg/kg (muscle) to 1.39 ± 1.42 mg/kg (kidney) in the cormorant from the Krogulna ponds and from 1.09 ± 0.40 mg/kg (muscle) to 3.12 ± 1.55 mg/kg (kidney) in the cormorant from the Nysa Kłodzka River. The accumulation of mercury does not correlate with the mining history as it was higher at the Nysa Kłodzka River, but it is probably influenced by the different fish stocks in these two localities (omnivorous fish in the Krogulna ponds versus predatory fish in the Nysa Kłodzka River).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Novotna Kruzikova
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Siroka
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Kral
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Piotr Hliwa
- Department of Ichtyology and Aquaculture, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Piotr Gomulka
- Department of Ichtyology and Aquaculture, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anna Spodniewska
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Zdenka Svobodova
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
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11
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Hamidian AH, Saberi SMJA, Ashrafi S, Moghaddasi L. Using house sparrow in biomonitoring lead in Tehran air pollution. Urban Ecosyst 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-023-01349-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
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12
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Carravieri A, Lorioux S, Angelier F, Chastel O, Albert C, Bråthen VS, Brisson-Curadeau É, Clairbaux M, Delord K, Giraudeau M, Perret S, Poupart T, Ribout C, Viricel-Pante A, Grémillet D, Bustamante P, Fort J. Carryover effects of winter mercury contamination on summer concentrations and reproductive performance in little auks. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 318:120774. [PMID: 36496068 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Many animals migrate after reproduction to respond to seasonal environmental changes. Environmental conditions experienced on non-breeding sites can have carryover effects on fitness. Exposure to harmful chemicals can vary widely between breeding and non-breeding grounds, but its carryover effects are poorly studied. Mercury (Hg) contamination is a major concern in the Arctic. Here, we quantified winter Hg contamination and its carryover effects in the most abundant Arctic seabird, the little auk Alle alle. Winter Hg contamination of birds from an East Greenland population was inferred from head feather concentrations. Birds tracked with Global Location Sensors (GLS, N = 28 of the total 92) spent the winter in western and central North Atlantic waters and had increasing head feather Hg concentrations with increasing longitude (i.e., eastward). This spatial pattern was not predicted by environmental variables such as bathymetry, sea-surface temperature or productivity, and needs further investigation. Hg concentrations in head feathers and blood were strongly correlated, suggesting a carryover effect of adult winter contamination on the consequent summer concentrations. Head feather Hg concentrations had no clear association with telomere length, a robust fitness indicator. In contrast, carryover negative effects were detected on chick health, as parental Hg contamination in winter was associated with decreasing growth rate of chicks in summer. Head feather Hg concentrations of females were not associated with egg membrane Hg concentrations, or with egg volume. In addition, parental winter Hg contamination was not related to Hg burdens in chicks' body feathers. Therefore, we hypothesise that the association between parental winter Hg exposure and the growth of their chick results from an Hg-related decrease in parental care, and needs further empirical evidence. Our results stress the need of considering parental contamination on non-breeding sites to understand Hg trans-generational effects in migrating seabirds, even at low concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Carravieri
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France; Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Rte de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France.
| | - Sophie Lorioux
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Rte de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Rte de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Céline Albert
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Vegard Sandøy Bråthen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Postboks 5685, Torgarden 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Émile Brisson-Curadeau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Rte de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France; Université McGill, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Manon Clairbaux
- MaREI, the SFI Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine, Beaufort Building, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork, P43 C573, Ireland; School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, T23 N73K, Ireland
| | - Karine Delord
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Rte de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Mathieu Giraudeau
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Samuel Perret
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Timothée Poupart
- Patrimoine Naturel Joint Unit (OFB-CNRS-MNHN), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Station marine de Concarneau, Quai de la Croix, 29900 Concarneau, France
| | - Cécile Ribout
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Rte de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Amélia Viricel-Pante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France; LEMAR (UMR 6539 UBO, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer) IUEM, Technopole Brest-Iroise, rue Dumont d'Urville, 29280 Plouzané, France
| | - David Grémillet
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France; Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes 75005, Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
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13
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Albert C, Strøm H, Helgason HH, Bråthen VS, Gudmundsson FT, Bustamante P, Fort J. Spatial variations in winter Hg contamination affect egg volume in an Arctic seabird, the great skua (Stercorarius skua). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 314:120322. [PMID: 36202270 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge of the ecology and at-sea distribution of migratory species like seabirds has substantially increased over the last two decades. Furthermore, an increasing number of studies have recently focused on chemical contamination of birds over their annual cycle. However, the understanding of the combined effects of spatial movements and contamination on seabirds' life-history traits is still scarce. During winter, seabirds can use very different areas, at the large-scale. Such overwintering strategies and distribution may expose individuals to contrasting environmental stressors, including pollutants. Here, we studied the winter distribution and contamination with mercury (Hg), and their combined effects on reproduction, in a great skua (Stercorarius skua) population breeding in Bjørnøya, Svalbard. We confirmed that individuals of this specific population overwinter in three different areas of the North Atlantic, namely Africa, Europe and northwest Atlantic. The highest Hg concentrations in feathers were measured in great skuas wintering off Europe (Linear Mixed Models - mean value ± SD = 10.47 ± 3.59 μg g -1 dw), followed by skuas wintering in northwest Atlantic (8.42 ± 3.70) and off Africa (5.52 ± 1.83). Additionally, we found that female winter distribution and accumulated Hg affected the volume of their eggs (Linear Mixed Models), but not the number of laid and hatched eggs (Kruskal-Wallis tests). This study provides new insights on the contamination risks that seabirds might face according to their overwinter distribution and the possible associated carry-over effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Albert
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France; Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ecologie Systématique et Evolution, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Hallvard Strøm
- Norwegian Polar Institute, FRAM - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, PO Box 6606 Stakkevollan, NO-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Hálfdán Helgi Helgason
- Norwegian Polar Institute, FRAM - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, PO Box 6606 Stakkevollan, NO-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Vegard Sandøy Bråthen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, PO Box 5685 Torgarden, NO-7485, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Fannar Theyr Gudmundsson
- Norwegian Polar Institute, FRAM - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, PO Box 6606 Stakkevollan, NO-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 Rue Descartes, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
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14
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Choy ES, Blight LK, Elliott JE, Hobson KA, Zanuttig M, Elliott KH. Stable Mercury Trends Support a Long-Term Diet Shift Away from Marine Foraging in Salish Sea Glaucous-Winged Gulls over the Last Century. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:12097-12105. [PMID: 35946869 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c03760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Marine predators are monitored as indicators of pollution, but such trends can be complicated by variation in diet. Glaucous-winged gulls (Larus glaucescens) have experienced a dietary shift over the past century, from mainly marine to including more terrestrial/freshwater inputs, with unknown impacts on mercury (Hg) trends. We examined 109-year trends in total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in glaucous-winged gull feathers (1887-1996) from the Salish Sea. Adult flank feathers had higher MeHg concentrations than immature feathers, and males head feathers had higher THg concentrations than females. Overall, we found no evidence of a trend in feather MeHg or THg concentrations over time from 1887 to 1996. In the same individuals, δ15N, δ13C, and δ34S declined over time in gull feathers. In comparison, egg THg concentrations declined from 1970 to 2019 in two species of cormorants, likely reflecting decreases in local Hg sources. We conclude that diet shifts through time may have countered increased Hg deposition from long-range transport in glaucous-winged gulls. The lack of Hg trends over time in glaucous-winged gull feathers provides additional support that these gulls have decreased the amount of marine forage fish in their diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily S Choy
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Louise K Blight
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8P 5C2, Canada
- Procellaria Research & Consulting, Victoria, British Columbia V9A 5C3, Canada
| | - John E Elliott
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Pacific Wildlife Research Centre, Delta, British Columbia V4K 3N2, Canada
| | - Keith A Hobson
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A5B7, Canada
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Michelle Zanuttig
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Kyle H Elliott
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9, Canada
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15
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Pollet IL, Provencher JF, McFarlane Tranquilla L, Burgess NM, Mallory ML. Mercury levels in North Atlantic seabirds: A synthesis. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 181:113884. [PMID: 35809474 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is globally-distributed, with severe toxic effects on wildlife. Methylmercury biomagnifies within food webs, so long-lived, top predators such as seabirds are prone to high mercury concentrations. We synthesized historical and contemporary data on mercury concentrations in seabirds from the North Atlantic. We collected 614 values determined from 39 species and 115 locations, ranging from 1895 to 1940 and from 1970 to 2020. Highest blood-equivalent Hg values were in Phalacrocoracidae. For the same species/tissue/collection site, blood-equivalent values were lower during pre-1940 than post-1970 period. In almost 5 % of post-1970 values, mean blood-equivalent Hg concentrations were above those considered to pose severe risks of adverse effects, and 21 % were above the high-risk effect. We found an imbalance in sample effort and did not find Hg values for many species. We argue that stronger, trans-Atlantic Hg monitoring schemes are required to coordinate research and better compare trends across a wide scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid L Pollet
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6, Canada; Birds Canada, 43 Main Street, Sackville, NB E4L 1G6, Canada.
| | - Jennifer F Provencher
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | | | - Neil M Burgess
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 6 Bruce Street, Mount Pearl, NL A1N 4T3, Canada
| | - Mark L Mallory
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6, Canada
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16
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Ibañez AE, Mills WF, Bustamante P, McGill RAR, Morales LM, Palacio FX, Torres DS, Haidr NS, Mariano-Jelicich R, Phillips RA, Montalti D. Variation in blood mercury concentrations in brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) is related to trophic ecology but not breeding success or adult body condition. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 181:113919. [PMID: 35816822 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mercury is a pervasive environmental contaminant that can negatively impact seabirds. Here, we measure total mercury (THg) concentrations in red blood cells (RBCs) from breeding brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) (n = 49) at Esperanza/Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula. The aims of this study were to: (i) analyse RBCs THg concentrations in relation to sex, year and stable isotope values of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N); and (ii) examine correlations between THg, body condition and breeding success. RBC THg concentrations were positively correlated with δ15N, which is a proxy of trophic position, and hence likely reflects the biomagnification process. Levels of Hg contamination differed between our study years, which is likely related to changes in diet and distribution. RBC THg concentrations were not related to body condition or breeding success, suggesting that Hg contamination is currently not a major conservation concern for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- A E Ibañez
- Sección Ornitología, Div. Zool. Vert. Museo de la Plata (FCNyM-UNLP-CONICET), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - W F Mills
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
| | - P Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Societes (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes, 75005 Paris, France
| | - R A R McGill
- Stable Isotope Ecology Lab, Natural Environment Isotope Facility, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, East Kilbride G75 0QF, UK
| | - L M Morales
- Sección Ornitología, Div. Zool. Vert. Museo de la Plata (FCNyM-UNLP-CONICET), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - F X Palacio
- Sección Ornitología, Div. Zool. Vert. Museo de la Plata (FCNyM-UNLP-CONICET), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - D S Torres
- Sección Ornitología, Div. Zool. Vert. Museo de la Plata (FCNyM-UNLP-CONICET), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - N S Haidr
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (CONICET - FML), San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - R Mariano-Jelicich
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), UNMdP-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - R A Phillips
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
| | - D Montalti
- Sección Ornitología, Div. Zool. Vert. Museo de la Plata (FCNyM-UNLP-CONICET), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto Antártico Argentino, San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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17
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Bajracharya SS, Zahor DL, Glynn KJ, Gratz LE, Cornelius JM. Feather mercury concentrations in omnivorous and granivorous terrestrial songbirds in Southeast Michigan. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 31:797-807. [PMID: 35445955 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-022-02545-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Sublethal exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) can have consequences for the reproductive, neurological, and physiological health of birds. Songbirds, regardless of trophic position, are often exposed to mercury (Hg) and may be at risk for health effects - especially if they inhabit a place that is subject to high Hg atmospheric deposition and/or have local conditions that are prone to methylation. This study investigates Hg concentrations in terrestrial songbirds of Southeast Michigan, where historical and present-day anthropogenic emissions of heavy metals are elevated. We collected tail feather samples from 223 songbirds across four different species during summer and fall of 2018 and 2019. The mean (±SE) Hg concentration across all samples was 103 ± 3.43 ng/g of dry feather weight. Mercury concentration varied significantly among species, and by age and site in some species, but not by sex. Mean concentrations were nearly seven times higher in two omnivore species, American robin (Turdus migratorius) and European starling (Sturnus vulgaris), than in the two granivore species, American goldfinch (Spinus tristus) and house sparrow (Passer domesticus). Juveniles had higher feather Hg concentrations than adults in all species except American goldfinches - which feed their young primarily seeds, further supporting a role of diet in exposure. We also found a negative correlation between Hg concentration and body condition in American robins, but further research is needed to verify this relationship. While our sample concentrations do not exceed the threshold for sublethal effects, our findings provide insight into the patterns of Hg concentrations in terrestrial songbirds, which may help in understanding Hg exposure pathways, bioaccumulation and risks in terrestrial species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dorothy L Zahor
- Eastern Michigan University Biology Department, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, USA
| | - Kenneth J Glynn
- Eastern Michigan University Biology Department, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, USA
| | - Lynne E Gratz
- Colorado College Environmental Studies Program, Colorado Springs, CO, 80907, USA
| | - Jamie M Cornelius
- Eastern Michigan University Biology Department, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, USA.
- Oregon State University Department of Integrative Biology, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.
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18
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MacMillan GA, Amyot M, Daoust PY, Lemire M. Age-specific trace element bioaccumulation in grey seals from the Gulf of St. Lawrence. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 294:133640. [PMID: 35051521 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We measured concentrations of 19 trace elements and mercury speciation in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) from the Gulf of St. Lawrence (GSL), Canada. With interest growing in commercializing grey seal products for human consumption in this region, our goal was to measure essential and non-essential trace elements in grey seals to evaluate health concerns and nutritional benefits. From 2015 to 2019, 120 grey seals were sampled by hunters and researchers at 4 sites in the GSL. Muscle, liver, heart and kidney samples were analyzed for 10 non-essential elements (Sb, As, Be, B, Cd, Pb, Hg, Ni, Tl, Sn) and 9 essential elements (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Se, Zn). Both total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) were analyzed for a subset of samples. Results showed a two-step bioaccumulation pattern with lower element concentrations in the muscle (Fe, Mg, Se) and livers (Cd, Cr, Hg, Mn, Mo, Se) of young-of-the-year harvested in the winter (<6 wks old) compared to older animals feeding at sea. We did not observe progressive age-dependent bioaccumulation for older seals (∼5 mos-29 yrs). Sex-specific differences were not very pronounced, but a few elements were 30-70% higher in the muscle (THg, MeHg) and liver (Mn, Zn) of male seals. Comparison to Canadian dietary reference intakes shows that a weekly portion of liver from young-of-the-year (<6 wks old) is a good source of essential elements (Cu, Fe) and that muscle and liver from this age category do not exceed reference values for toxic elements (As, Cd, Pb, MeHg). Discussions with regional public health professionals are on-going to develop dietary recommendations for the consumption of older grey seals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwyneth A MacMillan
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, H9X 3V9, Canada.
| | - Marc Amyot
- Centre d'études nordiques, Département de sciences biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada.
| | - Pierre-Yves Daoust
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 4P3, Canada.
| | - Mélanie Lemire
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec -Université Laval, Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, G1V 0A6, QC, Canada.
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19
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Mills WF, Ibañez AE, Bustamante P, Carneiro APB, Bearhop S, Cherel Y, Mariano-Jelicich R, McGill RAR, Montalti D, Votier SC, Phillips RA. Spatial and sex differences in mercury contamination of skuas in the Southern Ocean. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 297:118841. [PMID: 35026328 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118841] [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: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Antarctic marine ecosystems are often considered to be pristine environments, yet wildlife in the polar regions may still be exposed to high levels of environmental contaminants. Here, we measured total mercury (THg) concentrations in blood samples from adult brown skuas Stercorarius antarcticus lonnbergi (n = 82) from three breeding colonies south of the Antarctic Polar Front in the Southern Ocean (southwest Atlantic region): (i) Bahía Esperanza/Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula; (ii) Signy Island, South Orkney Islands; and, (iii) Bird Island, South Georgia. Blood THg concentrations increased from the Antarctic Peninsula towards the Antarctic Polar Front, such that Hg contamination was lowest at Bahía Esperanza/Hope Bay (mean ± SD, 0.95 ± 0.45 μg g-1 dw), intermediate at Signy Island (3.42 ± 2.29 μg g-1 dw) and highest at Bird Island (4.47 ± 1.10 μg g-1 dw). Blood THg concentrations also showed a weak positive correlation with δ15N values, likely reflecting the biomagnification process. Males had higher Hg burdens than females, which may reflect deposition of Hg into eggs by females or potentially differences in their trophic ecology. These data provide important insights into intraspecific variation in contamination and the geographic transfer of Hg to seabirds in the Southern Ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- William F Mills
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK; Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK.
| | - Andrés E Ibañez
- Sección Ornitología, Div. Zool. Vert., Museo de La Plata (FCNyM-UNLP, CONICET), Museo de La Plata, Paseo Del Bosque S/n, B1900FWA-La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 Rue Descartes, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Ana P B Carneiro
- BirdLife International, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke St, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK
| | - Stuart Bearhop
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Yves Cherel
- Centre D'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 Du CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Rocío Mariano-Jelicich
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), UNMdP-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Mar Del Plata, Mar Del Plata, Argentina
| | - Rona A R McGill
- Stable Isotope Ecology Lab, Natural Environment Isotope Facility, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, East Kilbride, G75 0QF, UK
| | - Diego Montalti
- Sección Ornitología, Div. Zool. Vert., Museo de La Plata (FCNyM-UNLP, CONICET), Museo de La Plata, Paseo Del Bosque S/n, B1900FWA-La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto Antartico Argentino, 25 de Mayo 1143, (B1650HMK) San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Richard A Phillips
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
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20
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Mancuso K, Hodges KE, Grosselet M, Elliott JE, Alexander JD, Zanuttig M, Bishop CA. Mercury toxicity risk and corticosterone levels across the breeding range of the Yellow-breasted Chat. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 31:234-250. [PMID: 34973137 PMCID: PMC8901494 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-021-02510-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is an environmental contaminant that can negatively impact human and wildlife health. For songbirds, Hg risk may be elevated near riparian habitats due to the transfer of methylmercury (MeHg) from aquatic to terrestrial food webs. We measured Hg levels in tail feathers sampled across the breeding range of the Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens), a riparian songbird species of conservation concern. We assessed the risk of Hg toxicity based on published benchmarks. Simultaneously, we measured corticosterone, a hormone implicated in the stress response system, released via the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. To better understand range-wide trends in Hg and corticosterone, we examined whether age, sex, subspecies, or range position were important predictors. Lastly, we examined whether Hg and corticosterone were correlated. Hg levels in chats were relatively low: 0.30 ± 0.02 µg/g dry weight. 148 out of 150 (98.6%) had Hg levels considered background, and 2 (1.6%) had levels considered low toxicity risk. Hg levels were similar between sexes and subspecies. Younger chats (<1 year) had higher Hg levels than older chats (>1 year). Hg levels were lowest in the northern and central portion of the eastern subspecies' range. Corticosterone concentrations in feathers averaged 3.68 ± 0.23 pg/mm. Corticosterone levels were similar between ages and sexes. Western chats had higher levels of corticosterone than eastern chats. Hg and corticosterone were not correlated, suggesting these low Hg burdens did not affect the activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. Altogether, the chat has low Hg toxicity risk across its breeding range, despite living in riparian habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Mancuso
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
| | - Karen E Hodges
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | | | - John E Elliott
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC, Canada
| | | | - Michelle Zanuttig
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC, Canada
| | - Christine A Bishop
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC, Canada
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21
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Carravieri A, Vincze O, Bustamante P, Ackerman JT, Adams EM, Angelier F, Chastel O, Cherel Y, Gilg O, Golubova E, Kitaysky A, Luff K, Seewagen CL, Strøm H, Will AP, Yannic G, Giraudeau M, Fort J. Quantitative meta-analysis reveals no association between mercury contamination and body condition in birds. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1253-1271. [PMID: 35174617 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Mercury contamination is a major threat to the global environment, and is still increasing in some regions despite international regulations. The methylated form of mercury is hazardous to biota, yet its sublethal effects are difficult to detect in wildlife. Body condition can vary in response to stressors, but previous studies have shown mixed effects of mercury on body condition in wildlife. Using birds as study organisms, we provide the first quantitative synthesis of the effect of mercury on body condition in animals. In addition, we explored the influence of intrinsic, extrinsic and methodological factors potentially explaining cross-study heterogeneity in results. We considered experimental and correlative studies carried out in adult birds and chicks, and mercury exposure inferred from blood and feathers. Most experimental investigations (90%) showed a significant relationship between mercury concentrations and body condition. Experimental exposure to mercury disrupted nutrient (fat) metabolism, metabolic rates, and food intake, resulting in either positive or negative associations with body condition. Correlative studies also showed either positive or negative associations, of which only 14% were statistically significant. Therefore, the overall effect of mercury concentrations on body condition was null in both experimental (estimate ± SE = 0.262 ± 0.309, 20 effect sizes, five species) and correlative studies (-0.011 ± 0.020, 315 effect sizes, 145 species). The single and interactive effects of age class and tissue type were accounted for in meta-analytic models of the correlative data set, since chicks and adults, as well as blood and feathers, are known to behave differently in terms of mercury accumulation and health effects. Of the 15 moderators tested, only wintering status explained cross-study heterogeneity in the correlative data set: free-ranging wintering birds were more likely to show a negative association between mercury and body condition. However, wintering effect sizes were limited to passerines, further studies should thus confirm this trend in other taxa. Collectively, our results suggest that (i) effects of mercury on body condition are weak and mostly detectable under controlled conditions, and (ii) body condition indices are unreliable indicators of mercury sublethal effects in the wild. Food availability, feeding rates and other sources of variation that are challenging to quantify likely confound the association between mercury and body condition in natura. Future studies could explore the metabolic effects of mercury further using designs that allow for the estimation and/or manipulation of food intake in both wild and captive birds, especially in under-represented life-history stages such as migration and overwintering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Carravieri
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, La Rochelle, 17000, France
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Centre for Ecological Research-DRI, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, 18/C Bem tér, Debrecen, 4026, Hungary.,Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, 5-7 Clinicilor street, Cluj-Napoca, 400006, Romania
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, La Rochelle, 17000, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, U.S.A
| | - Evan M Adams
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, U.S.A
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Route de Prissé la Charrière, Villiers-en-Bois, 79360, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Route de Prissé la Charrière, Villiers-en-Bois, 79360, France
| | - Yves Cherel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 405 Route de Prissé la Charrière, Villiers-en-Bois, 79360, France
| | - Olivier Gilg
- UMR 6249 CNRS-Chrono-environnement, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 16 route de Gray, Besançon, 25000, France.,Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Arctique (GREA), 16 rue de Vernot, Francheville, 21440, France
| | - Elena Golubova
- Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Arctique (GREA), 16 rue de Vernot, Francheville, 21440, France.,Institute of Biological Problems of the North, Russian Academy of Sciences, Portovaya Str., 18, Magadan, RU-685000, Russia
| | - Alexander Kitaysky
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2140 Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, U.S.A
| | - Katelyn Luff
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Chad L Seewagen
- Great Hollow Nature Preserve and Ecological Research Center, 225 State Route 37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, U.S.A
| | - Hallvard Strøm
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, NO-9296, Norway
| | - Alexis P Will
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2140 Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, U.S.A
| | - Glenn Yannic
- Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Arctique (GREA), 16 rue de Vernot, Francheville, 21440, France.,UMR 5553 CNRS-Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, 2233 Rue de la Piscine, Saint-Martin d'Hères, Grenoble, 38000, France
| | - Mathieu Giraudeau
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, La Rochelle, 17000, France.,Centre de Recherches en Écologie et en Évolution de la Santé (CREES), MIVEGEC, UMR IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Domaine La Valette, 900 rue Breton, Montpellier, 34090, France
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, La Rochelle, 17000, France
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22
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Tartu S, Blévin P, Bustamante P, Angelier F, Bech C, Bustnes JO, Chierici M, Fransson A, Gabrielsen GW, Goutte A, Moe B, Sauser C, Sire J, Barbraud C, Chastel O. A U-Turn for Mercury Concentrations over 20 Years: How Do Environmental Conditions Affect Exposure in Arctic Seabirds? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:2443-2454. [PMID: 35112833 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is highly toxic in its methylated form (MeHg), and global change is likely to modify its bioavailability in the environment. However, it is unclear how top predators will be impacted. We studied blood Hg concentrations of chick-rearing black-legged kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla (2000-2019) in Svalbard (Norway). From 2000 to 2019, Hg concentrations followed a U-shaped trend. The trophic level, inferred from nitrogen stable isotopes, and chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations better predicted Hg concentrations, with positive and U-shaped associations, respectively. As strong indicators of primary productivity, Chl a concentrations can influence production of upper trophic levels and, thus, fish community assemblage. In the early 2000s, the high Hg concentrations were likely related to a higher proportion of Arctic prey in kittiwake's diet. The gradual input of Atlantic prey in kittiwake diet could have resulted in a decrease in Hg concentrations until 2013. Then, a new shift in the prey community, added to the shrinking sea ice-associated release of MeHg in the ocean, could explain the increasing trend of Hg observed since 2014. The present monitoring provides critical insights about the exposure of a toxic contaminant in Arctic wildlife, and the reported increase since 2014 raises concern for Arctic seabirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Tartu
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS, La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-Bois 79360, France
| | - Pierre Blévin
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS, La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-Bois 79360, France
- Fram Centre, Akvaplan-niva AS, Tromsø 9296, Norway
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS, La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle 17000, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris 75005, France
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS, La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-Bois 79360, France
| | - Claus Bech
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim 7491, Norway
| | - Jan Ove Bustnes
- Fram Centre, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Tromsø 9296, Norway
| | - Melissa Chierici
- Fram Centre, Institute of Marine Research (IMR), Tromsø 9296, Norway
| | | | | | - Aurélie Goutte
- EPHE, PSL Research University, UMR 7619 METIS, Paris F-75005, France
| | - Børge Moe
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Trondheim 7034, Norway
| | - Christophe Sauser
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS, La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-Bois 79360, France
| | - Julien Sire
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS, La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-Bois 79360, France
| | - Christophe Barbraud
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS, La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-Bois 79360, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS, La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-Bois 79360, France
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23
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Photoluminescence turn-off based dual analytes (Hg2+ and Pb2+) sensor in aqueous medium using 3-marcaptoproponic acid protected Mn2+ doped ZnSe quantum dots. Chem Phys Lett 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2021.139270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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24
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Ballová ZK, Janiga M, Holub M, Chovancová G. Temporal and seasonal changes in mercury accumulation in Tatra chamois from West Carpathians. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:52133-52146. [PMID: 34002309 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-14380-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The main aim of this study was to determine the concentration of total mercury (T-Hg) in different tissues, hair, and faeces from a long-lived animal that actively lives in the subalpine and alpine zone within temperate climate zone throughout the year. Levels of T-Hg in samples from naturally deceased Tatra chamois (n = 72) from the Tatra Mountains (Slovakia) were determined using direct mercury analyses on the basis of dry weight. The mercury concentrations in hair samples were compared over the last three decades. Seasonal changes in mercury concentration and differences in the amounts of mercury in various tissues, hairs, and faeces between age and sex groups were also studied. The highest mercury concentrations in organs were found in the kidneys of Tatra chamois, with mean values of 0.45 ± 0.07 μg/g (dry weight) for adults (n = 18) and 0.39 ± 0.12 μg/g (dry weight) for juveniles (n = 6). These values are considerably high compared to expected Hg levels in wild ungulates from foothill and mountain areas in the temperate zone. Juveniles had higher levels of T-Hg in their muscles (0.011 ± 0.001 μg/g dry weight, n = 10) and faeces (0.189 ± 0.025 μg/g dry weight, n = 7) when compared to adults that had 0.007 ± 0.001 μg/g dry weight of T-Hg in muscles (n = 29) and 0.113 ± 0.015 μg/g dry of T-Hg weight in faeces (n = 19). T-Hg concentrations in individual tissues (heart, kidney, liver, lungs, spleen, tongue, muscle, bone), hairs, and faeces were not significantly different between males and females. Mercury levels in the hair of Tatra chamois have increased significantly since the 1990s (median value of T-Hg: 0.025 μg/g dry weight) with the highest values presenting during the 2000s (0.029 μg/g dry weight). Since 2010 (0.016 μg/g dry weight), levels have declined when compared to those observed during the 1990s and 2000s. Therefore, we can conclude that T-Hg deposition in alpine areas of the Tatra Mountains shows a declining trend since the 2010s. T-Hg concentrations in the heart, muscle, and hair were higher in summer compared to winter. Seasonal changes in mercury concentrations are likely most related to the seasonal availability of food, but may also be related to moulting periods, and this correlation must be explored further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Kompišová Ballová
- Institute of High Mountain Biology, University of Žilina, Tatranská Javorina 7, 05956, Tatranská Javorina, Slovakia.
| | - Marián Janiga
- Institute of High Mountain Biology, University of Žilina, Tatranská Javorina 7, 05956, Tatranská Javorina, Slovakia
| | - Marek Holub
- Institute of High Mountain Biology, University of Žilina, Tatranská Javorina 7, 05956, Tatranská Javorina, Slovakia
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25
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Bighetti GP, Padilha JA, Cunha LST, Kasper D, Malm O, Mancini PL. Bioaccumulation of mercury is equal between sexes but different by age in seabird (Sula leucogaster) population from southeast coast of Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 285:117222. [PMID: 33932760 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Since several seabird species have sexual size dimorphism, in which one sex is larger than the other, and may consume bigger prey, this size difference may affect the contamination concentration in the seabird's tissues depending on their sex and age. In this study, mercury contamination was investigated in brown booby (Sula leucogaster) adults and juveniles during their breeding season at the Santana Archipelago, on the southeast coast of Brazil. Two hypotheses were evaluated: 1. As females consume larger prey than males due to the reverse sexual dimorphism, higher total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations are expected in females tissues than in males; 2. Adult seabirds have more time to accumulate mercury than juveniles, so it is expected that adults will show higher THg and MeHg concentrations than juveniles in their feathers, but none in blood since the last indicates the exposure of short time (30-60 days), as it is a constantly synthesized tissue. Feathers and blood were sampled from 20 individuals of each group (males, females and juveniles). Also, 10 eggs of the brown booby and muscle tissue samples of their main prey were collected, from February to October 2018. Females and males had similar THg concentrations in the tissues with no statistical differences between sexes. Thus, the sexual size dimorphism did not influence mercury concentrations among the tissues and both genders can be used as a biomonitor. Brown booby juveniles had low THg and MeHg concentrations compared to adults due to a shorter time of exposure for mercury to bioaccumulate in their tissues. This is the first study, to the best of our knowledge, analyzing methylmercury in feathers, blood and eggs of a tropical seabird, which can be a useful baseline for future studies on the effects of contaminants on this species in tropical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- G P Bighetti
- Instituto de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade (NUPEM/UFRJ), Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação Em Ciências Ambientais e Conservação (PPG-CiAC), Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Macaé, RJ, Brazil.
| | - J A Padilha
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - L S T Cunha
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - D Kasper
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - O Malm
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - P L Mancini
- Instituto de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade (NUPEM/UFRJ), Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação Em Ciências Ambientais e Conservação (PPG-CiAC), Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Macaé, RJ, Brazil
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26
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Tisdale CA, Leaphart JC, Beasley JC, Martin JA. Accumulation of Contaminants by Wild Turkeys and Potential for Consumer Exposure. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:1222-1231. [PMID: 33332657 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4967] [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] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite their popularity as a game species across North America, little is known about contaminant burdens in wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) inhabiting areas of environmental contamination, and their potential to expose human and wildlife consumers. We compared trace element concentrations and radionuclide activity in muscle and liver tissues of turkeys inhabiting the Savannah River Site (USA), an area with known anthropogenic contaminant inputs, with turkeys from uncontaminated areas offsite. In addition, we tested breast feathers from a subset of individuals for mercury (Hg) to assess the viability of nonlethal sampling for quantifying Hg concentrations. Finally, we quantified arsenic, Hg, and selenium (Se) in blood of live-captured turkeys inhabiting a coal ash basin on the Savannah River Site. Compared with reference samples, we found that turkeys inhabiting the Savannah River Site contained elevated Hg levels in both muscle and liver tissues, and lower concentrations of chromium. Turkeys from the ash basin also had elevated levels of Se. We found a positive correlation between breast muscle and feather Hg concentrations (F1,59 = 267.5, R2 = 0.82, p < 0.001), suggesting that feathers can potentially be used as a nonlethal sampling technique. All elements analyzed were below reference limits set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for safe consumption. Thus, our data suggest that turkeys likely are not an important pathway of contaminant exposure on the Savannah River Site or other areas with similar contaminant distributions. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1222-1231. © 2020 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody A Tisdale
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, South Carolina, USA
| | - James C Leaphart
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, South Carolina, USA
| | - James C Beasley
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, South Carolina, USA
| | - James A Martin
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Aiken, South Carolina, USA
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de Medeiros Costa G, Lázaro WL, Sanpera C, Sánchez-Fortún M, Dos Santos Filho M, Díez S. Rhamphotheca as a useful indicator of mercury in seabirds. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 754:141730. [PMID: 32920380 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The evaluation of mercury (Hg) toxicity in wildlife species has prompted a search for sensitive indicators to accurately measure the body burden of Hg. Despite the extensive use of feathers as an indicator of Hg in birds, they do not appear to be an entirely suitable indicator of the extent of contamination in certain conditions and bird species since Hg levels are influenced by the growth period, timing of the last moult and migration. This research aimed to evaluate rhamphotheca as a potential indicator of environmental Hg concentrations in seabirds. We used culled yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) (n = 20) and determined THg in rhamphotheca and feathers. We distinguished between upper and lower rhamphotheca, and divided each one into 16 equal portions along the culmen to analyse their THg content spatially. In each bird, THg was also determined in primary (P1) and secondary (S8) feathers and compared with rhamphotheca. The median (25th, 75th percentile) rhamphotheca Hg concentration was 13.44 (9.63, 17.46) μg/g, which was twofold higher than in the feathers 7.56 (4.88, 12.89) μg/g. Median THg in rhamphotheca was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in females 15.05 (10.35, 23.04) μg/g than in males 12.34 (8.57, 15.19) μg/g, whereas no differences (p > 0.05) were found in the feathers. No significant differences in Hg levels were found between upper and lower beak mandibles or along either. In contrast, significant differences in Hg concentrations were found between the P1 and S8 feathers (mean, 12.04 vs. 6.04 μg/g). No correlation was found between Hg content in rhamphotheca and feathers. Mercury levels in rhamphotheca exhibited stronger significant relationships with weight (R2 = 0.568), length (R2 = 0.524) and culmen (R2 = 0.347) than the levels in the feathers, which showed no correlation. Overall, our results suggest that rhamphotheca is a suitable tissue indicator for Hg monitoring in gulls; however, further studies are needed to extend our research to other bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerlane de Medeiros Costa
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Pesquisa de Limnologia, Biodiversidade, Etnobiologia do Pantanal - CELBE, Universidade do Estado do Mato Grosso - UNEMAT, Campus Cáceres - Avenida Santos Dumont, s/n - Cidade Universitária, Cáceres, MT 78200-000, Brazil
| | - Wilkinson L Lázaro
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Pesquisa de Limnologia, Biodiversidade, Etnobiologia do Pantanal - CELBE, Universidade do Estado do Mato Grosso - UNEMAT, Campus Cáceres - Avenida Santos Dumont, s/n - Cidade Universitária, Cáceres, MT 78200-000, Brazil
| | - Carola Sanpera
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Moisès Sánchez-Fortún
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manoel Dos Santos Filho
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Centro de Pesquisa de Limnologia, Biodiversidade, Etnobiologia do Pantanal - CELBE, Universidade do Estado do Mato Grosso - UNEMAT, Campus Cáceres - Avenida Santos Dumont, s/n - Cidade Universitária, Cáceres, MT 78200-000, Brazil
| | - Sergi Díez
- Environmental Chemistry Department, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDÆA-CSIC, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain.
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Souza JS, Kasper D, da Cunha LST, Soares TA, de Lira Pessoa AR, de Carvalho GO, Costa ES, Niedzielski P, Torres JPM. Biological factors affecting total mercury and methylmercury levels in Antarctic penguins. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 261:127713. [PMID: 32738710 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Penguins in Antarctica occupy high trophic levels, thus accumulating high amounts of mercury (Hg) through bioaccumulation and biomagnification. Blood reflects the current levels of contaminants circulating in the body, while feathers are known as the main route of Hg elimination in birds. Studies sampling chicks and adults can provide a comprehensive picture of bioaccumulation and local contamination. Three pygoscelid species (Pygoscelis adeliae, Pygoscelis antarcticus and Pygoscelis papua) have circumpolar distributions being the ideal sentinels of Antarctic environmental pollution. This study aimed to assess Hg contamination of the pristine Antarctic region using non-destructive penguin samples. Fieldwork was carried out during the austral summer of 2013/2014 in the South Shetland Islands, off the north-west Antarctic Peninsula. Concentrations of total Hg (ng.g-1 dw) in blood ranged from 39 to 182 in chicks and 45 to 581 in adults, while concentrations in feathers ranged from 73 to 598 in chicks and 156 to 1648 in adults. Most Hg in feathers (about 70%) is accumulated in the form of methylmercury. Differences were demonstrated in mercury bioaccumulation were related to species and age, but not to sex. To our knowledge this is the first study to report MeHg levels in both juvenile and adult pygoscelid penguins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Silva Souza
- Laboratório de Radioisótopos Eduardo Penna Franca, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland.
| | - Daniele Kasper
- Laboratório de Radioisótopos Eduardo Penna Franca, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Larissa Schmauder Teixeira da Cunha
- Laboratório de Radioisótopos Eduardo Penna Franca, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tuany Alves Soares
- Laboratório de Radioisótopos Eduardo Penna Franca, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Adriana Rodrigues de Lira Pessoa
- Laboratório de Radioisótopos Eduardo Penna Franca, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Oliveira de Carvalho
- Laboratório de Radioisótopos Eduardo Penna Franca, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Erli Schneider Costa
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ambiente e Sustentabilidade, Universidade Estadual do Rio Grande do Sul, Unidade Universitária Hortênsias, Rua Assis Brasil 842, 95400-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Przemysław Niedzielski
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - João Paulo Machado Torres
- Laboratório de Radioisótopos Eduardo Penna Franca, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Adams EM, Williams KA, Olsen BJ, Evers DC. Mercury exposure in migrating songbirds: correlations with physical condition. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2020; 29:1240-1253. [PMID: 32189148 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-020-02190-8] [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] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Many migratory songbirds are at high risk of methylmercury (MeHg) exposure due to their trophic position and foraging in and around wetland habitats. Methylmercury has the potential to alter migratory behaviors and physiology via neurological impairment or reduced flight performance and can be remobilized from songbird muscle tissue during migration, increasing the risk of acute MeHg exposure. To document MeHg exposure and its relationship with physical condition in migratory songbirds, we sampled passerine blood and feathers at a migration stopover site on Key Biscayne, FL during fall and spring from 2009 to 2012. We found evidence that spring blood total mercury (THg) concentrations decreased throughout the day and that fall feather THg concentrations changed over the migratory season. Total mercury exposure was marginally correlated with migratory fat stores and related to changes in pectoral muscle thickness by time of day. These patterns suggest that environmentally relevant levels of THg are related to, and may be influencing, the physical condition of free-living migrating songbirds. Further research and monitoring during the migratory period will be important to elucidate exposure risk across multiple species and assess the potential for effects during this complex period of the annual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan M Adams
- School of Biology and Ecology, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Chadbourne Hall, Orono, ME, USA.
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Rd., Portland, ME, 04103, USA.
| | - Kathryn A Williams
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Rd., Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Brian J Olsen
- School of Biology and Ecology, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Chadbourne Hall, Orono, ME, USA
| | - David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Rd., Portland, ME, 04103, USA
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Heddle C, Elliott JE, Brown TM, Eng ML, Perkins M, Basu N, Williams TD. Continuous exposure to mercury during embryogenesis and chick development affects later survival and reproduction of zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2020; 29:1117-1127. [PMID: 31352572 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-019-02074-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a global environmental contaminant that bioaccumulates and has multiple toxic modes of action. Aquatic species have traditionally been the focus of wildlife toxicological research on mercury, but terrestrial organisms, including passerine birds, can be exposed to similarly elevated levels of MeHg. In this study we exposed a model passerine, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), to MeHg in ovo, as chicks only, or with a combined 'in ovo + chick' treatment. We isolated exposure to specific developmental stages through the use of egg injections (3.2 µg Hg/g egg) and controlled oral dosing of chicks (0.24 µg Hg/g bw/day from day 1 to day 30). In ovo exposure to MeHg reduced hatching success, but there was no effect of MeHg on chick growth. We found that in ovo only or chick only exposure did not have long-term effects, but there was some evidence for longer-term effects of combined 'in ovo + chick' exposure on post-fledging survival and potentially sex-biased survival which resulted in very few 'in ovo + chick' exposed females surviving to breed. These females also had lower overall breeding productivity that was mainly due to lower hatching success of their offspring, not lower chick-rearing success. We found no effect of treatment on clutch size or latency to laying among females that did lay eggs. Our study suggests that combined embryonic and nestling MeHg exposure has compounding latent effects on productivity, likely through a mechanism that influences the ability of females to lay fertile eggs that hatch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cybele Heddle
- Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Biological Sciences, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - John E Elliott
- Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Biological Sciences, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Directorate, Delta, BC, V4K 3N2, Canada.
| | - Tanya M Brown
- Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Biological Sciences, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Margaret L Eng
- Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Biological Sciences, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Marie Perkins
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Tony D Williams
- Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Biological Sciences, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
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Bianchini K, Morrissey CA. Species traits predict the aryl hydrocarbon receptor 1 (AHR1) subtypes responsible for dioxin sensitivity in birds. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11706. [PMID: 32678147 PMCID: PMC7367299 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68497-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Differences in avian sensitivity to dioxin-like compounds (DLCs) are directly attributable to the identities of amino acids at two sites within the ligand binding domain (LBD) of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor 1 (AHR1). Recent work suggests that by influencing avian exposure to naturally occurring dioxins, differences in diet, habitat, and migration may have influenced the evolution of three AHR1 LBD genotypes in birds: type 1 (high sensitivity), type 2 (moderate sensitivity), and type 3 (low sensitivity). Using a boosted regression tree (BRT) analysis, we built on previous work by examining the relationship between a comprehensive set of 17 species traits, phylogeny, and the AHR1 LBD across 89 avian species. The 17 traits explained a combined 74% of the model deviance, while phylogenetic relatedness explained only 26%. The strongest predictors of AHR1 LBD were incubation period and habitat type. We found that type 3 birds tended to occupy aquatic habitats, and, uniquely, we also found that type 3 birds tended to have slower developmental rates. We speculate that this reflects higher evolutionary exposure to naturally occurring dioxins in waterbirds and species with K-selected life histories. This study highlights the value of trait-based approaches in helping to understand differing avian species sensitivities to environmental contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Bianchini
- Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Program, Birds Canada, 115 Front Road, Port Rowan, ON, N0E 1M0, Canada
- Biology Department, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Christy A Morrissey
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada.
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, 117 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5C8, Canada.
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33
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Bond AL, Jones IL. Relationships between mercury burden, sex, and sexually selected feather ornaments in crested auklet (Aethia cristatella). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:16640-16645. [PMID: 32130640 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08219-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with higher contaminant burdens are expected to be in poorer physical health and be of lower individual body condition and energetic status, potentially resulting in reduced ornamentation or increased asymmetry in bilateral features. The degree and magnitude of this effect also would be expected to vary by sex, as female birds depurate contaminants into eggs. We tested for relationships among mercury in feathers, sex, and elaborate feather ornaments that relate to individual quality in crested auklets (Aethia cristatella), small planktivorous seabirds in the North Pacific Ocean. We found no relationships between mercury and the size of individuals' forehead crest or degree of measurement asymmetry in auricular plumes, both of which are favoured by intersexual selection. Females had significantly greater mercury concentrations than males (females. 1.02 ± 0.39 μg/g; males, 0.75 ± 0.32 μg/g); but concentrations were below that known to have physiological effects, as expected for a secondary consumer. Sex differences in overwintering area for this long-distance migrant species (more females in the Kuroshio Current Large Marine Ecosystem than males) could be the reason for this seemingly counterintuitive result between sexes. Further research relating mercury burden to overwintering ecology and diet contents would build on our results and further elucidate interrelationships between sex, sexually selected feather ornaments and contaminant burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander L Bond
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3X9, Canada.
- Bird Group, Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring, Hertfordshire, HP23 6AP, UK.
| | - Ian L Jones
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3X9, Canada
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Chételat J, Ackerman JT, Eagles-Smith CA, Hebert CE. Methylmercury exposure in wildlife: A review of the ecological and physiological processes affecting contaminant concentrations and their interpretation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 711:135117. [PMID: 31831233 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) can result in detrimental health effects in wildlife. With advances in ecological indicators and analytical techniques for measurement of MeHg in a variety of tissues, numerous processes have been identified that can influence MeHg concentrations in wildlife. This review presents a synthesis of theoretical principals and applied information for measuring MeHg exposure and interpreting MeHg concentrations in wildlife. Mercury concentrations in wildlife are the net result of ecological processes influencing dietary exposure combined with physiological processes that regulate assimilation, transformation, and elimination. Therefore, consideration of both physiological and ecological processes should be integrated when formulating biomonitoring strategies. Ecological indicators, particularly stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, compound-specific stable isotopes, and fatty acids, can be effective tools to evaluate dietary MeHg exposure. Animal species differ in their physiological capacity for MeHg elimination, and animal tissues can be inert or physiologically active, act as sites of storage, transformation, or excretion of MeHg, and vary in the timing of MeHg exposure they represent. Biological influences such as age, sex, maternal transfer, and growth or fasting are also relevant for interpretation of tissue MeHg concentrations. Wildlife tissues that represent current or near-term bioaccumulation and in which MeHg is the predominant mercury species (such as blood and eggs) are most effective for biomonitoring ecosystems and understanding landscape drivers of MeHg exposure. Further research is suggested to critically evaluate the use of keratinized external tissues to measure MeHg bioaccumulation, particularly for less-well studied wildlife such as reptiles and terrestrial mammals. Suggested methods are provided to effectively use wildlife for quantifying patterns and drivers of MeHg bioaccumulation over time and space, as well as for assessing the potential risk and toxicological effects of MeHg on wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada.
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA 95620, United States
| | - Collin A Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, United States
| | - Craig E Hebert
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
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Hall LA, Woo I, Marvin-DiPasquale M, Tsao DC, Krabbenhoft DP, Takekawa JY, De La Cruz SEW. Disentangling the effects of habitat biogeochemistry, food web structure, and diet composition on mercury bioaccumulation in a wetland bird. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 256:113280. [PMID: 31718826 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113280] [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] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a globally pervasive contaminant with known toxicity to humans and wildlife. Several sources of variation can lead to spatial differences in MeHg bioaccumulation within a species including: biogeochemical processes that influence MeHg production and availability within an organism's home range; trophic positions of consumers and MeHg biomagnification efficiency in food webs; and individual prey preferences that influence diet composition. To better understand spatial variation in MeHg bioaccumulation within a species, we evaluated the effects of habitat biogeochemistry, food web structure, and diet composition in the wetland-obligate California black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus) at three wetlands along the Petaluma River in northern San Francisco Bay, California, USA. The concentration of MeHg in sediments differed significantly among wetlands. We identified three sediment and porewater measurements that contributed significantly to a discriminant function explaining differences in habitat biogeochemistry among wetlands: the porewater concentration of ferrous iron, the percent organic matter, and the sediment MeHg concentration. Food web structure and biomagnification efficiency were similar among wetlands, with trophic magnification factors for MeHg ranging from 1.84 to 2.59. In addition, regurgitation samples indicated that black rails were dietary generalists with similar diets among wetlands (percent similarity indices > 70%). Given the similarities in diet composition, food web structure, and MeHg biomagnification efficiency among wetlands, we concluded that variation in habitat biogeochemistry and associated sediment MeHg production was the primary driver of differences in MeHg concentrations among black rails from different wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie A Hall
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, San Francisco Bay Estuary Field Station, PO Box 158, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
| | - Isa Woo
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, San Francisco Bay Estuary Field Station, PO Box 158, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Mark Marvin-DiPasquale
- U.S. Geological Survey, Biogeochemistry Laboratory, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Danika C Tsao
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, San Francisco Bay Estuary Field Station, PO Box 158, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - David P Krabbenhoft
- U.S. Geological Survey, Mercury Research Laboratory, 8505 Research Way, Middleton, WI 53562, USA
| | - John Y Takekawa
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, San Francisco Bay Estuary Field Station, PO Box 158, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Susan E W De La Cruz
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, San Francisco Bay Estuary Field Station, PO Box 158, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
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36
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Cooper N, Bond AL, Davis JL, Portela Miguez R, Tomsett L, Helgen KM. Sex biases in bird and mammal natural history collections. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20192025. [PMID: 31640514 PMCID: PMC6834056 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural history specimens are widely used across ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation. Although biological sex may influence all of these areas, it is often overlooked in large-scale studies using museum specimens. If collections are biased towards one sex, studies may not be representative of the species. Here, we investigate sex ratios in over two million bird and mammal specimen records from five large international museums. We found a slight bias towards males in birds (40% females) and mammals (48% females), but this varied among orders. The proportion of female specimens has not significantly changed in 130 years, but has decreased in species with showy male traits like colourful plumage and horns. Body size had little effect. Male bias was strongest in name-bearing types; only 27% of bird and 39% of mammal types were female. These results imply that previous studies may be impacted by undetected male bias, and vigilance is required when using specimen data, collecting new specimens and designating types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Cooper
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Alexander L. Bond
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Bird Group, Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring, Hertfordshire, HP23 6AP, UK
| | - Joshua L. Davis
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Roberto Portela Miguez
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Mammal Group, Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Louise Tomsett
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Mammal Group, Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Kristofer M. Helgen
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Mammal Group, Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5005, Australia
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Kucharska K, Binkowski ŁJ, Batoryna M, Dudzik K, Zaguła G, Stawarz R. Blood mercury levels in mute swans (Cygnus olor) are not related to sex, but are related to age, with no blood parameter implications. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 252:21-30. [PMID: 31146235 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Concentrations of mercury (Hg) were examined in the blood of mute swans from rural breeding sites and urban wintering areas in southern parts of Poland, Europe. The birds were classified into three age groups: cygnets, juveniles and adults. To investigate the potential impact of Hg on birds, hematocrit (Ht), reduced glutathione (GSH) levels and morphometric measurements were taken. Using morphometric parameters, we stated that all mute swans sampled were in good condition. The mercury concentrations found were rather low and differed between birds from industrialized wintering areas and rural breeding areas (means 7 ng/mL and 2 ng/mL, respectively). We found no difference in Hg concentrations between the sexes, but concentrations varied significantly between age groups (cygnets 2 ng/mL, juveniles 7 ng/mL and adults 6 ng/mL). A similar trend was observed for hematocrit levels. GSH levels did not differ between any of the groups studied. We found no significant relationship between blood parameters (Ht, GSH) in relation to Hg concentrations. We conclude that the Hg concentrations in blood may be influenced by industrialization, season and age, but generally low concentration such as those found by us do not affect Ht and GSH levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Kucharska
- Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podbrzezie 3, 31-054, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Łukasz J Binkowski
- Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podbrzezie 3, 31-054, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Marta Batoryna
- Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podbrzezie 3, 31-054, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Krzysztof Dudzik
- Association of Psychoeducation and Environment M. O. S. T., Na Stoku 9/15, 25-437, Kielce, Poland.
| | - Grzegorz Zaguła
- Faculty of Biology and Agriculture, University of Rzeszow, Zelwerowicza 4, 35-601, Rzeszow, Poland.
| | - Robert Stawarz
- Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podbrzezie 3, 31-054, Krakow, Poland.
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Hitchcock DJ, Andersen T, Varpe Ø, Borgå K. Effects of Maternal Reproductive Investment on Sex-Specific Pollutant Accumulation in Seabirds: A Meta-Analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:7821-7829. [PMID: 31136156 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b01296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Avian egg production demands resources such as lipids and proteins. Relative egg size and mass varies across species, reflecting differences in maternal investment. This variability may affect the maternal transfer of anthropogenic pollutants including lipophilic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and protein-associated per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and mercury (Hg). We conducted a meta-analysis on seabirds and investigated whether interspecies variation in maternal investment contributes toward skewed pollutant concentration ratios between males and females, as Cmale/Cfemale (80 studies). Overall concentrations of PCBs and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) were 1.6 and 1.3 times higher, respectively, in males than females, whereas mercury was similar between sexes. Few studies compared females and eggs ( n = 6), highlighting a knowledge gap. We found that an increasing maternal investment as a clutch-to-female mass ratio resulted in lower PCB concentrations in females than in males during the incubation period, but no sex-specific differences were observed for mercury and PFOS. Egg production is both a lipid dominated and protein-limited process. Females transfer lipophilic pollutants more easily to eggs, and to a higher degree with increasing maternal investment, but feeding ecology may be more important. Interspecies variation in maternal pollutant transfer may lead to negative effects scaling from an offspring to population level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tom Andersen
- Department of Biosciences , University of Oslo , 0316 Oslo , Norway
| | - Øystein Varpe
- Department of Arctic Biology , University Centre in Svalbard , 9171 Longyearbyen , Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research , 5006 Bergen , Norway
| | - Katrine Borgå
- Department of Biosciences , University of Oslo , 0316 Oslo , Norway
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Ackerman JT, Hartman CA, Herzog MP. Mercury contamination in resident and migrant songbirds and potential effects on body condition. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 246:797-810. [PMID: 30623836 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.11.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Methlymercury is a significant risk to environmental health globally. We examined the ecological drivers of methylmercury bioaccumulation in songbirds and its effect on body condition while experimentally removing the potentially confounding and predominant effects of site and habitat. We measured blood and feather mercury concentrations and body condition in nearly 1200 individuals representing resident or migrant songbirds of 52 species and 5 foraging guilds. Songbird mercury concentrations differed among species, foraging guilds, residency status, dates, and ages, but not sexes. Blood mercury concentrations 1) ranged from 0.003 in house finch to 0.85 μg/g ww in American robin, 2) were 125 times greater in insectivores than granivores and 3.6 times greater in insectivores than omnivores, 3) were 3.3 times greater in summer residents than in migrating songbirds, 4) increased by 25% throughout spring and summer, and 5) were 45% higher in adults than juveniles. Songbird mercury concentrations were negatively correlated with body condition, with blood mercury concentrations decreasing by 44% and 34% over the range of standardized body masses and fat scores, respectively. Our results highlight the importance of foraging and migration ecology in determining methylmercury contamination in birds, and the potential for reduced body condition with methylmercury exposure in songbirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA.
| | - C Alex Hartman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - Mark P Herzog
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
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Álvarez-Varas R, Morales-Moraga D, González-Acuña D, Klarian SA, Vianna JA. Mercury Exposure in Humboldt (Spheniscus humboldti) and Chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarcticus) Penguins Throughout the Chilean Coast and Antarctica. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2018; 75:75-86. [PMID: 29725722 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-018-0529-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 04/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Penguins are reliable sentinels for environmental assessments of mercury (Hg) due to their longevity, abundance, high trophic level, and relatively small foraging areas. We analyzed Hg concentrations from blood and feathers of adult Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) and feathers of chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus) from different reproductive colonies with variable degrees of urbanization and industrialization along the Chilean and Antarctic coasts. We evaluated Hg concentration differences between species, sexes (Humboldt penguins), and localities. Our results showed significantly greater levels in Humboldt penguins than in chinstrap penguins and nonsignificant differences between sexes among Humboldts. Penguin Hg concentrations showed a latitudinal pattern, with greater values of the metal at lower latitudes, independent of the species. Both studied penguin species showed elevated Hg concentrations compared to their congeners, highlighting the necessity to investigate potential negative effects on their populations. Although differences between species are possibly due to variation in diet and trophic level, our results suggest an important effect of the degree of Hg pollution adjacent to foraging areas. Further research on Hg content in prey species and environmental samples, together with a larger overall sample size, and investigation on penguin's diet and trophic level are needed to elucidate Hg bioavailability in each location and the role of local Hg pollution levels. Likewise, it is important to monitor Hg and other heavy metals of ecotoxicological importance in penguin populations in vulnerable regions of Chile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Álvarez-Varas
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad Molecular, Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Casilla 306, Correo 22, Santiago, Chile
| | - David Morales-Moraga
- Centro de Cambio Global, Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 306, Correo 22, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniel González-Acuña
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 537, Chillán, Chile
| | - Sebastián A Klarian
- Centro de Investigación Marina Quintay, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andrés Bello, Av. Quillota #980, Viña del Mar, Chile
- Centro de Investigación para la Sustentabilidad, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andrés Bello, Av. Republica 440, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratorio de Análisis Isotópico, Universidad Andrés Bello, Av. Quillota #980, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - Juliana A Vianna
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad Molecular, Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Casilla 306, Correo 22, Santiago, Chile.
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Carravieri A, Fort J, Tarroux A, Cherel Y, Love OP, Prieur S, Brault-Favrou M, Bustamante P, Descamps S. Mercury exposure and short-term consequences on physiology and reproduction in Antarctic petrels. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 237:824-831. [PMID: 29146204 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Revised: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a pervasive contaminant reaching Antarctic environments through atmospheric transport and deposition. Seabirds as meso to top predators can accumulate high quantities of Hg through diet. Reproduction is one of the most sensitive endpoints of Hg toxicity in marine birds. Yet, few studies have explored Hg exposure and effects in Antarctic seabirds, where increasing environmental perturbations challenge animal populations. This study focuses on the Antarctic petrel Thalassoica antarctica from Svarthamaren, Antarctica, where the world's largest breeding population is thought to be in decline. Hg and the stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C, proxy of feeding habitat) and nitrogen (δ15N, trophic position/diet) were measured in red blood cells from 266 individuals over two breeding years (2012-13, 2013-14). Our aims were to 1) quantify the influence of individual traits (size and sex) and feeding ecology (foraging location, δ13C and δ15N values) on Hg exposure, and 2) test the relationship between Hg concentrations with body condition and breeding output (hatching success and chick survival). Hg concentrations in Antarctic petrels (mean ± SD, 0.84 ± 0.25, min-max, 0.42-2.71 μg g-1 dw) were relatively low when compared to other Antarctic seabirds. Hg concentrations increased significantly with δ15N values, indicating that individuals with a higher trophic level (i.e. feeding more on fish) had higher Hg exposure. By contrast, Hg exposure was not driven by feeding habitat (inferred from both foraging location and δ13C values), suggesting that Hg transfer to predators in Antarctic waters is relatively homogeneous over a large geographical scale. Hg concentrations were not related to body condition, hatching date and short-term breeding output. At present, Hg exposure is likely not of concern for this population. Nevertheless, further studies on other fitness parameters and long-term breeding output are warranted because Hg can have long-term population-level effects without consequences on current breeding success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Carravieri
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 du CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France.
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 du CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Arnaud Tarroux
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Yves Cherel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 du CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Oliver P Love
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Solène Prieur
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 du CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Maud Brault-Favrou
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 du CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 du CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
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Chin SY, Hopkins WA, Cristol DA. Mercury alters initiation and construction of nests by zebra finches, but not incubation or provisioning behaviors. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2017; 26:1271-1283. [PMID: 29022240 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-017-1852-x] [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] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Mercury is an environmental contaminant that impairs avian reproduction, but the behavioral and physiological mechanisms underlying this effect are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to determine whether lifetime dietary exposure to mercury (1.2 µg/g wet weight in food) impacted avian parental behaviors, and how this might influence reproductive success. To distinguish between the direct effects of mercury on parents and offspring, we created four treatment groups of captive-bred zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), with control and mercury-exposed adults raising cross-fostered control or mercury-exposed eggs (from maternal transfer). Control parents were 23% more likely to fledge young than parents exposed to mercury, regardless of egg exposure. Mercury-exposed parents were less likely to initiate nests than controls and spent less time constructing them. Nests of mercury-exposed pairs were lighter, possibly due to an impaired ability to bring nest material into the nestbox. However, nest temperature, incubation behavior, and provisioning rate did not differ between parental treatments. Unexposed control eggs tended to have shorter incubation periods and higher hatching success than mercury-exposed eggs, but there was no effect of parental exposure on these parameters. We accidentally discovered that parent finches transfer some of their body burden of mercury to nestlings during feeding through secretion in the crop. These results suggest that, in mercury-exposed songbirds, pre-laying parental behaviors, combined with direct exposure of embryos to mercury, likely contribute to reduced reproductive success and should be considered in future studies. Further research is warranted in field settings, where parents are exposed to greater environmental challenges and subtle behavioral differences might have more serious consequences than were observed in captivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Y Chin
- Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, 23185, USA
| | - William A Hopkins
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Daniel A Cristol
- Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, 23185, USA.
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43
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MacMillan GA, Chételat J, Heath JP, Mickpegak R, Amyot M. Rare earth elements in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems in the eastern Canadian Arctic. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2017; 19:1336-1345. [PMID: 28879355 DOI: 10.1039/c7em00082k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Few ecotoxicological studies exist for rare earth elements (REEs), particularly field-based studies on their bioaccumulation and food web dynamics. REE mining has led to significant environmental impacts in several countries (China, Brazil, U.S.), yet little is known about the fate and transport of these contaminants of emerging concern. Northern ecosystems are potentially vulnerable to REE enrichment from prospective mining projects at high latitudes. To understand how REEs behave in remote northern food webs, we measured REE concentrations and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (∂15N, ∂13C) in biota from marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems of the eastern Canadian Arctic (N = 339). Wildlife harvesting and tissue sampling was partly conducted by local hunters through a community-based monitoring project. Results show that REEs generally follow a coherent bioaccumulation pattern for sample tissues, with some anomalies for redox-sensitive elements (Ce, Eu). Highest REE concentrations were found at low trophic levels, especially in vegetation and aquatic invertebrates. Terrestrial herbivores, ringed seal, and fish had low total REE levels in muscle tissue (∑REE for 15 elements <0.1 nmol g-1), yet accumulation was an order of magnitude higher in liver tissues. Age- and length-dependent REE accumulation also suggest that REE uptake is faster than elimination for some species. Overall, REE bioaccumulation patterns appear to be species- and tissue-specific, with limited potential for biomagnification. This study provides novel data on the behaviour of REEs in ecosystems and will be useful for environmental impact assessment of REE enrichment in northern regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwyneth Anne MacMillan
- Centre for Northern Studies, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, CanadaH2V 2S9.
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Brace AJ, Lajeunesse MJ, Ardia DR, Hawley DM, Adelman JS, Buchanan KL, Fair JM, Grindstaff JL, Matson KD, Martin LB. Costs of immune responses are related to host body size and lifespan. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2017; 327:254-261. [PMID: 29356459 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
A central assumption in ecological immunology is that immune responses are costly, with costs manifesting directly (e.g., increases in metabolic rate and increased amino acid usage) or as tradeoffs with other life processes (e.g., reduced growth and reproductive success). Across taxa, host longevity, timing of maturity, and reproductive effort affect the organization of immune systems. It is reasonable, therefore, to expect that these and related factors should also affect immune activation costs. Specifically, species that spread their breeding efforts over a long lifetime should experience lower immune costs than those that mature and breed quickly and die comparatively early. Likewise, body mass should affect immune costs, as body size affects the extent to which hosts are exposed to parasites as well as how hosts can combat infections (via its effects on metabolic rates and other factors). Here, we used phylogenetic meta-regression to reveal that, in general, animals incur costs of immune activation, but small species that are relatively long-lived incur the largest costs. These patterns probably arise because of the relative need for defense when infection risk is comparatively high and fitness can only be realized over a comparatively long period. However, given the diversity of species considered here and the overall modest effects of body mass and life history on immune costs, much more research is necessary before generalizations are appropriate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber J Brace
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Marc J Lajeunesse
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Daniel R Ardia
- Department of Biology, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
| | - Dana M Hawley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - James S Adelman
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
| | - Katherine L Buchanan
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Jeanne M Fair
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico
| | | | - Kevin D Matson
- Department of Environmental Science, Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Lynn B Martin
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
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Mott R, Herrod A, Clarke RH. Post-breeding dispersal of frigatebirds increases their exposure to mercury. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2017; 119:204-210. [PMID: 28377135 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.03.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/25/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Migration and dispersal can expose wildlife to threats in different parts of their range, particularly for localized anthropogenic threats. Wildlife exposure to metal contaminants may correlate with local anthropogenic emissions. Feather mercury concentrations of adult and juvenile Lesser Frigatebirds (Fregata ariel) and Great Frigatebirds (F. minor) were determined for individuals breeding in the eastern Indian Ocean. Low mercury concentration in juveniles relative to adults, higher mercury concentration in adult females than adult males, and a trend for Lesser Frigatebirds to have higher mercury concentration than Great Frigatebirds implicate non-breeding ground exposure as the major influence on mercury burden. Aspects of foraging ecology are congruent with high exposure occurring in inshore waters of the non-breeding range, particularly in the South China Sea. These findings highlight the need for tighter mercury emission regulations in southeast Asia to minimise the potential threat to frigatebirds and other species dependent on marine resources including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowan Mott
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Ashley Herrod
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rohan H Clarke
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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García-Seoane R, Varela Z, Carballeira A, Aboal JR, Fernández JÁ. Temporal trends in mercury concentrations in raptor flight feathers stored in an environmental specimen bank in Galicia (NW Spain) between 2000 and 2013. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2017; 26:196-201. [PMID: 27995410 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-016-1754-3] [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] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Temporal trends in Hg concentrations were investigated in primary flight feathers from 319 specimens of three birds of prey: P7 in the northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), P6 in the common buzzard (Buteo buteo) and P5 in the tawny owl (Strix aluco). The samples were stored in a regional environmental specimen bank and belonged to specimens which died between 2000 and 2013 in Galicia (NW Spain). We would expect to see a decline in Hg concentrations across the study period, as data of atmospheric emissions show a gradual reduction of this pollutant in Europe in the last two decades. The study did not reveal any temporal pattern in Hg concentrations of feathers in any of the three species for the study period, may be due to the persistence of Hg in the environment, but showed a low level of contamination by this metal in the study area. In addition, the results show high intra-specific, as well as, inter-annual and inter-specific variability in data, mainly attributed to the level of exposure of the raptors to this pollutant and to the biomagnification process of Hg through food chains. These findings indicate that the high variability can be a limiting factor in the use of raptors for biomonitoring temporal patterns of Hg, but nevertheless, the technique provides qualitative information about the amount of Hg that reach the top of the terrestrial food chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita García-Seoane
- Área de Ecoloxía, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain.
| | - Zulema Varela
- Área de Ecoloxía, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain
| | - Alejo Carballeira
- Área de Ecoloxía, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain
| | - Jesús R Aboal
- Área de Ecoloxía, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain
| | - J Ángel Fernández
- Área de Ecoloxía, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain
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Kral T, Blahova J, Doubkova V, Farkova D, Vecerek V, Svobodova Z. Accumulation of Mercury in The Tissues of the Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) From Common Carp. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2017; 98:167-171. [PMID: 28004136 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-016-2002-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 12/02/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this work is to assess mercury content in the great cormorant in the Třeboň region pond systems (Czech Republic) in terms of its potential to accumulate mercury from common carp. Selected tissues samples were taken from 51 cormorants and 30 common carp. In the food chain the cormorant was found to have the potential to accumulate mercury, where the muscle total mercury was roughly 35 times higher compared to the total mercury content in the carp muscle as its food. A statistically significantly higher overall mercury content (p < 0.01) has been found in the kidney and liver (2.23 ± 0.30, 2.12 ± 0.22 mg/kg) compared to other tissues examined in cormorants. The proportion of muscle methylmercury in the total mercury content of the cormorant was within the range 64.3%-87.3%. The results can help us to gain a better understanding of how mercury is distributed and accumulated in the aquatic food chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Kral
- Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Jana Blahova
- Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Doubkova
- Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Dagmar Farkova
- Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimir Vecerek
- Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zdenka Svobodova
- Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
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Miller MWC, Lovvorn JR, Matz AC, Taylor RJ, Latty CJ, Safine DE. Trace Elements in Sea Ducks of the Alaskan Arctic Coast: Patterns of Variation Among Species, Sexes, and Ages. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2016; 71:297-312. [PMID: 27272534 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-016-0288-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and increasing industrialization in the Arctic call for the collection of reference data for assessing changes in contaminant levels. For migratory birds, measuring and interpreting changes in trace element burdens on Arctic breeding areas require insights into factors such as sex, body size, or wintering area that may modify patterns independently of local exposure. In the Alaskan Arctic, we determined levels of trace elements in liver and kidney of common eiders (Somateria mollissima) and long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis) from the Prudhoe Bay oil field and of king eiders (S. spectabilis) and threatened spectacled eiders (S. fischeri) and Steller's eiders (Polystica stelleri) from near the town of Barrow. Small-bodied Steller's eiders and long-tailed ducks from different locations had similarly low levels of selenium (Se), cadmium (Cd), and copper (Cu), perhaps reflecting high mass-specific rates of metabolic depuration during long spring migrations through areas of low exposure. In larger species, Se, Cd, and Cu concentrations were higher in adults than juveniles suggesting that these elements were acquired in nonbreeding marine habitats. Adult male spectacled eiders had exceptionally high Se, Cd, and Cu compared with adult females, possibly because of depuration into eggs and longer female occupancy of nonmarine habitats. Adult female common eiders and juvenile long-tailed ducks at Prudhoe Bay had high and variable levels of Pb, potentially due to local exposure. Explanations for substantial variations in Hg levels were not apparent. Further research into reasons for differing element levels among species and sexes will help clarify the sources, pathways, and risks of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micah W C Miller
- Department of Zoology and Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA.
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks Fish and Wildlife Field Office, Fairbanks, AK, 99701, USA.
| | - James R Lovvorn
- Department of Zoology and Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
| | - Angela C Matz
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks Fish and Wildlife Field Office, Fairbanks, AK, 99701, USA
| | - Robert J Taylor
- Trace Elements Research Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Christopher J Latty
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Fairbanks, AK, 99701, USA
| | - David E Safine
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks Fish and Wildlife Field Office, Fairbanks, AK, 99701, USA
- Division of Migratory Birds Management, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK, 99503, USA
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Lerma M, Castillo-Guerrero JA, Ruelas-Inzunza J, Fernández G. Lead, cadmium and mercury in the blood of the blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) from the coast of Sinaloa, Gulf of California, Mexico. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2016; 110:293-298. [PMID: 27318761 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.06.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2016] [Revised: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/12/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We used blood samples of the Blue-footed Booby, considering sex (female and male) and age-class (adult and chick) of individuals at different breeding stages during two breeding seasons (2010-2011 and 2011-2012) in Isla El Rancho, Sinaloa, to determine lead, cadmium, and mercury concentrations. Lead and cadmium concentrations were below our detection limit (0.05 and 0.36ppm, respectively). A higher concentration of mercury was found in early stages of breeding, likely related to changes in mercury environmental availability. Mercury concentrations in adults did not relate with their breeding output. Males and adults had higher mercury concentration than females and chicks. We provide information of temporal, sex and age-related variations in the concentrations of mercury in blood of the Blue-footed Booby.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Lerma
- Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, PO 811, Mazatlán, Sinaloa 82040, Mexico; Posgrado de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico D.F. 04510 México, Mexico.
| | - José Alfredo Castillo-Guerrero
- CONACYT Research Fellow - Centro Universitario de la Costa Sur, Universidad de Guadalajara, Gomez Farias 82, San Patricio-Melaque, Cihuatlán, Jalisco 48980, Mexico.
| | - Jorge Ruelas-Inzunza
- Environmental Section, Technological Institute of Mazatlán, Calle Corsario 1, No 203, Col. Urías, 82070 Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico.
| | - Guillermo Fernández
- Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, PO 811, Mazatlán, Sinaloa 82040, Mexico.
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Finger A, Lavers JL, Orbell JD, Dann P, Nugegoda D, Scarpaci C. Seasonal variation and annual trends of metals and metalloids in the blood of the Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2016; 110:261-273. [PMID: 27329818 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.06.055] [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: 04/15/2016] [Revised: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) are high-trophic coastal feeders and are effective indicators of bioavailable pollutants in their foraging zones. Here, we present concentrations of metals and metalloids in blood of 157 Little Penguins, collected over three years and during three distinct seasons (breeding, moulting and non-breeding) at two locations: the urban St Kilda colony and the semi-rural colony at Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia. Penguin metal concentrations were foremostly influenced by location (St Kilda>Phillip Island for non-essential elements) and differed among years and seasons at both locations, reflecting differences in seasonal metal bioaccumulation or seasonal exposure through prey. Mean blood mercury concentrations showed an increasing annual trend and a negative correlation with flipper length at St Kilda. Notably, this study is the first to report on blood metal concentrations during the different stages of moult, showing the mechanism of non-essential metal mobilisation and detoxification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annett Finger
- Institute for Sustainability & Innovation, College of Engineering & Science, Victoria University, Hoppers Crossing, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia.
| | - Jennifer L Lavers
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004, Australia
| | - John D Orbell
- Institute for Sustainability & Innovation, College of Engineering & Science, Victoria University, Hoppers Crossing, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia
| | - Peter Dann
- Research Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, PO Box 97, Cowes, Victoria 3922, Australia
| | - Dayanthi Nugegoda
- RMIT University, School of Applied Science, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Carol Scarpaci
- Institute for Sustainability & Innovation, College of Engineering & Science, Victoria University, Hoppers Crossing, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia
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