1
|
Hall J, Bengtson Nash S, Gautam A, Bender H, Pitcher BJ, McCallum H, Doyle C. Persistent organic pollutants and trace elements detected in New Zealand fur seals (long-nosed fur seal; Arctocephalus forsteri) from New South Wales, Australia, between 1998 and 2019. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 902:166087. [PMID: 37549703 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166087] [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: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Environmental pollution is a growing threat to wildlife health and biodiversity. The relationship between marine mammals and pollutants is, however, complex and as new chemicals are introduced to ecosystems alongside concomitant, interacting threats such as climate change and habitat degradation, the cumulative impact of these stressors to wildlife continues to expand. Understanding the health of wildlife populations requires a holistic approach to identify potential threatening processes. In the context of environmental pollution in little studied wildlife species, it is important to catalogue the current exposome to develop effective biomonitoring programs that can support diagnosis of health impacts and management and mitigation of pollution. In New South Wales, Australia, the New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) is a resident species experiencing population growth following devastating historic hunting practices. This study presents a retrospective investigation into the exposure of New Zealand fur seals to a range of synthetic organic compounds and essential and non-essential trace elements. Liver tissue from 28 seals were broadly analyzed to assess concentrations of organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and essential and non-essential trace elements. In addition to contributing extensive pollution baseline data for the species, the work explores the influence of sex, age, and body condition on accumulation patterns. Further, based on these findings, it is recommended that a minimum of 11 juvenile male New Zealand fur seals are sampled and analyzed annually in order to maintain a holistic biomonitoring approach for this population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jane Hall
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia; Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Susan Bengtson Nash
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Anil Gautam
- NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Environment Protection Science Branch, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Hannah Bender
- Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Pitcher
- Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman, New South Wales, Australia; School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Wallumattagal Campus, Macquarie Park, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Hamish McCallum
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Christopher Doyle
- NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Environment Protection Science Branch, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Taylor S, Terkildsen M, McQuilty R, Lee D, Wing-Simpson A, Gray R. Non-essential heavy metals and protective effects of selenium against mercury toxicity in endangered Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) pups with hookworm disease. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 169:107521. [PMID: 36148712 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The endangered Australian sea lion, Neophoca cinerea, faces ongoing population decline. Identification of key threats to N. cinerea population recovery, including disease and pollutants, is an objective of the species' recovery plan. Previous studies have identified Uncinaria sanguinis, an intestinal nematode, as a significant cause of disease and mortality in N. cinerea pups. Given the impact of heavy metals on the immune response, investigation of these pollutants is critical. To this end, the concentrations of arsenic (As), total mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb) and selenium (Se) were determined in blood collected from N. cinerea pups sampled during the 2017/18, 2019 and 2020/21 breeding seasons at Seal Bay Conservation Park, South Australia. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in Hg, As, Cr, and Se concentrations and molar ratio of Se:Hg were seen between breeding seasons. Pup age, maternal parity and inter-individual foraging behaviour were considered factors driving these differences. The concentrations of Hg (357, 198 and 241 µg/L) and As (225, 834 and 608 µg/L) were high in 2017/18, 2019 and 2020/21 respectively with Hg concentrations in the blood of N. cinerea pups above toxicological thresholds reported for marine mammals. The concentration of Se (1332, 647, 763 µg/L) and molar ratio of Se:Hg (9.47, 7.98 and 6.82) were low compared to other pinniped pups, indicating potential vulnerability of pups to the toxic effects of Hg. Significant (p < 0.05) negative associations for Pb and Cd with several red blood cell parameters suggest they could be exacerbating the anaemia caused by hookworm disease. Temporal (age-related) changes in element concentrations were also seen, such that pup age needs to be considered when interpreting bioaccumulation patterns. Further investigation of the role of elevated heavy metal concentrations on N. cinerea pup health, disease and development is recommended, particularly with respect to immunological impacts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shannon Taylor
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | | | - Robert McQuilty
- Department of Chemical Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Sydney 2050, Australia
| | - David Lee
- Department of Chemical Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Sydney 2050, Australia
| | - Aileen Wing-Simpson
- Department of Chemical Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Sydney 2050, Australia
| | - Rachael Gray
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Martin-Regalado CN, Pedersen SC, Lavariega MC. Alopecia in Bats. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2022. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2022.24.1.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cintia N. Martin-Regalado
- Instituto Tecnológico del Valle de Oaxaca, Tecnológico Nacional de México, 71230 Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, Oaxaca, México
| | - Scott C. Pedersen
- Department of Biology and Microbiology, South Dakota State University, 1175 Medary Avenue, Brookings, SD 57006, USA
| | - Mario C. Lavariega
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional Unidad Oaxaca, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Hornos 1003, 71230 Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, Oaxaca, México
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
McIntosh RR, Sorrell KJ, Thalmann S, Mitchell A, Gray R, Schinagl H, Arnould JPY, Dann P, Kirkwood R. Sustained reduction in numbers of Australian fur seal pups: Implications for future population monitoring. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265610. [PMID: 35303037 PMCID: PMC8932563 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Fur seal populations in the Southern Hemisphere were plundered in the late 1700s and early 1800s to provide fur for a clothing industry. Millions of seals were killed resulting in potentially major ecosystem changes across the Southern Hemisphere, the consequences of which are unknown today. Following more than a century of population suppression, partly through on-going harvesting, many of the fur seal populations started to recover in the late 1900s. Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus), one of the most geographically constrained fur seal species, followed this trend. From the 1940s to 1986, pup production remained at approximately 10,000 per year, then significant growth commenced. By 2007, live pup abundance had recovered to approximately 21,400 per year and recovery was expected to continue However, a species-wide survey in 2013 recorded a 20% decline, to approximately 16,500 live pups. It was not known if this decline was due to 2013 being a poor breeding year or a true population reduction. Here we report the results of a population-wide survey conducted in 2017 and annual monitoring at the most productive colony, Seal Rocks, Victoria that recorded a large decline in live pup abundance (-28%). Sustained lower pup numbers at Seal Rocks from annual counts between 2012–2017 (mean = 2908 ± 372 SD), as well as the population-wide estimate of 16,903 live pups in 2017, suggest that the pup numbers for the total population have remained at the lower level observed in 2013 and that the 5-yearly census results are not anomalies or representative of poor breeding seasons. Potential reasons for the decline, which did not occur range-wide but predominantly in the most populated and long-standing breeding sites, are discussed. To enhance adaptive management of this species, methods for future monitoring of the population are also presented. Australian fur seals occupy several distinct regions influenced by different currents and upwellings: range-wide pup abundance monitoring enables comparisons of ecosystem status across these regions. Forces driving change in Australian fur seal pup numbers are likely to play across other marine ecosystems, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere where most fur seals live.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca R. McIntosh
- Conservation Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Cowes, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Karina J. Sorrell
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sam Thalmann
- Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Anthony Mitchell
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Orbost, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rachael Gray
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Harley Schinagl
- Conservation Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Cowes, Victoria, Australia
| | - John P. Y. Arnould
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Dann
- Conservation Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Cowes, Victoria, Australia
| | - Roger Kirkwood
- South Australian Research and Development Institute—Aquatic Sciences, West Beach, South Australia, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ivlev YF. Biomechanical Analysis of Fur as a Tool for Study of Thermal Insulation in Semi-Aquatic Mammals. BIOL BULL+ 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359019070057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
6
|
Pugliares-Bonner K, McKenna K, Sette L, Niemeyer M, Tlusty M. Prevalence of alopecia in gray seals Halichoerus grypus atlantica in Massachusetts, USA, 2004-2013. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2018; 131:167-176. [PMID: 30459289 DOI: 10.3354/dao03295] [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: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
There has been an increase in the presence of alopecia among gray seals Halichoerus grypus atlantica in Massachusetts, USA. To understand the prevalence and describe the presentation of this condition, data records and photographs of 10070 gray seals from 2004-2013 were reviewed; there were sufficient data to confidently assess the presence or absence of alopecia in 2134 seals. Mild hair loss presented in multifocal patches with minimal to no skin lesions or erythema. In severe cases, alopecia was concentrated over the dorsal head, neck, and shoulders and extended down the ventrum, affecting >50% of the body. Associated skin lesions and erythema were often present. Alopecia was documented in 7.1% of the surveyed seals, and was centered in Nantucket. Alopecia was more prevalent in stranded/sighted animals in spring and summer, with 81% of cases documented from April to July. There was no sex bias, and weanlings were the most affected age class (38%). The etiology for alopecia in Massachusetts gray seals is unknown. Possible causes of alopecia in wildlife are infectious disease, nutritional deficiencies, endocrinopathies, or chronic physiologic stress. High population density around Nantucket may escalate intraspecific competition for resources, which may indirectly lead to stress-induced immunosuppression or nutritional deficiencies. Crowded haul-out sites increase the opportunity for disease transmission. The weanling age class may be prone to alopecia due to naïve immune systems and inexperienced foraging capabilities. Diagnostic sample collection from gray seals will be required to characterize the etiology, pathogenesis, and significance of alopecia in this population.
Collapse
|
7
|
Taylor S, Lynch M, Terkildsen M, Stevenson G, Yates A, Piro N, de Araujo J, Gray R. Utility of fur as a biomarker for persistent organic pollutants in Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 610-611:1310-1320. [PMID: 28851151 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) can cause toxic effects in many species which include endocrine dysfunction, immunotoxicity, developmental defects and neoplasia. Species dominating the upper trophic level are vulnerable to these effects due to bioaccumulation. In Bass Strait, the Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) is an important top order predator and sentinel species for ecosystem health. An alopecia syndrome is seen at high prevalence in juvenile, female Australian fur seals at Lady Julia Percy Island, Victoria, Australia. Previous investigations suggest causality could be due to an endocrine-like toxicant. The alopecia syndrome has significance for thermoregulation and is a likely risk factor for mortality. Fur collected from case (alopecic) and control (unaffected) seals sampled at Lady Julia Percy Island were analysed for POPs. To investigate the utility of fur for monitoring POPs concentrations in pinnipeds, a comparison of POPs concentrations in the fur and blubber of Australian fur seals stranded along the Victorian coast was undertaken. The concentration of selected POPs including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and perfluorooctane sulfonate/perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOS/PFOA) were determined in fur using either High Resolution Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry or Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Results indicate detectable, and in some individuals, elevated levels of dl-PCBs, PCDD/Fs and PBDEs in juvenile fur seals sampled on Lady Julia Percy Island, with significantly higher levels of dl-PCBs in case compared to control seals. Elevated levels of dl-PCBs and PCDD/Fs were found in blubber samples collected from stranded fur seals with significant correlations between blubber and fur concentrations seen, particularly for dl-PCBs. This study discusses the significance of POPs concentrations in relation to the causality of an alopecia syndrome in the Australian fur seal, and assesses the utility of fur as a non-invasive biomarker to monitor POPs exposure in this sentinel species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shannon Taylor
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | | | | | - Gavin Stevenson
- Australian Ultra Trace Laboratory, National Measurement Institute, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia
| | - Alan Yates
- Australian Ultra Trace Laboratory, National Measurement Institute, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia
| | - Nino Piro
- Australian Ultra Trace Laboratory, National Measurement Institute, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia
| | - Jesuina de Araujo
- Australian Ultra Trace Laboratory, National Measurement Institute, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia
| | - Rachael Gray
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Prevalence and spatio-temporal variation of an alopecia syndrome in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the southern Beaufort Sea. J Wildl Dis 2015; 51:48-59. [PMID: 25375943 DOI: 10.7589/2013-11-301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Alopecia (hair loss) has been observed in several marine mammal species and has potential energetic consequences for sustaining a normal core body temperature, especially for Arctic marine mammals routinely exposed to harsh environmental conditions. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) rely on a thick layer of adipose tissue and a dense pelage to ameliorate convective heat loss while moving between sea ice and open water. From 1998 to 2012, we observed an alopecia syndrome in polar bears from the southern Beaufort Sea of Alaska that presented as bilaterally asymmetrical loss of guard hairs and thinning of the undercoat around the head, neck, and shoulders, which, in severe cases, was accompanied by exudation and crusted skin lesions. Alopecia was observed in 49 (3.45%) of the bears sampled during 1,421 captures, and the apparent prevalence varied by years with peaks occurring in 1999 (16%) and 2012 (28%). The probability that a bear had alopecia was greatest for subadults and for bears captured in the Prudhoe Bay region, and alopecic individuals had a lower body condition score than unaffected individuals. The cause of the syndrome remains unknown and future work should focus on identifying the causative agent and potential effects on population vital rates.
Collapse
|
9
|
Lee E, Choi TY, Woo D, Min MS, Sugita S, Lee H. Species identification key of Korean mammal hair. J Vet Med Sci 2014; 76:667-75. [PMID: 24451929 PMCID: PMC4073335 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.13-0569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The hair microstructures of Korean terrestrial mammals from 23 species (22 wild
and one domestic) were analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to
construct a hair identification key. The hairs were examined using the medulla structures
and cuticular scales of guard hairs from the dorsal regions of mature adult animals. All
cuticular scale structures in the hair of Rodentia, Lagomorpha, Carnivora and Insectivora
showed the petal pattern, and those of Artiodactyla and Chiroptera showed the wave pattern
and coronal pattern, respectively. Rodentia, Lagomorpha and Carnivora showed
multicellular, and Insectivora and Artiodactyla showed unicellular regular, mesh or
columnar in the medulla structures, respectively. Chiroptera did not show the medulla
structures in their hair. We found that it is possible to distinguish between species and
order based on general appearance, medulla structures and cuticular scales. Thus, we
constructed a hair identification key with morphological characteristics from each
species. This study suggests that hair identification keys could be useful in fields, such
as forensic science, food safety and foraging ecology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eunok Lee
- Conservation Genome Resource Bank for Korean Wildlife and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|