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Pavlov V, James NA, Masden EA, de Aguiar VCM, Hole LR, Liimatainen H, Pongrácz E. Impacts of offshore oil spill accidents on island bird communities: A test run study around Orkney and Svalbard archipelagos. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 334:122193. [PMID: 37460014 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122193] [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: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
The sea area around the Orkney archipelago, Scotland is subjected to substantial maritime shipping activities. By contract, the Svalbard archipelago, Norway currently has a rather low marine traffic profile. Future projections, however, indicate that the Trans-Arctic route might change the whole transportation picture and Svalbard may be at the centre of maritime activities. Both archipelagos have sensitive environmental resources at sea and inland, including bird communities. There are, for instance, 13 Red Listed species present in Orkney and 2 in Svalbard. In this regard, it is important to address oil spill risks along existing and projected shipping routes. Hypothetical spills were simulated in twelve scenarios for both the Orkney and Svalbard archipelagos with the OpenDrift open-source software. The results indicate risks to seabird communities. For Orkney, the spills resulted in the most extensive contamination of the sea and land environments in autumn. For Svalbard, autumn spills on the contrary presented the lowest risk to seabirds. Based on the simulations, we recommend increased caution for shipping activities in the problematic seasons, improved local readiness for ship accidents and sufficient pre-incident planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Pavlov
- Water Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Unit, University of Oulu, P. O. Box 4300, FI-90014, Oulu, Finland.
| | - Neil A James
- Environmental Research Institute, UHI North Highland, University of the Highlands and Islands, Thurso, KW14 7EE, Scotland, Norway
| | - Elizabeth A Masden
- Environmental Research Institute, UHI North Highland, University of the Highlands and Islands, Thurso, KW14 7EE, Scotland, Norway
| | | | - Lars Robert Hole
- Oceanography and Marine Meteorology, Norwegian Meteorological Institute, P.O. Box 7800, N-5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - Henrikki Liimatainen
- Fibre and Particle Engineering Research Unit, University of Oulu, P. O. Box 4300, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Eva Pongrácz
- Water Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Unit, University of Oulu, P. O. Box 4300, FI-90014, Oulu, Finland
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Wagner EL, Frere E, Boersma PD. Changing course: Relocating commercial tanker lanes significantly reduces threat of chronic oiling for a top marine predator. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 193:115195. [PMID: 37356128 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
A goal for conservation biologists is to show that policies enacted on behalf of an imperiled species results in direct benefits for it. In Argentina, tens of thousands of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) were estimated to have died from chronic oil pollution each year through the early 1980s. From 1982 to 1990, surveys at sites along approximately 900 km of Chubut Province coastline found that >60 % of penguin carcasses had evidence of oiling in some years. In response to these findings, as well as pressure from non-governmental organizations and the public, provincial and federal authorities in Chubut moved the commercial tanker lanes 20 nautical miles farther offshore in 1997 and required oil tankers to have double hulls. During a second round of surveys in 2001, using most of the same sites as the first survey period, the number of dead and oiled penguins dropped effectively to zero. A policy change not only led to fewer oiled penguins, but also likely increased the survival of adult Magellanic penguins near some of their most significant breeding colonies in Argentina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric L Wagner
- Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
| | - Esteban Frere
- Centro de Investigaciones Puerto Deseado, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral, Rio Gallegos, Argentina; CONICET, Santa Cruz, Argentina; Wildlife Conservation Society, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - P Dee Boersma
- Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA; Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, USA
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West BM, Wildhaber ML, Aagaard KJ, Thogmartin WE, Moore AP, Hooper MJ. Migration and energetics model predicts delayed migration and likely starvation in oiled waterbirds. Ecol Modell 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Alós J, Aarestrup K, Abecasis D, Afonso P, Alonso-Fernandez A, Aspillaga E, Barcelo-Serra M, Bolland J, Cabanellas-Reboredo M, Lennox R, McGill R, Özgül A, Reubens J, Villegas-Ríos D. Toward a decade of ocean science for sustainable development through acoustic animal tracking. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:5630-5653. [PMID: 35929978 PMCID: PMC9541420 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The ocean is a key component of the Earth's dynamics, providing a great variety of ecosystem services to humans. Yet, human activities are globally changing its structure and major components, including marine biodiversity. In this context, the United Nations has proclaimed a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development to tackle the scientific challenges necessary for a sustainable use of the ocean by means of the Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14). Here, we review how Acoustic animal Tracking, a widely distributed methodology of tracking marine biodiversity with electronic devices, can provide a roadmap for implementing the major Actions to achieve the SDG14. We show that acoustic tracking can be used to reduce and monitor the effects of marine pollution including noise, light, and plastic pollution. Acoustic tracking can be effectively used to monitor the responses of marine biodiversity to human-made infrastructures and habitat restoration, as well as to determine the effects of hypoxia, ocean warming, and acidification. Acoustic tracking has been historically used to inform fisheries management, the design of marine protected areas, and the detection of essential habitats, rendering this technique particularly attractive to achieve the sustainable fishing and spatial protection target goals of the SDG14. Finally, acoustic tracking can contribute to end illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing by providing tools to monitor marine biodiversity against poachers and promote the development of Small Islands Developing States and developing countries. To fully benefit from acoustic tracking supporting the SDG14 Targets, trans-boundary collaborative efforts through tracking networks are required to promote ocean information sharing and ocean literacy. We therefore propose acoustic tracking and tracking networks as relevant contributors to tackle the scientific challenges that are necessary for a sustainable use of the ocean promoted by the United Nations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josep Alós
- Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
| | - Kim Aarestrup
- Section for Freshwater Fisheries and Ecology, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - David Abecasis
- Center of Marine Sciences, Universidade do Algarve (CCMAR), Faro, Portugal
| | - Pedro Afonso
- Institute of Marine Research (IMAR/Okeanos), University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal
| | | | - Eneko Aspillaga
- Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
| | | | - Jonathan Bolland
- Hull International Fisheries Institute, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | | | - Robert Lennox
- NORCE Norwegian Research Center AS, Bergen, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Aytaç Özgül
- Ege University, Faculty of Fisheries, Izmir, Turkey
| | | | - David Villegas-Ríos
- Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (IIM), CSIC, Vigo, Spain
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Christensen-Dalsgaard S, Ytrehus B, Langset M, Wiig JR, Bærum KM. Seabird beachcast events associated with bycatch in the Norwegian purse seine fishery. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 177:105625. [PMID: 35462230 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105625] [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: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Beachcast events, where a large number of seabird carcasses drift ashore, occur with irregular intervals. These events are due to specific situations where mass mortality of seabirds have occurred. Disentangling the cause of these events can provide valuable information on stressors impacting seabird populations. Following several mass mortality events involving gulls in northern Norway, an investigation of the probable cause of death was initiated. In total 75 dead gulls were collected at two occasions and necropsies were carried out. The findings from the necropsy of the gulls were consistent with drowning as the primary cause of death. Bycatch in coastal purse seine fishery was considered a potential cause of the mortality and monitoring of seabird bycatch in this fishery was thus initiated. The monitoring of fishing operations revealed that 10% of 91 fishing events observed led to bycatch, with a total of 32 bycaught seabirds. These bycatch events resulted in a total estimated bycatch rate of 0.356 (95% CI = 0.133-0.949) birds per haul. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the registered mortality events were caused by bycatch in the purse seine fishery. The highly episodic and unpredictable nature of these events makes it demanding to achieve solid estimates of the occurrence and extent of bycatch without a very high monitoring effort. Our study shows that systematic investigation following beachcast events can shed light on the occurrence of such extreme events.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bjørnar Ytrehus
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), P.O. Box PO 5685 Torgarden, 7485, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-75007,Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Magdalene Langset
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), P.O. Box PO 5685 Torgarden, 7485, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jørgen Ree Wiig
- Directorate of Fisheries, Sea Surveillance Unit, P.O. Box 185 Sentrum, 5804, Bergen, Norway
| | - Kim Magnus Bærum
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Vormstuguvegen 40, 2624, Lillehammer, Norway
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Waugh JK, Jones T, Parrish JK. Using beached bird data to assess seabird oiling susceptibility. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 176:113437. [PMID: 35183023 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Oil spills can cause severe impacts on seabirds, the extent of which varies by species. We investigated taxon-specific susceptibility using data from the Nestucca and Tenyo Maru oil spills in the northeast Pacific together with seasonally and spatially overlapping baseline beached bird abundance data collected over a 17-year time-period. Multivariate analyses revealed patterns of variation between spill and non-spill data, primarily driven by differences in the relative abundance of common murres (Uria aalge) and northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis). In subsequent susceptibility analyses, alcid (Alcidae spp.) carcasses were generally overrepresented in spill data, while gulls (Larus spp.), tubenoses (Procellariformes spp.), and cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae spp.) were generally under-represented. We found that the baseline data had high variability, suggesting a need for many years of baseline data. We propose that where appropriate baseline data exists, this method can be employed to investigate the seabirds most vulnerable to oiling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jazzmine K Waugh
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, 24 Kincaid Hall, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.
| | - Timothy Jones
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, 1122 NE Boat Street, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Julia K Parrish
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, 24 Kincaid Hall, Seattle, WA 98105, USA; School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, 1122 NE Boat Street, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
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De la Cruz A, Bastos R, Silva E, Cabral JA, Santos M. What to expect from alternative management strategies to conserve seabirds? Hints from a dynamic modelling framework applied to an endangered population. Anim Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. De la Cruz
- Marine Research University Institute (INMAR) Campus of International Excellence of the Sea (CEIMAR) University of Cádiz Cádiz Spain
| | - R. Bastos
- Laboratory of Applied Ecology CITAB – Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro‐Environment and Biological Services Institute for Innovation Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri‐food Production (Inov4Agro) University of Trás‐os‐Montes e Alto Douro Vila Real Portugal
| | - E. Silva
- Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA) Lisboa Portugal
| | - J. A. Cabral
- Laboratory of Applied Ecology CITAB – Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro‐Environment and Biological Services Institute for Innovation Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri‐food Production (Inov4Agro) University of Trás‐os‐Montes e Alto Douro Vila Real Portugal
| | - M. Santos
- Laboratory of Applied Ecology CITAB – Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro‐Environment and Biological Services Institute for Innovation Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri‐food Production (Inov4Agro) University of Trás‐os‐Montes e Alto Douro Vila Real Portugal
- Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation Federal Institute of Education Science and Technology of Maranhão, R. Dep. Gastão Vieira Buriticupu MA Brazil
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POSTRELEASE SURVIVAL OF CALIFORNIA BROWN PELICANS (PELECANUS OCCIDENTALIS CALIFORNICUS) FOLLOWING OILING AND REHABILITATION AFTER THE REFUGIO OIL SPILL. J Wildl Dis 2021; 57:590-600. [PMID: 33961034 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-20-00171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Oil spills represent a continued threat to marine wildlife. Although the public expects, and the State of California, US requires, oiled animals to be rescued for rehabilitation and release, scientists have questioned the welfare and conservation value of capture and rehabilitation of oiled wildlife, based on poor postrelease survival documented in the few available studies. In May 2015, Plains Pipeline 901 spilled >100,000 gallons of oil near Refugio State Beach, California. Many California Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) were oiled; capture and rehabilitation efforts began within 1 d. Ultimately, 65 live birds were captured, including 50 pelicans. Forty-six pelicans survived and were released. Of these, 12 adults (six male, six female) were fitted with solar-powered GPS satellite Platform Terminal Transmitters (PTT) and released in June 2015. In early July, we captured eight adult (three male, four female, one unknown), unoiled pelicans from the Ventura, California area. These control birds were similarly instrumented and released immediately. At 6 mo after release, PTTs from nine of 12 oiled pelicans and six of eight control pelicans were still transmitting; at 1 yr, those numbers decreased to two of 12 and two of eight, respectively. Survival analysis revealed no difference in survival between oiled and control birds. Although our sample size is limited, these data demonstrate that most oiled and rehabilitated pelicans can survive for 6 mo following release, and some individuals can survive over 1 yr.
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Bautista NM, do Amaral-Silva L, Dzialowski E, Burggren WW. Dietary Exposure to Low Levels of Crude Oil Affects Physiological and Morphological Phenotype in Adults and Their Eggs and Hatchlings of the King Quail ( Coturnix chinensis). Front Physiol 2021; 12:661943. [PMID: 33897469 PMCID: PMC8063051 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.661943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the current knowledge of the devastating effects of external exposure to crude oil on animal mortality, the study of developmental, transgenerational effects of such exposure has received little attention. We used the king quail as an animal model to determine if chronic dietary exposure to crude oil in a parental population would affect morpho-physiological phenotypic variables in their immediate offspring generation. Adult quail were separated into three groups: (1) Control, and two experimental groups dietarily exposed for at least 3 weeks to (2) Low (800 PAH ng/g food), or (3) High (2,400 PAH ng/g food) levels of crude oil. To determine the parental influence on their offspring, we measured metabolic and respiratory physiology in exposed parents and in their non-exposed eggs and hatchlings. Body mass and numerous metabolic (e.g., O2 consumption, CO2 production) and respiratory (e.g., ventilation frequency and volume) variables did not vary between control and oil exposed parental groups. In contrast, blood PO2, PCO2, and SO2 varied among parental groups. Notably, water loss though the eggshell was increased in eggs from High oil level exposed parents. Respiratory variables of hatchlings did not vary between populations, but hatchlings obtained from High oil-exposed parents exhibited lower capacities to maintain body temperature while exposed to a cooling protocol in comparison to hatchlings from Low- and Control-derived parents. The present study demonstrates that parental exposure to crude oil via diet impacts some aspects of physiological performance of the subsequent first (F1) generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naim M Bautista
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Developmental Integrative Biology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
| | - Lara do Amaral-Silva
- Developmental Integrative Biology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States.,Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, College of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Edward Dzialowski
- Developmental Integrative Biology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
| | - Warren W Burggren
- Developmental Integrative Biology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
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Scheun J, Ludynia K, Snyman A, Ganswindt A. Non-invasive hormone monitoring as a robust method for determining adrenocortical activity in injured, emaciated and oil-contaminated African penguins undergoing rehabilitation. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 303:113703. [PMID: 33359663 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activity is a major driver of seabird injury and mortality in the 21st century. Although most seabirds perish within the natural environment as a result of human activities, some are rescued and admitted to rehabilitation centres. Despite the considerable number of admissions, little is known regarding the physiological response seabirds have to specific admission reasons and the rehabilitation process. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of injury, emaciation, oiling, individual removal from the natural environment and the rehabilitation process on the physiological stress response of the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus). Urofaecal samples were collected from African penguins throughout a three-stage rehabilitation process and quantified for glucocorticoid metabolites (ufGCM). The three stages included an initial ICU crate stage (Stage 1), an ICU pen stage (Stage 2) and a rehabilitation stage (Stage 3). Data were analysed using a generalised linear model in order to determine the effect of admission reason, age and rehabilitation stage (Stage 1, 2 and 3) on ufGCM levels. Although the model indicated that only Stage 1 was a significant driver of adrenocortical activity in the study population, ufGCM levels of injured and emaciated animals within Stage 1 were considerably higher than those of birds with any other admission reason across all stages. This is the first study examining the causes and effect of rehabilitation on the physiological stress response in African penguins. Enhanced care and attention should be given to rescued individuals, especially during the first stage of rehabilitation, to reduce perception of additional stressors and thus increase the chance of full recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Scheun
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, South Africa; National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, South Africa; Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
| | - K Ludynia
- Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - A Snyman
- Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), Cape Town, South Africa
| | - A Ganswindt
- National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, South Africa; Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, South Africa
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Fallon JA, Smith EP, Schoch N, Paruk JD, Adams EM, Evers DC, Jodice PGR, Perkins M, Meattey DE, Hopkins WA. Ultraviolet-assisted oiling assessment improves detection of oiled birds experiencing clinical signs of hemolytic anemia after exposure to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2020; 29:1399-1408. [PMID: 32785887 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-020-02255-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
While large-scale oil spills can cause acute mortality events in birds, there is increasing evidence that sublethal oil exposure can trigger physiological changes that have implications for individual performance and survival. Therefore, improved methods for identifying small amounts of oil on birds are needed. Because ultraviolet (UV) light can be used to identify thin crude oil films in water and on substrate that are not visually apparent under normal lighting conditions, we hypothesized that UV light could be useful for detecting small amounts of oil present on the plumage of birds. We evaluated black skimmers (Rynchops niger), brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), clapper rails (Rallus crepitans), great egrets (Ardea alba), and seaside sparrows (Ammodramus maritimus) exposed to areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as well as from reference areas from 20 June, 2010 to 23 February, 2011. When visually assessed without UV light, 19.6% of birds evaluated from areas affected by the spill were determined to be oiled (previously published data), whereas when examined under UV light, 56.3% of the same birds were determined to have oil exposure. Of 705 individuals examined in areas potentially impacted by the spill, we found that fluorescence under UV light assessment identified 259 oiled birds that appeared to be oil-free on visual exam, supporting its utility as a simple tool for improving detection of modestly oiled birds in the field. Further, UV assessment revealed an increase in qualitative severity of oiling (approximate % of body surface oiled) in 40% of birds compared to what was determined on visual exam. Additionally, black skimmers, brown pelicans, and great egrets exposed to oil as determined using UV light experienced oxidative injury to erythrocytes, had decreased numbers of circulating erythrocytes, and showed evidence of a regenerative hematological response in the form of increased reticulocytes. This evidence of adverse effects was similar to changes identified in birds with oil exposure as determined by visual examination without UV light, and is consistent with hemolytic anemia likely caused by oil exposure. Thus, UV assessment proved useful for enhancing detection of birds exposed to oil, but did not increase detection of birds experiencing clinical signs of anemia compared to standard visual oiling assessment. We conclude that UV light evaluation can help identify oil exposure in many birds that would otherwise be identified visually as unexposed during oil spill events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse A Fallon
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
| | - Eric P Smith
- Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Nina Schoch
- Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, Ray Brook, NY, USA
| | | | - Evan M Adams
- Biodiversity Research Institute, Portland, ME, USA
| | | | - Patrick G R Jodice
- U.S. Geological Survey South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Marie Perkins
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - William A Hopkins
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
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Horak KE, Barrett NL, Ellis JW, Campbell EM, Dannemiller NG, Shriner SA. Effects of Deepwater Horizon oil on feather structure and thermoregulation in gulls: Does rehabilitation work? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 718:137380. [PMID: 32325625 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137380] [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: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Impacts of large-scale oil spills on avian species are far-reaching. While media attention often focuses on lethal impacts, sub-lethal effects and the impacts of rehabilitation receive less attention. The objective of our study was to characterize effects of moderate external oiling and subsequent rehabilitation on feather structure and thermoregulation in gulls. We captured 30 wild ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) and randomly assigned each individual to an experimental group: 1) controls, 2) rehabilitated birds (externally oiled, rehabilitated by washing), or 3) oiled birds (externally oiled, not rehabilitated). We externally oiled birds with weathered MC252 Deepwater Horizon oil (water for controls) and collected feathers and thermography imagery (FLIR) approximately weekly for four weeks to investigate feather structure (quantified using a barbule clumping index) and thermoregulatory ability (characterized by internal body temperature and external surface temperature). Post-oiling feather clumping was significantly higher in oiled and rehabilitated birds compared to controls, but steadily declined over time in both groups. However, feather microstructure in rehabilitated birds was indistinguishable from controls within three weeks of washing whereas the feathers of oiled birds were still significantly clumped a month post oiling. Internal body temperatures didn't differ in any of the groups, suggesting birds maintain thermoregulatory homeostasis in spite of moderate external oiling. External temperatures for rehabilitated birds didn't differ from controls within a week of rehabilitation. Overall, rehabilitation procedures were effective and washed birds were in better condition compared to non-rehabilitated, oiled birds. This study provides evidence that the benefits of rehabilitation for moderately oiled birds likely outweigh the costs with regard to feather structure and thermoregulation. While feather preening and time were insufficient to reestablish baseline fine scale feather structure in moderately oiled birds, the significant clumping reduction over time may indicate that rehabilitation of lightly oiled birds may not be necessary and deserves further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Horak
- National Wildlife Research Center, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA.
| | - Nicole L Barrett
- National Wildlife Research Center, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - Jeremy W Ellis
- National Wildlife Research Center, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - Emma M Campbell
- National Wildlife Research Center, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - Nicholas G Dannemiller
- National Wildlife Research Center, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA; Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, 1601 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Susan A Shriner
- National Wildlife Research Center, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
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Wallace BP, Stacy BA, Cuevas E, Holyoake C, Lara PH, Marcondes ACJ, Miller JD, Nijkamp H, Pilcher NJ, Robinson I, Rutherford N, Shigenaka G. Oil spills and sea turtles: documented effects and considerations for response and assessment efforts. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2020. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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14
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Piatt JF, Parrish JK, Renner HM, Schoen SK, Jones TT, Arimitsu ML, Kuletz KJ, Bodenstein B, García-Reyes M, Duerr RS, Corcoran RM, Kaler RSA, McChesney GJ, Golightly RT, Coletti HA, Suryan RM, Burgess HK, Lindsey J, Lindquist K, Warzybok PM, Jahncke J, Roletto J, Sydeman WJ. Extreme mortality and reproductive failure of common murres resulting from the northeast Pacific marine heatwave of 2014-2016. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0226087. [PMID: 31940310 PMCID: PMC6961838 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
About 62,000 dead or dying common murres (Uria aalge), the trophically dominant fish-eating seabird of the North Pacific, washed ashore between summer 2015 and spring 2016 on beaches from California to Alaska. Most birds were severely emaciated and, so far, no evidence for anything other than starvation was found to explain this mass mortality. Three-quarters of murres were found in the Gulf of Alaska and the remainder along the West Coast. Studies show that only a fraction of birds that die at sea typically wash ashore, and we estimate that total mortality approached 1 million birds. About two-thirds of murres killed were adults, a substantial blow to breeding populations. Additionally, 22 complete reproductive failures were observed at multiple colonies region-wide during (2015) and after (2016-2017) the mass mortality event. Die-offs and breeding failures occur sporadically in murres, but the magnitude, duration and spatial extent of this die-off, associated with multi-colony and multi-year reproductive failures, is unprecedented and astonishing. These events co-occurred with the most powerful marine heatwave on record that persisted through 2014-2016 and created an enormous volume of ocean water (the "Blob") from California to Alaska with temperatures that exceeded average by 2-3 standard deviations. Other studies indicate that this prolonged heatwave reduced phytoplankton biomass and restructured zooplankton communities in favor of lower-calorie species, while it simultaneously increased metabolically driven food demands of ectothermic forage fish. In response, forage fish quality and quantity diminished. Similarly, large ectothermic groundfish were thought to have increased their demand for forage fish, resulting in greater top-predator demands for diminished forage fish resources. We hypothesize that these bottom-up and top-down forces created an "ectothermic vise" on forage species leading to their system-wide scarcity and resulting in mass mortality of murres and many other fish, bird and mammal species in the region during 2014-2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F. Piatt
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Julia K. Parrish
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, COASST, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Heather M. Renner
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Homer, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Sarah K. Schoen
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Timothy T. Jones
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, COASST, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Mayumi L. Arimitsu
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Juneau, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Kathy J. Kuletz
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Management, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Barbara Bodenstein
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | | | - Rebecca S. Duerr
- International Bird Rescue, San Francisco Bay Center, Fairfield, California, United States of America
| | - Robin M. Corcoran
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Kodiak, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Robb S. A. Kaler
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Juneau, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Gerard J. McChesney
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Fremont, California, United States of America
| | - Richard T. Golightly
- Department of Wildlife, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California, United States of America
| | | | - Robert M. Suryan
- NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Auk Bay Laboratories, Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute, Juneau, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Hillary K. Burgess
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, COASST, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jackie Lindsey
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, COASST, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, BeachCOMBERS, Moss Landing, California, United States of America
| | - Kirsten Lindquist
- NOAA Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, Beach Watch, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Peter M. Warzybok
- Point Blue Conservation Science, Petaluma, CA, United States of America
| | - Jaime Jahncke
- Point Blue Conservation Science, Petaluma, CA, United States of America
| | - Jan Roletto
- NOAA Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, Beach Watch, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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Dannemiller NG, Horak KE, Ellis JW, Barrett NL, Wolfe LL, Shriner SA. Effects of External Oiling and Rehabilitation on Hematological, Biochemical, and Blood Gas Analytes in Ring-Billed Gulls ( Larus delawarensis). Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:405. [PMID: 31803767 PMCID: PMC6877692 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian species experience extensive morbidity and mortality following large-scale oil spills, often resulting in oiled birds being rescued, and admitted to rehabilitation. Our objective was to experimentally establish time-specific, descriptive blood analyte data following sublethal oil exposure and subsequent rehabilitation. Thirty wild Ring-billed Gulls (Larus delawarensis) were randomly allocated to three treatment groups of 10 birds each. One treatment group served as controls and two treatment groups were externally oiled daily for 3 days with weathered MC252 oil collected from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, mimicking the upper threshold of the US Fish and Wildlife Service's moderate oiling classification. Following external oiling, one oiled treatment group was cleaned via standard rehabilitation practices. Serial venous blood samples were collected for a month to measure packed cell volume, total solids, blood gas and select plasma biochemistry analytes, total white blood cell estimates and differentials, and reticulocyte estimates. We found that both sublethal oil exposure and aspects of captivity were associated with a mild non-regenerative anemia. No other differences in venous blood gas and biochemical analytes as well as white blood cell concentrations were observed among the three groups. These findings suggest that the mild anemia seen in oiled birds undergoing rehabilitation is possibly multifactorial and that moderately oiled gulls have subtle, but potentially not insignificant clinicopathological abnormalities following sublethal oil exposure. Oiled gulls did not develop any clinicopathological derangements post-rehabilitation, suggesting current standard practices for rehabilitation cause minimal morbidity in clinically stable, moderately oiled gulls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas G Dannemiller
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, United States.,Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Katherine E Horak
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Jeremy W Ellis
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Nicole L Barrett
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Lisa L Wolfe
- Wildlife Health Program, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Susan A Shriner
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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16
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Tavares DC, Moura JF, Merico A, Siciliano S. Mortality of seabirds migrating across the tropical Atlantic in relation to oceanographic processes. Anim Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- D. C. Tavares
- Department of Theoretical Ecology and Modelling Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research Bremen Germany
| | - J. F. Moura
- Department of Theoretical Ecology and Modelling Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research Bremen Germany
| | - A. Merico
- Department of Theoretical Ecology and Modelling Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research Bremen Germany
- Department of Physics & Earth Science Jacobs University Bremen Germany
| | - S. Siciliano
- Laboratório de Enterobactérias Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz Rio de Janeiro Brazil
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17
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Hunter SA, Tennyson AJD, Bartle JA, Miskelly CM, Waugh SM, McConnell HM, Morgan KJ, Finlayson ST, Baylis SM, Chilvers BL, Gartrell BD. Assessing avian mortality during oil spills: a case study of the New Zealand MV ‘Rena’ oil spill, 2011. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2019. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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18
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Gartrell BD, Battley PF, Clumpner C, Dwyer W, Hunter S, Jensen M, McConnell HM, Michael S, Morgan KJ, Nijman P, Ward JM, White BJ, Ziccardi MH. Captive husbandry and veterinary care of seabirds during the MV Rena oil spill response. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2019. [DOI: 10.1071/wr19006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
ContextSeabirds were the most common taxa captured alive as part of the oiled wildlife response to the grounding of the container vessel MV Rena in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.
AimsTo describe the management of seabirds during the spill response, to outline the common problems encountered and to make recommendations for future responses.
MethodsSeabirds were collected from 7 October 2011 to 14 January 2012. They were stabilised and underwent pretreatment, washing and rinsing procedures to remove oil, followed by swimming physiotherapy to restore waterproofing and long-term housing in outdoor aviaries. The birds were released in batches close to the original sites of capture once the wild habitat was cleaned.
Key results428 live seabirds were admitted. There were two temporal peaks in admissions associated with the ship grounding and when the ship broke up. The majority of live birds were little penguins (Eudyptula minor; 394/428, 92%). Most seabirds admitted (393/428, 91.8%) were contaminated with heavy fuel oil, with the remainder (35/428, 8.2%) found unoiled but starving and/or exhausted or with injuries. Little penguins had lower mortality during rehabilitation (28/394, 7.1%) than other seabird species combined (27/34, 79.4%). Seabirds in poorer body condition on arrival had higher mortality, and unoiled birds were also more likely to die than oiled birds. In oiled little penguins, the degree of oiling on the plumage ranged from 1 to 100%, but mortality was not significantly associated with the degree of oiling (P=0.887). Pododermatitis affected 66% of little penguins. The most common causes of death (n=45) included weakness, anaemia and hypothermia in oiled seabirds (16/45, 35.6%), and starvation and weakness in unoiled seabirds (14/45, 31.1%).
ConclusionsTotal survival to release was 87.1%, primarily influenced by the species involved and the body condition of the birds on arrival. Unoiled seabirds had higher mortality rates than oiled seabirds.
ImplicationsOiled wildlife can be rehabilitated with good success, even when heavily oiled, or to a lesser extent, when found in poor body condition. More work is needed to refine species-specific rehabilitation protocols for seabirds, especially for those being admitted in emaciated body condition.
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19
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Lamb JS, Fiorello CV, Satgé YG, Mills K, Ziccardi M, Jodice PGR. Movement patterns of California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) following oiling and rehabilitation. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2018; 131:22-31. [PMID: 29886941 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.03.043] [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: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Direct mortality of wildlife is generally used to quantify the damage caused by pollution events. However, free-ranging wildlife that survive initial exposure to pollutants may also experience long-term consequences. Individuals that are rehabilitated following oil exposure have a known history of oiling and provide a useful study population for understanding behavior following pollution events. We GPS-tracked 12 rehabilitated brown pelicans and compared their movements to those of eight non-oiled, non-rehabilitated controls over 87-707 (mean = 271) days. Rehabilitated pelicans traveled farther, spent more time in long-distance movements, and occupied more productive waters than controls. These differences were more apparent among females than males. Rehabilitated pelicans also visited breeding colonies and nest sites at lower rates than controls. Our results indicate that, although rehabilitated pelicans undertake long-distance movements, they may display increased dispersion and reduced breeding investment, particularly among females. Such behavioral changes could have long-term effects on populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- J S Lamb
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Lehotsky Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
| | - C V Fiorello
- Oiled Wildlife Care Network, Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, 1089 Veterinary Drive VM3B, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Y G Satgé
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Lehotsky Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - K Mills
- Oiled Wildlife Care Network, Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, 1089 Veterinary Drive VM3B, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - M Ziccardi
- Oiled Wildlife Care Network, Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, 1089 Veterinary Drive VM3B, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - P G R Jodice
- U.S. Geological Survey South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Lehotsky Hall, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
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20
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Oro D, Álvarez D, Velando A. Complex demographic heterogeneity from anthropogenic impacts in a coastal marine predator. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 28:612-621. [PMID: 29297945 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1679] [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: 10/04/2017] [Revised: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Environmental drivers, including anthropogenic impacts, affect vital rates of organisms. Nevertheless, the influence of these drivers may depend on the physical features of the habitat and how they affect life history strategies depending on individual covariates such as age and sex. Here, the long-term monitoring (1994-2014) of marked European Shags in eight colonies in two regions with different ecological features, such as foraging habitat, allowed us to test several biological hypotheses about how survival changes by age and sex in each region by means of multi-event capture-recapture modeling. Impacts included fishing practices and bycatch, invasive introduced carnivores and the severe Prestige oil spill. Adult survival was constant but, unexpectedly, it was different between sexes. This difference was opposite in each region. The impact of the oil spill on survival was important only for adults (especially for females) in one region and lasted a single year. Juvenile survival was time dependent but this variability was not synchronized between regions, suggesting a strong signal of regional environmental variability. Mortality due to bycatch was also different between sex, age and region. Interestingly the results showed that the size of the fishing fleet is not necessarily a good proxy for assessing the impact of bycatch mortality, which may be more dependent on the fishing grounds and the fishing gears employed in each season of the year. Anthropogenic impacts affected survival differently by age and sex, which was expected for a long-lived organism with sexual size dimorphism. Strikingly, these differences varied depending on the region, indicating that habitat heterogeneity is demographically important to how environmental variability (including anthropogenic impacts) and resilience influence population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Oro
- Population Ecology Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
- Theoretical Ecology Lab, CEAB (CSIC), Blanes, Spain
| | | | - Alberto Velando
- Departamento de Ecología y Biología Animal, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
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21
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Fallon JA, Smith EP, Schoch N, Paruk JD, Adams EA, Evers DC, Jodice PGR, Perkins C, Schulte S, Hopkins WA. Hematological indices of injury to lightly oiled birds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2018; 37:451-461. [PMID: 29024020 DOI: 10.1002/etc.3983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2017] [Revised: 04/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Avian mortality events are common following large-scale oil spills. However, the sublethal effects of oil on birds exposed to light external oiling are not clearly understood. We found that American oystercatchers (area of potential impact n = 42, reference n = 21), black skimmers (area of potential impact n = 121, reference n = 88), brown pelicans (area of potential impact n = 91, reference n = 48), and great egrets (area of potential impact n = 57, reference n = 47) captured between 20 June 2010 and 23 February 2011 following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill experienced oxidative injury to erythrocytes, had decreased volume of circulating erythrocytes, and showed evidence of a regenerative hematological response in the form of increased reticulocytes compared with reference populations. Erythrocytic inclusions consistent with Heinz bodies were present almost exclusively in birds from sites impacted with oil, a finding pathognomonic for oxidative injury to erythrocytes. Average packed cell volumes were 4 to 19% lower and average reticulocyte counts were 27 to 40% higher in birds with visible external oil than birds from reference sites. These findings provide evidence that small amounts of external oil exposure are associated with hemolytic anemia. Furthermore, we found that some birds captured from the area impacted by the spill but with no visible oiling also had erythrocytic inclusion bodies, increased reticulocytes, and reduced packed cell volumes when compared with birds from reference sites. Thus, birds suffered hematologic injury despite no visible oil at the time of capture. Together, these findings suggest that adverse effects of oil spills on birds may be more widespread than estimates based on avian mortality or severe visible oiling. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:451-461. © 2017 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse A Fallon
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Eric P Smith
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Nina Schoch
- Biodiversity Research Institute, Portland, Maine, USA
| | - James D Paruk
- Biodiversity Research Institute, Portland, Maine, USA
| | - Evan A Adams
- Biodiversity Research Institute, Portland, Maine, USA
| | - David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, Portland, Maine, USA
| | - Patrick G R Jodice
- US Geological Survey, South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
| | - Christopher Perkins
- Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - William A Hopkins
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
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22
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Wallace BP, Brosnan T, McLamb D, Rowles T, Ruder E, Schroeder B, Schwacke L, Stacy B, Sullivan L, Takeshita R, Wehner D. Effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on protected marine species. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Tavares DC, Fulgencio de Moura J, Siciliano S. Environmental Predictors of Seabird Wrecks in a Tropical Coastal Area. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168717. [PMID: 27992578 PMCID: PMC5161483 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Beached bird surveys have been widely used to monitor the impact of oil pollution in the oceans. However, separating the combined effects of oil pollution, environmental variables and methodological aspects of beach monitoring on seabird stranding patterns is a challenging task. The effects of a comprehensive set of oceanographic and climatic variables and oil pollution on seabird strandings in a tropical area of Brazil were investigated herein, using two robust and innovative methods: Generalized Linear Mixed Models and Structural Equation Modeling. We assessed strandings of four resident seabird species along 480 km of beaches divided into 11 sampling areas, between November 2010 and September 2013. We found that increasing the distance from the nearest breeding island reduce the seabird stranding events. Storm activity and biological productivity were the most important factors affecting the stranding events of brown boobies Sula leucogaster, Cabot’s terns Thalasseus acuflavidus and kelp gulls Larus dominicanus. These species are also indirectly affected by warm tropical waters, which reduce chlorophyll-a concentrations. Beach surveys are, thus, useful to investigate the mortality rates of resident species near breeding sites, where individuals are more abundant and exposed to local factors associated with at-sea mortality. In contrast, conservation actions and monitoring programs for far-ranging seabird species are needed in more distant foraging areas. Furthermore, beach monitoring programs investigating the impact of oil pollution on seabirds need to account for the effects of environmental factors on stranding patterns. The present study also demonstrated that seabirds inhabiting tropical coastal waters are sensitive to climate conditions such as adverse weather, which are expected to increase in frequency and intensity in next decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davi Castro Tavares
- Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brasil
- * E-mail:
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Le Rest K, Certain G, Debétencourt B, Bretagnolle V. Spatio-temporal modelling of auk abundance after the Erika oil spill and implications for conservation. J Appl Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kévin Le Rest
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC); Station d'Ecologie de Chizé -La Rochelle; CNRS UMR 7372; 79360 Villiers-en-Bois France
| | - Grégoire Certain
- Department of Aquatic Resources; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; Skolgatan 6 742 42 Öregrund Sweden
| | - Benjamin Debétencourt
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC); Station d'Ecologie de Chizé -La Rochelle; CNRS UMR 7372; 79360 Villiers-en-Bois France
| | - Vincent Bretagnolle
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC); Station d'Ecologie de Chizé -La Rochelle; CNRS UMR 7372; 79360 Villiers-en-Bois France
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25
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Barros A, Alvarez D, Velando A. Long-term reproductive impairment in a seabird after the Prestige oil spill. Biol Lett 2014; 10:20131041. [PMID: 24789139 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2013.1041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Large oil spills are dramatic perturbations on marine ecosystems, and seabirds are one of the worst affected organisms in such events. It has been argued that oil spills may have important long-term consequences on marine organisms, but supporting evidence remains scarce. The European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) was strongly impacted at population level by the Prestige oil spill, the biggest spillage in the eastern North Atlantic. In this paper, we report on the long-term consequences on reproduction of this coastal seabird, using temporal and spatial replicated data (before-after-control-impact design). Our study revealed long-term reproductive impairment during at least the first 10 years since the Prestige oil spill. Annual reproductive success did not differ before the impact, but after the impact it was reduced by 45% in oiled colonies compared with unoiled ones. This is a rare documentation of long-term effects after a major oil spill, highlighting the need for long-term monitoring in order to assess the real impact of this type of disturbance on marine organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro Barros
- Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, , As Lagoas, Vigo 36310, Spain
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26
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Effects of long-term isolation on genetic variation and within-island population genetic structure in Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) seabirds. CONSERV GENET 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-012-0390-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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