1
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Calvert AM, Gutowsky SE, Fifield DA, Burgess NM, Bryant R, Fraser GS, Gjerdrum C, Hedd A, Jones PL, Mauck RA, McFarlane Tranquilla L, Montevecchi WA, Pollet IL, Ronconi RA, Rock JC, Russell J, Wilhelm SI, Wong SNP, Robertson GJ. Inter-colony variation in predation, mercury burden and adult survival in a declining seabird. Sci Total Environ 2024; 911:168549. [PMID: 37981162 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Migratory species with disjunct and localized breeding distributions, including many colonial marine birds, pose challenges for management and conservation as their dynamics are shaped by both broad oceanographic changes and specific factors affecting individual breeding colonies. We compare six colonies of the declining Leach's storm-petrel, Hydrobates leucorhous, across their core range in Atlantic Canada using standard capture-mark-recapture methods to estimate annual survival of individually marked populations of breeding adults. Over the period analysed (5-20 years per colony; 2003-2022), mean annual survival varied among colonies (0.81-0.88) and annually (process error σ ranging from 0.01 to 0.09), though annual fluctuations were not synchronous across colonies. Two colonies with limited natural predation showed higher survival, and there was a decline in survival with increasing colony-specific total mercury burden. Our work shows that colony-specific pressures and regional contaminant burdens are potentially important contributors to current population declines, and highlights the importance of monitoring demographic rates at multiple sites for species that congregate at key life-history stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Calvert
- Landscape Science & Technology Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - David A Fifield
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Mount Pearl, NL, Canada
| | - Neil M Burgess
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change, Canada, Mount Pearl, NL
| | - Rachel Bryant
- Alder Institute, Tors Cove, NL, Canada; Department of Philosophy and Religion, University of Tampa, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Gail S Fraser
- Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Carina Gjerdrum
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
| | - April Hedd
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Mount Pearl, NL, Canada
| | | | | | | | - William A Montevecchi
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Ingrid L Pollet
- Biology Department, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, Canada
| | - Robert A Ronconi
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
| | - Jennifer C Rock
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Sackville, NB, Canada
| | | | - Sabina I Wilhelm
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Mount Pearl, NL, Canada
| | - Sarah N P Wong
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
| | - Gregory J Robertson
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Mount Pearl, NL, Canada.
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2
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Kim M, Hong MJ, Nam KB, Kim YM, Park CU, Kwon Y. Marine debris ingestion by adults and fledglings of Swinhoe's storm petrels in the Republic of Korea. Mar Pollut Bull 2023; 194:115330. [PMID: 37506494 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Procellariiformes are highly vulnerable to marine plastic pollution due to their species-specific life histories. In particular, storm petrels are known to be one of the most vulnerable species with respect to plastic ingestion. In this study, we examined the plastic ingestion by adults and fledglings of Swinhoe's storm petrels on Chilbal Island, one of the largest breeding colonies for this species. During 2013 and 2014, we collected adult and fledgling carcasses and analyzed their stomach contents. The results showed that both adults and juveniles were consuming mostly plastics. Most of the collected Swhinhoe's storm petrels were consuming microplastic, with juveniles consuming a higher average amount of plastic than adults. The type of plastic ingested was more threadlike in adults and fragments in juveniles. In conclusion, the characteristics of ingested plastics differed between adults and juveniles, suggesting that analyzing individual age may be important for monitoring plastic ingestion in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miran Kim
- Seabirds Lab. of Korea, Wonju-si, Gangwon Self-Governing Province 26352, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi-Jin Hong
- Seabirds Lab. of Korea, Wonju-si, Gangwon Self-Governing Province 26352, Republic of Korea; Korea Institute of Ornithology & Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki-Baek Nam
- Korea Institute of Ornithology & Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yang-Mo Kim
- Korea National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service, Wonju-si, Gangwon Self-Governing Province 26411, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Uk Park
- Faculty of Science Education, Jeju National University, Jeju-si, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province 63243, Republic of Korea; World Heritage Division, Shinan County Office, Shinan-gun, Jeollanamdo 58827, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngsoo Kwon
- Korea National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service, Wonju-si, Gangwon Self-Governing Province 26411, Republic of Korea
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3
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Pollet IL, McFarlane-Tranquilla L, Burgess NM, Diamond AW, Gjerdrum C, Hedd A, Hoeg R, Jones PL, Mauck RA, Montevecchi WA, Pratte I, Ronconi RA, Shutler D, Wilhelm SI, Mallory ML. Factors influencing mercury levels in Leach's storm-petrels at northwest Atlantic colonies. Sci Total Environ 2023; 860:160464. [PMID: 36427741 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a globally distributed heavy metal, with negative effects on wildlife. Its most toxic form, methylmercury (MeHg), predominates in aquatic systems. Levels of MeHg in marine predators can vary widely among individuals and populations. Leach's storm-petrels (Hydrobates leucorhous) have elevated levels of Hg but the role of Hg in storm-petrel population declines is unknown. In this study, we used egg and blood samples to study variation in Hg exposure among several northwest Atlantic colonies during breeding seasons, thereby evaluating relative toxicity risk within and among colonies. Total mercury (THg) concentrations were higher with increasing colony latitude, and were more pronounced in blood than in eggs. THg concentrations in blood were mostly associated with low toxicity risk in birds from the southern colonies and moderate risks in birds from the northern colonies; however, those values did not affect hatching or fledging success. THg concentrations in both eggs and blood were positively correlated with δ34S, emphasizing the role of sulfate-reducing bacteria in methylation of THg acquired through marine food webs, which is consistent with enriched δ34S profiles. By associating tracking data from foraging trips with THg from blood, we determined that blood THg levels were higher when storm-petrel's intensive search locations were over deeper waters. We conclude that spatial variation in THg concentrations in Leach's storm-petrels is attributable to differences in ocean depth at foraging locations, both at individual and colony levels. Differences in diet among colonies observed previously are the most likely cause for observed blood THg differences. As one of the few pelagic seabird species breeding in Atlantic Canada, with limited overlap in core foraging areas among colonies, Leach's storm-petrels can be used as biomonitors for less sampled offshore pelagic regions. The global trend in Hg emissions combined with legacy levels warrant continued monitoring for toxicity effects in seabirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid L Pollet
- Acadia University, Department of Biology, Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6, Canada; Birds Canada, PO Box 6436, Sackville, New Brunswick E4L 1G6, Canada.
| | | | - Neil M Burgess
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Antony W Diamond
- Atlantic Laboratory for Avian Research, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Carina Gjerdrum
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 45 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 2N6, Canada
| | - April Hedd
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Rielle Hoeg
- Acadia University, Department of Biology, Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6, Canada; Birds Canada, PO Box 6436, Sackville, New Brunswick E4L 1G6, Canada
| | | | | | - William A Montevecchi
- Psychology Department, Memorial University, St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador A1C 3C9, Canada
| | - Isabeau Pratte
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 45 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 2N6, Canada
| | - Robert A Ronconi
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 45 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 2N6, Canada
| | - Dave Shutler
- Acadia University, Department of Biology, Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Sabina I Wilhelm
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Mark L Mallory
- Acadia University, Department of Biology, Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6, Canada
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4
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Navarro A, Luzardo OP, Gómez M, Acosta-Dacal A, Martínez I, Felipe de la Rosa J, Macías-Montes A, Suárez-Pérez A, Herrera A. Microplastics ingestion and chemical pollutants in seabirds of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain). Mar Pollut Bull 2023; 186:114434. [PMID: 36495613 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution constitutes an environmental problem in the Canary Islands nowadays. Nevertheless, studies evaluating the impact of plastics on its avifauna are still scarce. Gastrointestinal tracts of 88 birds belonging to 14 species were studied for the presence of plastics. Moreover, their livers were analyzed for the determination of bromodiphenyl ethers (BDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Among Cory's shearwaters (n = 45), the frequency of occurrence of plastic ingestion was considerably high (88.89 %). This species had the highest mean value of items (7.22 ± 5.66) and most of them were compatible with lines derived from fishing gear. PCBs and PAHs were detected in all of the samples and OCPs in the great majority of them (98.86 %). Our results highlight the problems that plastic debris (mainly for seabirds) and organic pollutants pose to these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Navarro
- Marine Ecophysiology Group (EOMAR), IU-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain.
| | - Octavio Pérez Luzardo
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - May Gómez
- Marine Ecophysiology Group (EOMAR), IU-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Andrea Acosta-Dacal
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Ico Martínez
- Marine Ecophysiology Group (EOMAR), IU-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Jorge Felipe de la Rosa
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Arucas, Las Palmas, Spain
| | - Ana Macías-Montes
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | | | - Alicia Herrera
- Marine Ecophysiology Group (EOMAR), IU-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
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5
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Lavers JL, de Jersey AM, Jones NR, Stewart LG, Charlton-Howard HS, Grant ML, Woehler EJ. Ingested plastics in beach-washed Fairy Prions Pachyptila turtur from Tasmania. Mar Pollut Bull 2022; 184:114096. [PMID: 36113176 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plastic is an omnipresent pollutant in marine ecosystems and is widely documented to be ingested among seabird species. Procellariiformes are particularly vulnerable to plastic ingestion, which can cause internal damage, starvation, and occasionally mortality. In this study, 34 fledgling Fairy Prions (Pachyptila turtur) recovered during a wreck event in south-eastern Tasmania in 2022 were examined for ingested plastics and body condition (e.g., wing chord length). While many of the birds exhibited poor body condition, this was not correlated with the count or mass of ingested plastics. We hypothesise the marine heatwave event, and resulting lack of prey, contributed to bird body condition and subsequent mortality. We provide some of the first data on the size of individual plastic particles ingested by seabirds and make recommendations for future studies to report this important metric in a consistent manner that ensures data are comparable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Lavers
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004, Australia.
| | - Alix M de Jersey
- School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Liverpool Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
| | - Nina R Jones
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004, Australia
| | - Lillian G Stewart
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004, Australia
| | - Hayley S Charlton-Howard
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004, Australia
| | - Megan L Grant
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, School Road, Newnham, Tasmania 7248, Australia
| | - Eric J Woehler
- BirdLife Tasmania, GPO Box 68, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
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6
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Savoca MS, Kühn S, Sun C, Avery-Gomm S, Choy CA, Dudas S, Hong SH, Hyrenbach KD, Li TH, Ng CKY, Provencher JF, Lynch JM. Towards a North Pacific Ocean long-term monitoring program for plastic pollution: A review and recommendations for plastic ingestion bioindicators. Environ Pollut 2022; 310:119861. [PMID: 35940480 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Marine debris is now a ubiquitous component of the Anthropocene global ocean. Plastic ingestion by marine wildlife was first reported in the 1960s and since that time, roughly one thousand marine species have been reported to consume this debris. This study focuses on plastic ingestion by marine invertebrates and vertebrates in the North Pacific Ocean. Specifically, we reviewed the scientific literature to assess the scope of the problem, identified key bioindicator species, and proposed guidelines for future monitoring of plastic debris in North Pacific marine ecosystems. Our meta-analysis confirmed that the North Pacific is among the most polluted ocean regions globally; roughly half of all fish and seabird specimens and more than three-quarters of sea turtles and bivalve specimens examined in this region had consumed plastic. While there are not enough standardized data to assess if these ingestion rates are changing, sampling standardization and reporting of methods are improving over time. Using a rubric-evaluation approach, we evaluated 352 species for their potential to serve as bioindicators of the prevalence of plastic pollution in the North Pacific. This analysis revealed a suite of 12 bioindicator species candidates which sample a variety of ecosystem components and cover a wide range of plastic size classes. Thus, we contend that these bioindicator candidates provide a key foundation for developing a comprehensive plastic monitoring program in the region. To enhance the utility of these bioindicators, we developed a framework for standardized data collection to minimize methodological variability across different studies and to facilitate the assessment of temporal trends over space and time. Tracking plastic ingestion by these bioindicators will help to assess the effectiveness of mitigation actions in the region, a critical step to evaluate progress towards sustainability and improved ocean health in the 21st century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Savoca
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA.
| | - Susanne Kühn
- Wageningen Marine Research, Ankerpark 27, 1781 AG Den Helder, the Netherlands
| | - ChengJun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-environmental Science and Technology, Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), Qingdao, 266061, China
| | - Stephanie Avery-Gomm
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - C Anela Choy
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sarah Dudas
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, BC, Canada; University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Sang Hee Hong
- Risk Assessment Research Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje, Republic of Korea
| | - K David Hyrenbach
- Hawai'i Pacific University, Center for Marine Debris Research, Waimānalo, HI, USA
| | - Tsung-Hsien Li
- National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Checheng, Pingtung, 94450, Taiwan; Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Institute of Marine Ecology and Conservation, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Connie Ka-Yan Ng
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jennifer F Provencher
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer M Lynch
- Hawai'i Pacific University, Center for Marine Debris Research, Waimānalo, HI, USA; National Institute of Standards and Technology, Chemical Sciences Division, Waimānalo, HI, USA
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De Pascalis F, De Felice B, Parolini M, Pisu D, Pala D, Antonioli D, Perin E, Gianotti V, Ilahiane L, Masoero G, Serra L, Rubolini D, Cecere JG. The hidden cost of following currents: Microplastic ingestion in a planktivorous seabird. Mar Pollut Bull 2022; 182:114030. [PMID: 35964431 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are increasingly pervasive pollutants, particularly abundant in the neuston where they drift with currents. We assessed dietary microplastic ingestion in the Mediterranean storm petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus melitensis), a small pelagic seabird that forages on plankton and inhabit the Mediterranean sea, one of the most polluted seas worldwide. We collected spontaneous regurgitates from 30 chick-rearing individuals and used GPS tracking data from 7 additional individuals to locate foraging areas. Birds foraged in pelagic areas characterized by water stirring and mixing, and regurgitates from 14 individuals (i.e. 45 %) contained microplastics. Fibers were the dominant shape (56 %), with polyester, polyethylene and nylon being the most frequent polymers. Our findings highlight the potential sensitivity of this species of conservation interest to plastic pollution and suggest that storm petrel regurgitates can be a valuable matrix to investigate microplastic ingestion in planktonic foragers, providing a characterization of spatio-temporal patterns of microplastic exposure in pelagic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico De Pascalis
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, University of Milan, Milano (MI), Italy; Area BIO-AVM, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy.
| | - Beatrice De Felice
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, University of Milan, Milano (MI), Italy
| | - Marco Parolini
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, University of Milan, Milano (MI), Italy
| | - Danilo Pisu
- Regione Pireddu Nieddu snc, Stintino (SS), Italy
| | - David Pala
- Azienda Speciale Parco di Porto Conte, Alghero (SS), Italy
| | - Diego Antonioli
- Department of Science and Technological Innovation, University of Eastern Piedmont, Alessandria (AL), Italy
| | - Elena Perin
- Department of Science and Technological Innovation, University of Eastern Piedmont, Alessandria (AL), Italy
| | - Valentina Gianotti
- Department of Science and Technological Innovation, University of Eastern Piedmont, Alessandria (AL), Italy
| | - Luca Ilahiane
- Department of Science and Technological Innovation, University of Eastern Piedmont, Alessandria (AL), Italy
| | - Giulia Masoero
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Lorenzo Serra
- Area BIO-AVM, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, University of Milan, Milano (MI), Italy; Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque, IRSA-CNR, Brugherio (MB), Italy.
| | - Jacopo G Cecere
- Area BIO-AVM, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
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8
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Pollet IL, Provencher JF, McFarlane Tranquilla L, Burgess NM, Mallory ML. Mercury levels in North Atlantic seabirds: A synthesis. Mar Pollut Bull 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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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9
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Daoust PY, Wong S, Holland E, Lucas ZN. PATHOLOGY OF NORTHERN FULMARS (FULMARUS GLACIALIS) AND SHEARWATERS BEACHED ON SABLE ISLAND, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA. J Wildl Dis 2021; 57:601-11. [PMID: 33979445 DOI: 10.7589/JWD-D-20-00227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Marine birds are frequently found dead on beaches, either from natural or from anthropogenic causes. Complete necropsies of those carcasses can provide valuable information, particularly for pelagic species, such as Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) and shearwaters, which come to land only to breed and for which information on diseases that may affect them is, therefore, sparse. Between 2000 and 2012, 315 carcasses of four species of Procellariiformes (173 Northern Fulmars, 89 Great Shearwaters [Ardenna gravis], 50 Sooty Shearwaters [Ardenna grisea], and three Cory's Shearwaters [Calonectris diomedea]) were collected on Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, an isolated island near the edge of the continental shelf. A complete necropsy, including examination for the presence of ingested plastic, was performed on all carcasses. Most (70%) of these birds were immature. The cause of death was undetermined in 22% (n=70) of the birds: 36% (62/173) of the Northern Fulmars, 4% (4/89) of the Great Shearwaters, 6% (3/50) of the Sooty Shearwaters, and 33% (1/3) of the Cory's Shearwaters. Emaciation was considered the primary cause of death in 91% of the remaining 245 birds: 87% (97/111) of the Northern Fulmars, 92% (78/85) of the Great Shearwaters, 100% (47/47) of the Sooty Shearwaters, and 100% (2/2) of the Cory's Shearwaters. Notable primary causes of death other than emaciation included mycobacteriosis and neoplasia in Northern Fulmars and transmural parasitic proventriculitis in Great Shearwaters. For Northern Fulmars, nutritional condition (as determined semiquantitatively) was compared with other parameters. Birds in good nutritional condition had heavier body mass and flight muscle mass than those in poor nutritional condition (P<0.01). More adults were in poor nutritional condition than expected by chance (91%; χ2=8.23, P<0.01), whereas only 57% of immature birds were in poor condition. There was no relationship between nutritional condition and sex or mass of ingested plastic. Our study provides information on some previously unsuspected health threats in Procellariiformes.
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10
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Frith R, Krug D, Ronconi RA, Wong SN, Mallory ML, Tranquilla LAM. Diet of Leach's Storm-Petrels (Hydrobates leucorhous) among Three Colonies in Atlantic Canada. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2020. [DOI: 10.1656/045.027.0402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rhyl Frith
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - David Krug
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Robert A. Ronconi
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, 45 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 2N6, Canada
| | - Sarah N.P. Wong
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, 45 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 2N6, Canada
| | - Mark L. Mallory
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 15 University Drive, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6, Canada
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