Food resources influence levels of persistent organic pollutants and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in tissues of Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) from the Pribilof Islands, Alaska
The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is a small canid with a circumpolar Arctic distribution. Several subspecies are recognized, including a subspecies known as the Pribilof fox (V. l. pribilofensis) endemic to the Pribilof Islands of Alaska, USA. Pribilof fox tissues were collected from the islands of S...
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Norwegian Polar Institute
2017
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2017.1310994 https://doaj.org/article/759c7851c10e43768a5e9ddbf1d7dadb |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:759c7851c10e43768a5e9ddbf1d7dadb 2023-05-15T14:31:13+02:00 Food resources influence levels of persistent organic pollutants and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in tissues of Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) from the Pribilof Islands, Alaska Jennie L. Bolton Paula A. White Douglas G. Burrows Jessica I. Lundin Gina M. Ylitalo 2017-09-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2017.1310994 https://doaj.org/article/759c7851c10e43768a5e9ddbf1d7dadb EN eng Norwegian Polar Institute http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2017.1310994 https://doaj.org/toc/1751-8369 1751-8369 doi:10.1080/17518369.2017.1310994 https://doaj.org/article/759c7851c10e43768a5e9ddbf1d7dadb Polar Research, Vol 36, Iss 0 (2017) Bering Sea marine food web Pribilof fox conservation feeding ecology POPs Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 article 2017 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2017.1310994 2022-12-31T07:10:11Z The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is a small canid with a circumpolar Arctic distribution. Several subspecies are recognized, including a subspecies known as the Pribilof fox (V. l. pribilofensis) endemic to the Pribilof Islands of Alaska, USA. Pribilof fox tissues were collected from the islands of St. Paul (n = 38) and St. George (n = 13). Levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen were measured and the findings related to sex, age class, island and access to anthropogenic food resources using ANOVA and principal component analysis. The rank order for POPs in fat was polychlorinated biphenyls (∑PCBs) > chlordanes (∑CHLs) ≫ hexachlorocyclohexanes (∑HCHs) > DDTs (∑DDTs) > hexachlorobenzene (HCB) ~ polybrominated diphenyl ethers (∑PBDEs). Adult females had lower mean levels of most POPs (∑PCBs, ∑CHLs, ∑HCHs, ∑DDTs) and lower δ15N values than adult males. Foxes on St. Paul had significantly higher levels of most POPs than those on St. George, though St. George foxes were significantly higher in HCB. Foxes with high probability of access to anthropogenic foods had significantly lower levels of ∑DDTs and lower δ15N values than foxes with a low probability of access. The observed differences in contaminant and stable isotope levels were consistent with fox use patterns of different food resources. POP concentrations in the tissues of some Pribilof foxes, especially from St. Paul, were higher than those associated with thresholds for adverse health effects. POPs may therefore be a factor for consideration in the conservation of Pribilof foxes. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Fox Arctic Bering Sea Polar Research Vulpes lagopus Alaska Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Bering Sea Polar Research 36 sup1 12 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Bering Sea marine food web Pribilof fox conservation feeding ecology POPs Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 |
spellingShingle |
Bering Sea marine food web Pribilof fox conservation feeding ecology POPs Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 Jennie L. Bolton Paula A. White Douglas G. Burrows Jessica I. Lundin Gina M. Ylitalo Food resources influence levels of persistent organic pollutants and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in tissues of Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) from the Pribilof Islands, Alaska |
topic_facet |
Bering Sea marine food web Pribilof fox conservation feeding ecology POPs Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 |
description |
The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is a small canid with a circumpolar Arctic distribution. Several subspecies are recognized, including a subspecies known as the Pribilof fox (V. l. pribilofensis) endemic to the Pribilof Islands of Alaska, USA. Pribilof fox tissues were collected from the islands of St. Paul (n = 38) and St. George (n = 13). Levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen were measured and the findings related to sex, age class, island and access to anthropogenic food resources using ANOVA and principal component analysis. The rank order for POPs in fat was polychlorinated biphenyls (∑PCBs) > chlordanes (∑CHLs) ≫ hexachlorocyclohexanes (∑HCHs) > DDTs (∑DDTs) > hexachlorobenzene (HCB) ~ polybrominated diphenyl ethers (∑PBDEs). Adult females had lower mean levels of most POPs (∑PCBs, ∑CHLs, ∑HCHs, ∑DDTs) and lower δ15N values than adult males. Foxes on St. Paul had significantly higher levels of most POPs than those on St. George, though St. George foxes were significantly higher in HCB. Foxes with high probability of access to anthropogenic foods had significantly lower levels of ∑DDTs and lower δ15N values than foxes with a low probability of access. The observed differences in contaminant and stable isotope levels were consistent with fox use patterns of different food resources. POP concentrations in the tissues of some Pribilof foxes, especially from St. Paul, were higher than those associated with thresholds for adverse health effects. POPs may therefore be a factor for consideration in the conservation of Pribilof foxes. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Jennie L. Bolton Paula A. White Douglas G. Burrows Jessica I. Lundin Gina M. Ylitalo |
author_facet |
Jennie L. Bolton Paula A. White Douglas G. Burrows Jessica I. Lundin Gina M. Ylitalo |
author_sort |
Jennie L. Bolton |
title |
Food resources influence levels of persistent organic pollutants and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in tissues of Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) from the Pribilof Islands, Alaska |
title_short |
Food resources influence levels of persistent organic pollutants and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in tissues of Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) from the Pribilof Islands, Alaska |
title_full |
Food resources influence levels of persistent organic pollutants and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in tissues of Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) from the Pribilof Islands, Alaska |
title_fullStr |
Food resources influence levels of persistent organic pollutants and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in tissues of Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) from the Pribilof Islands, Alaska |
title_full_unstemmed |
Food resources influence levels of persistent organic pollutants and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in tissues of Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) from the Pribilof Islands, Alaska |
title_sort |
food resources influence levels of persistent organic pollutants and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in tissues of arctic foxes (vulpes lagopus) from the pribilof islands, alaska |
publisher |
Norwegian Polar Institute |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2017.1310994 https://doaj.org/article/759c7851c10e43768a5e9ddbf1d7dadb |
geographic |
Arctic Bering Sea |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Bering Sea |
genre |
Arctic Fox Arctic Bering Sea Polar Research Vulpes lagopus Alaska |
genre_facet |
Arctic Fox Arctic Bering Sea Polar Research Vulpes lagopus Alaska |
op_source |
Polar Research, Vol 36, Iss 0 (2017) |
op_relation |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2017.1310994 https://doaj.org/toc/1751-8369 1751-8369 doi:10.1080/17518369.2017.1310994 https://doaj.org/article/759c7851c10e43768a5e9ddbf1d7dadb |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2017.1310994 |
container_title |
Polar Research |
container_volume |
36 |
container_issue |
sup1 |
container_start_page |
12 |
_version_ |
1766304897261633536 |