Individual Prey Specialization Drives PCBs in Icelandic Killer Whales
Interindividual variation in prey specialization is an essential yet overlooked aspect of wildlife feeding ecology, especially as it relates to intrapopulation variation in exposure to toxic contaminants. Here, we assessed blubber concentrations of an extensive suite of persistent organic pollutants...
Published in: | Environmental Science & Technology |
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Language: | English |
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2021
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Online Access: | https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/25d15975-9cc1-4a72-bb2b-fe309d14ffd0 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c08563 |
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ftuniaarhuspubl:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/25d15975-9cc1-4a72-bb2b-fe309d14ffd0 2024-02-11T10:05:30+01:00 Individual Prey Specialization Drives PCBs in Icelandic Killer Whales Remili, Anaïs Letcher, Robert J Samarra, Filipa I P Dietz, Rune Sonne, Christian Desforges, Jean-Pierre Víkingsson, Gislí Blair, David McKinney, Melissa A 2021-04 https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/25d15975-9cc1-4a72-bb2b-fe309d14ffd0 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c08563 eng eng https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/25d15975-9cc1-4a72-bb2b-fe309d14ffd0 info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Remili , A , Letcher , R J , Samarra , F I P , Dietz , R , Sonne , C , Desforges , J-P , Víkingsson , G , Blair , D & McKinney , M A 2021 , ' Individual Prey Specialization Drives PCBs in Icelandic Killer Whales ' , Environmental Science & Technology , vol. 55 , no. 8 , pp. 4923–4931 . https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c08563 Diet POPs Risk assessment contaminants intrapopulation prey specialization stable isotopes trophic position article 2021 ftuniaarhuspubl https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c08563 2024-01-18T00:00:32Z Interindividual variation in prey specialization is an essential yet overlooked aspect of wildlife feeding ecology, especially as it relates to intrapopulation variation in exposure to toxic contaminants. Here, we assessed blubber concentrations of an extensive suite of persistent organic pollutants in Icelandic killer whales (Orcinus orca). Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in blubber were >300-fold higher in the most contaminated individual relative to the least contaminated, ranging from 1.3 to 428.6 mg·kg-1 lw. Mean PCB concentrations were 6-to-9-fold greater in individuals with a mixed diet including marine mammals than in fish specialist individuals, whereas males showed PCB concentrations 4-fold higher than females. Given PCBs have been identified as potentially impacting killer whale population growth, and levels in mixed feeders specifically exceeded known thresholds, the ecology of individuals must be recognized to accurately forecast how contaminants may threaten the long-term persistence of the world's ultimate marine predator. Article in Journal/Newspaper Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale Aarhus University: Research Environmental Science & Technology 55 8 4923 4931 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Aarhus University: Research |
op_collection_id |
ftuniaarhuspubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Diet POPs Risk assessment contaminants intrapopulation prey specialization stable isotopes trophic position |
spellingShingle |
Diet POPs Risk assessment contaminants intrapopulation prey specialization stable isotopes trophic position Remili, Anaïs Letcher, Robert J Samarra, Filipa I P Dietz, Rune Sonne, Christian Desforges, Jean-Pierre Víkingsson, Gislí Blair, David McKinney, Melissa A Individual Prey Specialization Drives PCBs in Icelandic Killer Whales |
topic_facet |
Diet POPs Risk assessment contaminants intrapopulation prey specialization stable isotopes trophic position |
description |
Interindividual variation in prey specialization is an essential yet overlooked aspect of wildlife feeding ecology, especially as it relates to intrapopulation variation in exposure to toxic contaminants. Here, we assessed blubber concentrations of an extensive suite of persistent organic pollutants in Icelandic killer whales (Orcinus orca). Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in blubber were >300-fold higher in the most contaminated individual relative to the least contaminated, ranging from 1.3 to 428.6 mg·kg-1 lw. Mean PCB concentrations were 6-to-9-fold greater in individuals with a mixed diet including marine mammals than in fish specialist individuals, whereas males showed PCB concentrations 4-fold higher than females. Given PCBs have been identified as potentially impacting killer whale population growth, and levels in mixed feeders specifically exceeded known thresholds, the ecology of individuals must be recognized to accurately forecast how contaminants may threaten the long-term persistence of the world's ultimate marine predator. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Remili, Anaïs Letcher, Robert J Samarra, Filipa I P Dietz, Rune Sonne, Christian Desforges, Jean-Pierre Víkingsson, Gislí Blair, David McKinney, Melissa A |
author_facet |
Remili, Anaïs Letcher, Robert J Samarra, Filipa I P Dietz, Rune Sonne, Christian Desforges, Jean-Pierre Víkingsson, Gislí Blair, David McKinney, Melissa A |
author_sort |
Remili, Anaïs |
title |
Individual Prey Specialization Drives PCBs in Icelandic Killer Whales |
title_short |
Individual Prey Specialization Drives PCBs in Icelandic Killer Whales |
title_full |
Individual Prey Specialization Drives PCBs in Icelandic Killer Whales |
title_fullStr |
Individual Prey Specialization Drives PCBs in Icelandic Killer Whales |
title_full_unstemmed |
Individual Prey Specialization Drives PCBs in Icelandic Killer Whales |
title_sort |
individual prey specialization drives pcbs in icelandic killer whales |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/25d15975-9cc1-4a72-bb2b-fe309d14ffd0 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c08563 |
genre |
Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale |
genre_facet |
Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale |
op_source |
Remili , A , Letcher , R J , Samarra , F I P , Dietz , R , Sonne , C , Desforges , J-P , Víkingsson , G , Blair , D & McKinney , M A 2021 , ' Individual Prey Specialization Drives PCBs in Icelandic Killer Whales ' , Environmental Science & Technology , vol. 55 , no. 8 , pp. 4923–4931 . https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c08563 |
op_relation |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/25d15975-9cc1-4a72-bb2b-fe309d14ffd0 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c08563 |
container_title |
Environmental Science & Technology |
container_volume |
55 |
container_issue |
8 |
container_start_page |
4923 |
op_container_end_page |
4931 |
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1790602562552987648 |