Mercury uptake affects the development of Larus fuscus chicks

Current emission and mobilization rates of mercury (Hg) in the environment pose extensive threats to both wildlife and human health. Assessing the exposure risk and effects of Hg contamination in model species such as seabirds is essential to understand Hg risks at the population and ecosystem level...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Main Authors: Andrade Dos Santos, Cátia Sofia, Sotillo, Alejandro, Gupta, Trisha, Delgado, Sergio, Müller, Wendt, Stienen, Eric W. M., De Neve, Liesbeth, Lens, Luc, Soares, Amadeu M. V. M., Monteiro, Marta S., Loureiro, Susana
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2020
Subjects:
Biology and Life Sciences
INTEGRATED BIOMARKER RESPONSE
WESTERN NORTH-AMERICA
CICONIA-CICONIA
MICRONUCLEATED ERYTHROCYTES
NUCLEAR ABNORMALITIES
ENZYMATIC
BIOMARKERS
FORAGING STRATEGIES
JUVENILE SURVIVAL
OXIDATIVE STRESS
HERON NESTLINGS
Bioaccumulation
Birds
Body condition
Dietary uptake
Metal accumulation
Lesser black-backed gull
Online Access:https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8703910
http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8703910
https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.4823
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8703910/file/8703911
Description
Summary:Current emission and mobilization rates of mercury (Hg) in the environment pose extensive threats to both wildlife and human health. Assessing the exposure risk and effects of Hg contamination in model species such as seabirds is essential to understand Hg risks at the population and ecosystem levels. The lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus), a generalist seabird species, is an excellent model species because it forages in both marine and terrestrial habitats, which in turn differ in their Hg exposure risk. To identify possible deleterious effects of Hg exposure on developingL. fuscuschicks, a dietary experiment was carried out and chicks were provided a marine, terrestrial, or mixed diet. The effects of embryonic and dietary Hg exposure on chick body condition and physiological state were assessed at different developmental stages until fledging age (30 d). Overall physiological condition was lower in chicks fed a predominantly marine diet, which coincided with higher Hg loads in blood and primary feathers. However, no effect of dietary uptake of Hg was observed on body condition or in terms of genotoxic damage. Body condition and genotoxic damage correlated instead with Hg exposure during embryonic development, which seems to indicate that embryonic exposure to Hg may result in carry-over effects on later chick development.

Similar Items