Mercury levels and health parameters in the threatened Olrog’s Gull (Larus atlanticus) from Argentina

Mercury (Hg) exposure was investigated through feathers of Olrog’s Gull and related to health parameters in adults (hematocrit, total plasma proteins, morphometric measures, sex) and chicks (hematocrit, total plasma proteins, immunoglobulins G and M) from a colony located in estuary of Bahía Blanca,...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental monitoring and assessment 2011-10, Vol.181 (1-4), p.1-11
Main Authors: La Sala, Luciano Francisco, Petracci, Pablo Fabricio, Smits, Judit Emmy, Botté, Sandra, Furness, Robert W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Agnatha. Pisces
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Applied ecology
Applied sciences
Argentina
Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution
Biological and medical sciences
Birds
Blood
Charadriiformes - metabolism
Chickens
Chicks
Contamination
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecology
Ecotoxicology
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates
Endangered & extinct species
Environment
Environmental Management
Environmental Monitoring
Estuaries
Exact sciences and technology
Female
Fish
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Health
Hematocrit
Indicator organisms
Larus atlanticus
Male
Mercury
Mercury - metabolism
Monitoring/Environmental Analysis
Physiology
Plasma
Pollution
Pollution abatement
Population
Proteins
Sex
Studies
Threatened species
Trends
Veterinary medicine
Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism
Water pollution
Water Pollution, Chemical - statistics & numerical data
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Mercury (Hg) exposure was investigated through feathers of Olrog’s Gull and related to health parameters in adults (hematocrit, total plasma proteins, morphometric measures, sex) and chicks (hematocrit, total plasma proteins, immunoglobulins G and M) from a colony located in estuary of Bahía Blanca, Argentina. Mercury concentrations were 5.50 ± 2.59 μg g  − 1 ( n  = 44) in live adults, 1.85 ± 0.45 μg g  − 1 ( n  = 45) in live chicks and 1.81 ± 0.41 μg g  − 1 ( n  = 41) in dead chicks. Large differences were observed between live adults and live or dead chicks and small differences between live and dead chicks. In the adults, the sex of the birds was the variable that best explained Hg concentrations. Male birds had higher concentrations than females; this suggests that the clutch provides a sink for mercury during egg laying. Hg concentrations in both adults and live chicks were associated with higher hematocrits. This could be associated with upregulated erythropoiesis to compensate for increased rate of destruction of prematurely senescent, Hg-contaminated erythrocytes. Based on our results, on the levels of Hg pollution in the past in the study area, and on the dietary specialization of Olrog’s Gull, we must be vigilant about potential negative effects of Hg pollution on this population and recommend continued monitoring on this threatened species.
ISSN:0167-6369
1573-2959
DOI:10.1007/s10661-010-1808-6