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An assessment of exposure and effects of persistent organic pollutants in an urban Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii) population.
- Source :
-
Ecotoxicology (London, England) [Ecotoxicology] 2017 Jan; Vol. 26 (1), pp. 32-45. Date of Electronic Publication: 2016 Oct 28. - Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- Among the stressors confronting urban wildlife, chemical contaminants pose a particular problem for high trophic feeding species. Previous data from fortuitous carcass collections revealed surprisingly high levels of persistent organic pollutants in raptor species, including the Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii), from urbanized areas of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Thus, in 2012 and 2013, we followed up on that finding by measuring POPs in blood samples from 21 adult and 15 nestling Cooper's hawks in Vancouver, a large urban area in southwestern Canada. Reproductive success and circulating thyroid hormones were measured to assess possible toxicological effects. Model comparisons showed concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (ΣPCBs) were positively influenced by the level of urbanization. Total thyroxin (TT4) was negatively associated with increases in ΣPCBs. Total triiodothyronine (TT3) was negatively associated with ΣPCBs and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (ΣPBDEs). The legacy insecticide, dieldrin, appeared to have some negative influence on reproductive success. There is some evidence of biochemical perturbation by PBDEs and lingering impact of legacy POPs which have not been used for at least 40 years, but overall Cooper's hawks have successfully populated this urban environment.
- Subjects :
- Animals
British Columbia
Environmental Exposure statistics & numerical data
Environmental Pollutants toxicity
Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers blood
Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers toxicity
Polychlorinated Biphenyls blood
Polychlorinated Biphenyls toxicity
Thyroid Hormones blood
Thyroxine blood
Triiodothyronine blood
Environmental Exposure analysis
Environmental Pollutants blood
Hawks physiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1573-3017
- Volume :
- 26
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Ecotoxicology (London, England)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 27796689
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-016-1738-3