An assessment of pollutants in eggs of audouin's gull (Larus audouinii), a rare species of the Mediterranean sea

Leonzio, Claudio; Lambertini, Marco; Massi, A.; Focardi, Silvano; Fossi, María Cristina

doi:10.1016/0048-9697(89)90019-3

Cited by 11 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 15 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Similar ratios have been obtained in other Mediterranean colonies (e.g. Leonzio et al 1989), with an extreme value of 10 when comparing mercury levels in eggs of yellow-legged gull from the Medes Islands (NW Mediterranean) with those of Audouin's gull from the Ebro Delta . This high ratio is probably due to the major use of terrestrial food by yellow-legged gulls from the former colony (mostly waste food; Bosch et al 1994).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 64%

Mercury levels in seabirds and their fish prey at the Ebro Delta (NW Mediterranean): the role of trawler discards as a source of contamination

Arcos

Ruíz²,

Bearhop³

et al. 2002

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We determined mercury levels in internal tissues and feathers from corpses of Audouin's Larus audouinii and yellow-legged gulls L. cachinnans michaellis, common terns Sterna hirundo and European shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii, as well as from fish representative of trawler discards, collected at the Ebro Delta (NW Mediterranean) between March and July (seabird's breeding season) in 1997 to 1999. The levels of mercury were significantly lower in epipelagic (Clupeiforms) than in demersal fish. When representation of each species in the discards is taken into account, the mean mercury concentration from this resource is more than double that of epipelagic fish (the main natural prey for most seabirds in the area). The shag was the only species with direct access to benthic fish, as it can dive to the seabed, and shags presented high levels of mercury even though they do not feed on discards. The other seabirds showed mercury levels in accordance with their seasonal use of discards. Audouin's gull, which exploits discards extensively during the breeding season, had the highest levels in those tissues reflecting mercury intake during the breeding season (liver and 1st primary feathers). In contrast, the common tern makes little use of discards and presented the lowest levels of mercury. For those samples reflecting the intake of mercury during the winter (mantle feathers), when only the yellow-legged gull exploits discards extensively, this species presented the highest values. Audouin's gull and the common tern showed similarly low concentrations of mercury for this period. We conclude that consumption of discarded demersal fish strongly influenced mercury contamination of surface-feeding seabirds.KEY WORDS: Biomonitoring · Diet · Heavy metals · Mediterranean · Seabird-fisheries interactions Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 64%

Mercury levels in seabirds and their fish prey at the Ebro Delta (NW Mediterranean): the role of trawler discards as a source of contamination

Arcos

Ruíz²,

Bearhop³

et al. 2002

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Persistent Organochlorine Pollutants in Liver of Birds of Different Trophic Levels from Coastal Areas of Campania, Italy

Naso

Perrone

Ferrante

et al. 2003

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Liver samples of 12 species of birds of different trophic levels, collected during the period 1998-2000 from coastal areas of the Campania region, Southern Italy, were analyzed for organochlorine pesticides (OCs), such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), gamma-hexachlorocycloexane (gamma-HCH), aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, and the seven PCB "target" congeners, IUPAC Nos. 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153 and 180. p,p'-DDE was present in all the samples analyzed, at concentrations ranging from 4 to 4504 ng/g wet wt, which were much higher than those found for HCB, dieldrin, and p,p'-DDD. The concentrations of the others OCs were below the detection limit in all the samples. PCBs were found in all the bird species at levels ranging between 6 and 8431 ng/g wet wt. The hepta-, hexa-, and penta-chlorinated congeners 180, 153, 138, and 118 were predominant since, in almost all the species, they contributed to more than 98% of the total seven determined PCBs. No significant differences in mean concentrations of organochlorine pesticides are detected between single species or between species grouped according to their feeding habits (p > 0.05). However, p,p'-DDE levels were higher in carnivorous species than in omnivorous and insectivorous ones (carnivorous > omnivorous > insectivorous). Concentrations of total PCBs were significantly higher in omnivorous birds than in carnivorous (p < 0.01) and insectivorous ones (p < 0.001), whereas carnivorous birds exhibited significantly higher total PCB levels than insectivorous ones (p < 0.01). Marked differences in total PCB concentrations were found also between single species (from p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). Levels of OCs and PCBs were generally below the thresholds known to affect reproduction, however, mean hepatic concentrations of total PCBs in the yellow-legged herring gull (Larus cachinnans), black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus), and kestrel (Falcus tinnunculus) were far higher than those estimated to elicit immunosuppressive effects and possibly increase susceptibility to parasitoses.

show abstract

Variability of Mercury and Selenium Levels in Clutches of Audouin's Gulls (Larus audouinii) Breeding at the Chafarinas Islands, Southwest Mediterranean

Sanpera

Morera

Ruíz

et al. 2000

Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

An assessment of pollutants in eggs of audouin's gull (Larus audouinii), a rare species of the Mediterranean sea

Cited by 11 publications

References 15 publications

Mercury levels in seabirds and their fish prey at the Ebro Delta (NW Mediterranean): the role of trawler discards as a source of contamination

Mercury levels in seabirds and their fish prey at the Ebro Delta (NW Mediterranean): the role of trawler discards as a source of contamination

Persistent Organochlorine Pollutants in Liver of Birds of Different Trophic Levels from Coastal Areas of Campania, Italy

Variability of Mercury and Selenium Levels in Clutches of Audouin's Gulls (Larus audouinii) Breeding at the Chafarinas Islands, Southwest Mediterranean

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About