Intra-clutch and inter-colony variability in element concentrations in eggshells of the black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus, in northern Poland

Abstract

Eggshells are good bioindicators of environmental contamination, and therefore, the concentrations of 17 trace elements in 87 eggshells of black-headed gulls, Chroicocephalus ridibundus, were determined in five breeding colonies in an area dominated by farmland in northern Poland. The intra-clutch variability in the eggshell concentrations of heavy metals and other elements was also investigated, and the concentrations of the elements showed the following pattern: Ca > Mg > Sr > Fe > Zn > Al > Cr > Se > Mn > Cu > Pb > As > Ni > Mo = V > Sc > Cd. The concentrations of Fe, Al, and Mn decreased with the order in which the eggs were laid, but Sr concentrations increased. In contrast, the concentration of Cu significantly increased with the laying date. The concentrations of all elements significantly differed among the studied colonies; the highest concentration of eight elements was found in the eggshells from the Kusowo colony, which may have resulted from the intensive use of fertilizers, manure, and slurry in the surrounding agricultural region. The concentrations of Mg, Sr, and Zn in the eggshells from Skoki Duże were higher than those of the other studied colonies, which may have occurred because the gulls were nesting in a functioning gravel pit; soil and the parent rock are natural reservoirs of these elements. The observed element levels indicate that the environment where the black-headed gull eggs were formed, i.e., primarily near the breeding colonies, remains in a relatively unpolluted state, which was reflected by the low levels of Cd, Ni, and Pb and the lack of measurable levels of Hg.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11356-017-8635-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Lead (Pb) in the tissues of Anatidae, Ardeidae, Sternidae and Laridae of the Northern Hemisphere: a review of environmental studies

“…In the case of the common tern ( Sterna hirundo ) in Axios Delta (Greece), lead concentration was 0.249 μg/g dw (Goutner et al 2001 ). In eggshells of the black-headed gull ( Chroicocephalus ridibundus ) in northern Poland, the concentration of lead ranged from 0.4 ± 0.1 to 0.7 ± 0.8 μg/g dw, depending on the egg collection site (Kitowski et al 2017 ).…”

Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance of Campylobacter spp. in Urban and Rural Black-Headed Gulls Chroicocephalus ridibundus

“…In 2015-2016, 330-350 pairs of black-headed gulls bred in the Bydg-IND colony, 120 pairs in Bydg-REC and 880-1200 pairs in Kusowo. The extent of anthropogenic pressure, physiographic characteristics of the areas surrounding the breeding sites and detailed information about the study area were described by Kitowski et al (2017) and Indykiewicz et al (2018a).…”

Inter-species and inter-colony differences in elemental concentrations in eggshells of sympatrically nesting great cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo and grey herons Ardea cinerea

“…Gregariously nesting waterbirds provide an opportunity to collect various samples, including eggs, from many individuals and species at once. Avian post-hatching eggshells are commonly used in bio-indication and environmental monitoring studies (Khademi et al 2015 ; Simonetti et al 2015 ; Kitowski et al 2017 ), as they can be collected non-invasively in breeding colonies. During egg formation, some contaminants are removed from the female body and are sequestered in the eggs, including the shells (Orlowski et al 2014 ; Orlowski et al 2016 ; Luo et al 2016 ).…”