Maternal transfer of selenium in <i>Alligator mississippiensis</i> nesting downstream from a coal‐burning power plant

Roe, John H.; Hopkins, William A.; Baionno, Jennifer A.; Staub, Brandon P.; Rowe, Christopher L.; Jackson, Brian P.

doi:10.1897/03-520

Cited by 47 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…In the literature, studies on the maternal transfer of Se for reptiles are well documented (Nagle et al, 2001;Hopkins et al, 2004;Roe et al, 2004;Unrine et al, 2006), and present a strong relation between concentration in eggs and concentrations accumulated in female tissue, that is consistent with the results of the present study. Reptilian studies on the remaining elements examined in this study are generally lacking; the only available data come from monitoring studies that only provide contamination in freshly laid eggs, reflecting a potential contamination coming from a maternal transfer (Table 1).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

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Maternal transfer of trace elements in leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) of French Guiana

2008

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a b s t r a c tIn sea turtles, parental investment is limited to the nutrients and energy invested in eggs that will support embryonic development. Leatherback females have the largest clutches with the biggest eggs of the sea turtles and the highest reproductive output in reptiles. The migration between foraging sites and nesting beaches also represents high energy expenditure. The toxicokinetic of pollutants in the tissues is thus expected to vary during those periods but there is a lack of information in reptiles. Concentrations of essential (Copper, Zinc, Selenium) and non-essentials elements (Cadmium, Lead, Mercury) were determined in blood (n = 78) and eggs (n = 76) of 46 free-ranging leatherback females collected in French Guiana. Maternal transfer to eggs and relationships between blood and eggs concentrations during the nesting season were investigated. All trace elements were detectable in both tissues. Levels of toxic metals were lower than essential elements likely due to the high pelagic nature of leatherbacks that seems to limit exposure to toxic elements. Significant relationships between blood and egg concentrations were observed for Se and Cd. Se could have an important role in embryonic development of leatherback turtles and Cd transfer could be linked to similar carrier proteins as Se. Finally, as multiple clutches were sampled from each female, trends in trace elements were investigated along the nesting season. No change was observed in eggs but changes were recorded in blood concentrations of Cu. Cu level decreased while blood Pb levels increased through the nesting season. The high demand on the body during the breeding season seems to affect blood Cu concentrations. Calcium requirement for egg production with concomitant Pb mobilization could explain the increase in blood Pb concentrations along the nesting season.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…In birds, amphibians and reptiles, eggs receive their initial burden with maternal transfer during egg formation (Nagle et al, 2001;Kubota et al, 2002;Roe et al, 2004;Hopkins et al, 2006). Early life stages of oviparous organisms seem to exhibit higher sensitivity to chemical contaminants than adults (Russell et al, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal transfer of trace elements in leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) of French Guiana

2008

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“…Studies have demonstrated that both essential (e.g., Zn, Se, Cu, and Cr) and non-essential elements (e.g., Cd, Pb, and Hg) are deposited in reptile eggs through maternal transfer (Burger 2002;Guirlet et al 2008;Hopkins et al 2004;Roe et al 2004;Tryfonas et al 2006). In the current study, while concentrations of Cr, Cd, and Pb were low in most of the eggs, Cu was measured in all the eggs evaluated.…”

Section: Maternal Transfer Of Heavy Metalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metal accumulation and evaluation of effects in a freshwater turtle

Halbrook

Sparling

et al. 2011

Ecotoxicology

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A variety of contaminants have been detected in aquatic and terrestrial environments around the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP), Kentucky. The presence of these contaminants at the PGDP may pose a risk to biota, yet little is known about the bioaccumulation of contaminants and associated effects in wildlife, especially in aquatic turtles. The current study was initiated to evaluate: (1) the accumulation of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Hg) in aquatic ecosystems associated with the PGDP using red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) as biomonitors; (2) maternal transfer of heavy metals; and (3) potential hematological and immunological effects resulting from metal accumulation. A total of 26 turtles were collected from 7 ponds located south, adjacent, and north of the PGDP. Liver Cu concentrations were significantly different among ponds and Cu concentrations in eggs were positively correlated with female Cu concentrations in kidney. The concentrations of heavy metals measured in turtle tissues and eggs were low and, based on previous studies of reptiles and established avian threshold levels of heavy metals, did not appear to have adverse effects on aquatic turtles inhabiting ponds near the PGDP. However, total white blood cell counts, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, and phytohemagglutinin stimulation index were correlated with metal concentrations. Because other factors may affect the hematological and immunological indices, further investigation is needed to determine if these effects are associated with metal exposure, other contaminants, or disease.

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“…Transfer of metals (such as selenium and mercury) has been observed in some species (e.g., Roe et al 2004), but most attention has focused on persistent synthetic compounds, particularly halogenated compounds such as PCBs and some pesticides. These compounds have received intensive study because their lipophilic properties provide a route of transfer from a female's stored lipids or proximate diet to offspring through yolk or milk, they have a propensity to accumulate to high concentrations in prey items and in female tissues prior to reproduction, and their use and release into the global environment is long-standing, ongoing, and intensive.…”

Section: Physiological and Reproductive Traits And Risks Of Contaminamentioning

confidence: 99%

“The Calamity of So Long Life”: Life Histories, Contaminants, and Potential Emerging Threats to Long-lived Vertebrates

Rowe¹

2008

BioScience

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106

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Articles Reproductive fitness, the probability that an individual will produce viable offspring of equal or greater replacement value, provides an avenue by which environmental influences on individuals transcend to population and higher-order phenomena. Life history strategies represent the suite of traits that optimize reproductive fitness of individuals within the environmental and phylogenetic constraints imposed on the species during its evolutionary history. A species' life history strategy is shaped by trade-offs among alternative, attainable expressions of traits, including (but not limited to) life span; time to maturation; number of lifetime breeding events; and parental investment in offspring number, size or energy content, or care (Stearns 1989, Congdon et al. 2001. The combination of traits and the specific expressions that optimize fitness are unique to a species, yet have classically been broadly categorized as "r-selected" or "K-selected" life history strategies (Pianka 1970). While these categorizations represent theoretical extremes bounding a vast diversity of trait combinations found in nature, and thus no realized life history strategy represents an "ideal" r-or K-selected strategy, the categorizations are conceptually useful for broadly assessing potential environmental influences on fitness resulting from a particular life history strategy.Species that possess r-selected strategies tend to be opportunistic, short-lived, rapid to mature, and semelparous (breeding only once), producing large numbers of small offspring. Such species typically exploit rapidly changing environmental conditions and are capable of establishing populations quickly in novel environments (Pianka 1970). Relative to r-selected species, those employing K-selected life history strategies are long-lived, slow to mature, iteroparous (breeding multiple times), and typically make large per capita parental investments in few offspring during a given breeding event (Pianka 1970). This life history strategy is optimized for environmental conditions that on average are relatively stable over an individual's long reproductive lifetime, yet it is resilient to periodic, stochastic fluctuations in habitat quality that may compromise a given breeding event (a "bet-hedging" strategy; Stearns 1976).Persistent, synthetic contaminants were developed and have been used widely only in the past century, yet already their use has resulted in contamination of habitats on a global scale (e.g., Schwarzenbach et al. 2006). Synthetic compounds such as organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and brominated fire retardants (brominated diphenyl ethers, or BDEs) can persist in the environment for decades, Christopher L. Rowe (e-mail: rowe@cbl.umces.edu

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Maternal transfer of selenium in Alligator mississippiensis nesting downstream from a coal‐burning power plant

Cited by 47 publications

References 36 publications

Maternal transfer of trace elements in leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) of French Guiana

Maternal transfer of trace elements in leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) of French Guiana

Metal accumulation and evaluation of effects in a freshwater turtle

“The Calamity of So Long Life”: Life Histories, Contaminants, and Potential Emerging Threats to Long-lived Vertebrates

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