Roe deer <i>Capreolus capreolus</i> as an accumulative bioindicator of heavy metals in Slovenia

Abstract

Roe deer <i>Capreolus capreolus</i> has often been mentioned in the literature as a good bioindicator of environmental pollution. To find out the levels of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg, As, Zn) in roe deer tissues, this research project was begun near metallurgic and electricity generating centres of Slovenia in 1997. The results of the first sampling year reveal that metal burdens are the highest in the Koro&scaron;ka region, an industrial area in the northern part of Slovenia with a centuries-old tradition of mining and processing of lead ore. Levels (expressed on a wet weight basis) of Cd (2.91 ± 2.92, 7.13 ± 4.43 and 22.7 ± 8.92 mg kg^&minus;1 for fawns, yearlings and adults, respectively), As (0.23 ± 0.03 mg kg^&minus;1) and Zn (47.1 ± 8.26 mg kg^&minus;1) in kidneys as well as levels of Pb (0.71 ± 0.65 mg kg^&minus;1) in liver of animals shot in the Koro&scaron;ka region significantly exceed the levels measured in other Slovenian regions. On the contrary, metal levels in viscera of roe deer from the &Scaron;alek Valley (where the major Slovene power plant of &Scaron;o&scaron;tanj is located) are low (0.14 ± 0.01, 38.2 ± 4.39 and 0.02 ± 0.03 mg kg^&minus;1 for As, Zn and Hg in kidney; 0.21 ± 0.04 mg kg^&minus;1 for Pb in liver, respectively). Relatively high levels of Hg (0.23 ± 0.09 mg kg^&minus;1; six- to tenfold higher compared to other areas of interest) in kidneys and Pb (0.55 ± 0.13 mg kg^&minus;1) in liver of animals shot in the control area of the Triglav National Park, which represents the area without any local emission sources, demonstrate the possibility that animals are being exposed to contaminants that we would not have expected from other data. Consequently, the value of roe deer as an accumulative bioindicator of environmental pollution with heavy metals is clearly confirmed

The bioaccumulation of lead in the organs of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.), red deer (Cervus elaphus L.), and wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) from Poland

“…In European countries, the situation of the lead content in game animal (roe deer, red deer, and wild boar) organs is diverse. A higher (1.5×) lead content in the livers of roe deer, compared to our results, was observed by Pokorny (2000) and Pokorny and Ribarič-Lasnik (2000) in different regions of Slovenia. Oppositely, a lower (3.5×) Pb concentration in the roe deer livers was noted by Kottferová and Koréneková (1998) in Slovakia, while in the case of the kidneys, the difference was much less (over 1.5×) ( Table 4).…”

“…Game animals are considered good indicators of environment contamination, as they remain in natural habitats all life long, and accordingly, it influences their health status (Skibniewski et al 2015;Wieczorek-Dąbrowska et al 2013;Bilandžic et al 2012;Garcia et al 2011;Rudy 2010;Bilandžic et al 2010;Kalisińska et al 2003;Kucharczak et al 2003;Szkoda and Żmudzki 2001;Pokorny 2000;Żarski et al 1994;Michalska and Żmudzki 1992).…”

Bullet-derived lead in tissues of the wild boar (Sus scrofa) and red deer (Cervus elaphus)

“…An equally serious problem is presented by bullet-derived lead contamination of large game carcasses. Monitoring of lead contents in tissues of large game (wild boar, red deer, roe deer, fallow deer) frequently showed surprisingly high and apparently unexplainable lead levels, exceeding the admissible contents several tens or-on occasion-several hundred-fold (Kock et al 1989;Wolkers et al 1994;Santiago et al 1998;Pokorny 2000;Dobrowolska and Melosik 2002;Piskorova et al 2003;Kramarova et al 2005;Lazarus et al 2005).…”

Roe and red deer as bioindicators of heavy metals contamination in north-western Poland

“…The use of direct methods, in which the concentration of elements or their compounds is determined in air, soil and water, does not fully reflect the degree of the threat to humans and animals. For this reason, measurements of chemical residues in soft and/or hard tissues of animals inhabiting specific habitats are of growing importance for environmental studies [6][7][8]. Biological methods that include bioindicators are used to determine the effect of harmful substances on living organisms.…”