Stress behaviour and physiology of developing Arctic barnacle goslings (
            <i>Branta leucopsis</i>
            ) is affected by legacy trace contaminants

Scheiber, Isabella B. R.; Weiß, B.; Jong, Margje E. de; Braun, Anna; Brink, Nico W. van den; Loonen, Maarten J. J. E.; Millesi, Eva; Komdeur, Jan

doi:10.1098/rspb.2018.1866

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Indeed, there is already evidence that exposure to endocrine‐disrupting contaminants interferes with the normal behavioural and physiological responses to acute stress in Svalbard Barnacle Geese; individuals exposed to trace metals at coal‐mining sites were found to erratically increase CORT secretion during subsequent stress tests (Scheiber et al . 2018). The effects of environmental change are evident in other systems: Carolina Chickadees Poecile carolinensis in forest disturbed by logging had elevated CORT and lower body mass compared with chickadees from undisturbed forest (Lucas et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moulting season corticosterone correlates with winter season bodyweight in an Arctic migrant bird

Doyle

Cabot

Furlong

et al. 2020

Ibis

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In vertebrates, the endocrine system translates environmental changes into physiological responses on which natural selection can act to regulate individual fitness and, ultimately, population dynamics. Corticosterone (CORT) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) are important regulators of the avian endocrine system but relatively few studies have investigated their downstream effects on key morphological fitness‐related traits in free‐living populations. This study quantified endocrine–morphology relationships in free‐living Greenland Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis that breed in the high Arctic. CORT and DHEA were extracted from feather and blood samples and tested for relationships with three morphological traits associated with survival and reproduction: bodyweight, body size and facial plumage coloration. We expected CORT concentration to be higher in birds with less favourable morphological traits (i.e. lighter, smaller and less attractive) and DHEA to be higher in birds with more favourable traits (i.e. heavier, bigger and more attractive). As expected, individuals with higher CORT during the post‐breeding moult (July/August) had significantly lower bodyweight during the following winter (November–April). In contrast, we found no robust DHEA–morphology relationships and no statistically significant relationship between CORT and body size or facial plumage. Overall, this study provides evidence of a negative relationship between CORT and bodyweight extending across different seasons of the annual cycle in a long‐distance migrant. This is of particular interest because bodyweight fluctuates rapidly in response to environmental resources and is closely linked to both survival and reproductive success in this species. Understanding the relationship between CORT and key morphological traits is important because endocrine‐disrupting contaminants in the Arctic increasingly interfere with CORT function in birds, including Barnacle Geese, and based on the results of this study may have consequences for bodyweight regulation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moulting season corticosterone correlates with winter season bodyweight in an Arctic migrant bird

Doyle

Cabot

Furlong

et al. 2020

Ibis

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“…Concentrations of Hg in soil and vegetation are also significantly higher in the vicinity of mine sites compared with more distant areas (van den . Experiments with captive barnacle goose goslings showed significant effects of trace elements from coal mining on stress physiology and behavior (Scheiber et al 2018). Microplastics and other pollutants have also recently been documented in both marine and freshwater ecosystems close to Ny-Ålesund (Iannilli et al 2019;González-Pleiter et al 2020;von Friesen et al 2020).…”

Section: Local Pollutionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Five decades of terrestrial and freshwater research at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard

Pedersen¹,

Convey²,

Newsham³

et al. 2022

Polar Research

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For more than five decades, research has been conducted at Ny-Ålesund, in Svalbard, Norway, to understand the structure and functioning of High-Arctic ecosystems and the profound impacts on them of environmental change. Terrestrial, freshwater, glacial and marine ecosystems are accessible year-round from Ny-Ålesund, providing unique opportunities for interdisciplinary observational and experimental studies along physical, chemical, hydrological and climatic gradients. Here, we synthesize terrestrial and freshwater research at Ny-Ålesund and review current knowledge of biodiversity patterns, species population dynamics and interactions, ecosystem processes, biogeochemical cycles and anthropogenic impacts. There is now strong evidence of past and ongoing biotic changes caused by climate change, including negative effects on populations of many taxa and impacts of rain-on-snow events across multiple trophic levels. While species-level characteristics and responses are well understood for macro-organisms, major knowledge gaps exist for microbes, invertebrates and ecosystem-level processes. In order to fill current knowledge gaps, we recommend (1) maintaining monitoring efforts, while establishing a long-term ecosystem-based monitoring programme; (2) gaining a mechanistic understanding of environmental change impacts on processes and linkages in food webs; (3) identifying trophic interactions and cascades across ecosystems; and (4) integrating long-term data on microbial, invertebrate and freshwater communities, along with measurements of carbon and nutrient fluxes among soils, atmosphere, freshwaters and the marine environment. The synthesis here shows that the Ny-Ålesund study system has the characteristics needed to fill these gaps in knowledge, thereby enhancing our understanding of High-Arctic ecosystems and their responses to environmental variability and change.

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“…In an earlier study, an experiment was conducted in 2014 with barnacle goslings (B. leucopsis) as a model of Arctic migratory species in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, to investigate the effects of legacy mercury from historical mining activities and social isolation on baseline immunity, neurological responses, and stress behavior. ,, Environmental Hg exposure by herding goslings in the historical mining area did not affect their baseline immunity, i.e., in nonchallenged birds . However, to evaluate the overall effects of Hg exposure on the immune system, not only the baseline immunity but also the immune responses upon challenge should be evaluated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury-Modulated Immune Responses in Arctic Barnacle Goslings (Branta leucopsis) upon a Viral-Like Immune Challenge

Han

Berg

Loonen

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Historical mining activities in Svalbard (79°N/12°E) have caused local mercury (Hg) contamination. To address the potential immunomodulatory effects of environmental Hg on Arctic organisms, we collected newborn barnacle goslings (Branta leucopsis) and herded them in either a control or mining site, differing in Hg levels. An additional group at the mining site was exposed to extra inorganic Hg(II) via supplementary feed. Hepatic total Hg concentrations differed significantly between the control (0.011 ± 0.002 mg/kg dw), mine (0.043 ± 0.011 mg/kg dw), and supplementary feed (0.713 ± 0.137 mg/kg dw) gosling groups (average ± standard deviation). Upon immune challenge with double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) injection, endpoints for immune responses and oxidative stress were measured after 24 h. Our results indicated that Hg exposure modulated the immune responses in Arctic barnacle goslings upon a viral-like immune challenge. Increased exposure to both environmental as well as supplemental Hg reduced the level of natural antibodies, suggesting impaired humoral immunity. Hg exposure upregulated the expression of proinflammatory genes in the spleen, including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin 18 (IL18), suggesting Hg-induced inflammatory effects. Exposure to Hg also oxidized glutathione (GSH) to glutathione disulfide (GSSG); however, goslings were capable of maintaining the redox balance by de novo synthesis of GSH. These adverse effects on the immune responses indicated that even exposure to low, environmentally relevant levels of Hg might affect immune competence at the individual level and might even increase the susceptibility of the population to infections.

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Stress behaviour and physiology of developing Arctic barnacle goslings ( Branta leucopsis ) is affected by legacy trace contaminants

Cited by 5 publications

References 44 publications

Moulting season corticosterone correlates with winter season bodyweight in an Arctic migrant bird

Moulting season corticosterone correlates with winter season bodyweight in an Arctic migrant bird

Five decades of terrestrial and freshwater research at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard

Mercury-Modulated Immune Responses in Arctic Barnacle Goslings (Branta leucopsis) upon a Viral-Like Immune Challenge

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