Trace metals and metalloids in Andean flamingos (Phoenicoparrus andinus) and Puna flamingos (P. jamesi) at two wetlands with different risk of exposure in the Bolivian Altiplano

Pacheco, Luis F.; Ayala, G. R.; Varela, Felipe; Arengo, Felicity

doi:10.1007/s10661-021-09340-3

Environ Monit Assess

2021

DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-09340-3

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Trace metals and metalloids in Andean flamingos (Phoenicoparrus andinus) and Puna flamingos (P. jamesi) at two wetlands with different risk of exposure in the Bolivian Altiplano

Luis F. Pacheco

G. R. Ayala²,

Felipe Varela³

et al.

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2024

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Cited by 6 publications

References 48 publications

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Are Metal Concentrations in Lesser Flamingo Eggs and Eggshells Good Indicators of Environmental Pollution?

van Gessellen,

Bouwman

2024

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol

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Metallic elements in excess may cause adverse biological effects. Flamingos, with a lifespan of up to 50 years, are therefore likely to accumulate metals from the highly saline waters where they feed and breed. The concentrations of accumulated metals would be reflected in organs, feathers, and eggs. There are no data available on metals in flamingo egg contents. Concentrations of 24 elements in egg content and eggshells from Lesser Flamingo Pheoniconaias minor breeding at Kamfers Dam South Africa suggest metal pollution, but with considerable variation between eggs, reflecting their nonbreeding, nomadic movements. Strontium in eggshells exceeded toxic reference values. Copper in egg contents suggests reproductive stress. Lower than-expected metal concentrations (especially mercury) in egg contents we attributed to several excretory pathways prior to oogenesis and embryogenesis, thereby protecting the embryo. Molar concentrations of selenium and mercury were not correlated. However, the mean molar ratio of 8.2 suggests a highly protective effect afforded by selenium. Relative compositional differences show that eggshells are not a proxy for egg contents. We highlight previously unrecognised routes of post-hatching pollutant uptake via consumption of eggshells and parental crop milk. The post-hatching development of flamingo chicks may therefore be more susceptible to pollutant disruption compared with embryonic development. We conclude that P. minor eggs are not good indicators of environmental metal pollution, nor does it reflect post-hatching risks. This first report on metal concentrations in egg contents of any flamingo species shows that a more nuanced approach is needed to protect Phoenicopteridae from pollution.

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Are Metal Concentrations in Lesser Flamingo Eggs and Eggshells Good Indicators of Environmental Pollution?

van Gessellen,

Bouwman

2024

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol

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Still standing on one leg: a systematic review of threats, priorities, and conservation perspectives for flamingos (Phoenicopteridae)

Delfino,

Carlos

2024

Biodivers Conserv

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The arid Andean plateau waterscapes and the lithium triangle: flamingos as flagships for conservation of high-altitude wetlands under pressure from mining development

Marconi¹,

Arengo

Clark

2022

Wetlands Ecol Manage

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The high Andean arid plateau extends through Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. Within the desert matrix, basins contain wetlands that provide essential resources for human activity, and habitat for biodiversity highly adapted to extreme temperatures, altitudes, and salinity gradients. In these waterscapes, the water balance, even without human intervention, is negative and their unique biodiversity and lifeways are now confronted with an unprecedented level of development from lithium mining for rechargeable batteries. The “lithium triangle” coincides with the areas of highest abundance of the altiplano’s iconic flamingos. Flamingos are an ideal flagship for conservation because of the landscape scale at which they use wetlands, and Network of Wetlands for Flamingo Conservation, which implies the sustainable use of these wetlands, can be invoked to determine priority conservation actions. Since 2016, mining exploration has increased throughout the region, most notably in Argentina. A review of the Environmental Impact Reports (IIAs) for projects in Catamarca, Argentina, shows that they do not comply with national guidelines: they do not adequately address water budgets, consider protected area status, engage local communities, or consider cumulative and synergistic impacts. While the transition to “green” energy sources holds the promise of mitigating the negative impacts of traditional energy sources responsible for climate change, a truly sustainable energy sector would consider the full life cycle of the battery (“cradle-to-grave”), the social and environmental impacts of mining, and the feedback processes across the coupled socioecological systems, from raw material mining through production, use, recycling, and disposal.

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Trace metals and metalloids in Andean flamingos (Phoenicoparrus andinus) and Puna flamingos (P. jamesi) at two wetlands with different risk of exposure in the Bolivian Altiplano

Cited by 6 publications

References 48 publications

Are Metal Concentrations in Lesser Flamingo Eggs and Eggshells Good Indicators of Environmental Pollution?

Are Metal Concentrations in Lesser Flamingo Eggs and Eggshells Good Indicators of Environmental Pollution?

Still standing on one leg: a systematic review of threats, priorities, and conservation perspectives for flamingos (Phoenicopteridae)

The arid Andean plateau waterscapes and the lithium triangle: flamingos as flagships for conservation of high-altitude wetlands under pressure from mining development

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