Does heavy metal exposure affect the condition of Whitethroat (Sylvia communis) nestlings?

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 25; no. 8; pp. 7758 - 7766
• Main Authors: Turzańska-Pietras, Katarzyna, Chachulska, Justyna, Polechońska, Ludmiła, Borowiec, Marta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-03-2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Newborn - physiology; Anthropogenic factors; Aquatic Pollution; Arsenic; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Bioaccumulation; Birds; Birds - physiology; Body Constitution - drug effects; Body mass; Cadmium; Chromium; Copper; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental science; Food; Heavy metals; Hemoglobin; Industrial areas; Iron; Lead; Metal concentrations; Metals; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Metals, Heavy - toxicity; Nests; Nickel; Organic chemistry; Research Article; Slag; Soil - chemistry; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - toxicity; Sylvia communis; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Zinc; Bird condition; Biomonitoring; Trace elements; Bird excreta; Passerine nestlings; Industrial pollution
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-1064-1

Anthropogenic pollution results in high concentrations of heavy metals in the environment. Due to their persistence and a high potential for bioaccumulation, metals are a real threat for birds breeding in industrial areas. The aim of the present study has been to explore the contents of heavy metals (arsenic As, cadmium Cd, chromium Cr, copper Cu, iron Fe, nickel Ni, lead Pb and zinc Zn) in the excreta of Whitethroat (
Sylvia communis
) nestlings living in polluted environment and to investigate the relationship between these contents and the nestlings’ condition. Excrement samples contained all the studied elements. The contents of arsenic, cadmium, copper and zinc in the excreta of nestlings from nests located close to a slag dump were several times higher than in the soil near the dump, which suggested accumulation in food consumed by the birds. Condition parameters (body mass and haemoglobin concentration) were not related to heavy metal concentrations in the nestlings’ excreta, except of Zn. It is possible that Whitethroats are able to detoxicate heavy metals to a certain extent. Detailed, multi-element analysis of the environment, food and bird tissues or excreta should be performed to explore relations between different chemicals and bird condition.