Lead exposure and biological effects in pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) before and after the closure of a lead mine in northern Sweden

Sammanfattning

Mining activities affect the surrounding environment by increasing exposure to metals. In this study, metal accumulation and its effects on reproduction and health of pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) nestlings were monitored before and up to five years after a lead mine and enrichment plant closed down. The lead concentration in moss, nestling blood, liver and feces all indicated decreased lead exposure by at least 31% after closure, although only blood lead decreased significantly. Although the birds responded fairly well to the changed atmospheric deposition (based on moss samples), concentrations were still higher compared with birds in a reference area, and breeding was affected at the mine (smaller clutches and higher mortality). Surviving nestlings suffered from lower hemoglobin levels, mean cell hemoglobin concentrations and inhibited delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity. Lead poisoning contributed to poor health and adverse reproductive effects, but other factors (e.g. increased parasitic load) probably also affected the birds. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nyckelord

Lead; Mine; Passerine bird; Breeding; Health

Publicerad i

Environmental Pollution
2010, volym: 158, nummer: 5, sidor: 1368-1375
Utgivare: ELSEVIER SCI LTD

SLU författare

• Ingvarsson, Pär

  • Umeå Universitet

UKÄ forskningsämne

Farmakologi och toxikologi
Ekologi

Publikationens identifierare

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2010.01.005

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/84116