title: Blood biochemistry reveals malnutrition in black-necked swans (Cygnus melanocoryphus) living in a conservation priority area.
abstract: The application of clinical biochemical techniques to determine the products of intermediary metabolism has proved to be a reliable approach for the study of the physiological state of animals in nature. More specifically, the determination of plasma metabolites, such as glucose, total proteins (PRO), albumin (ALB), globulins (GL), urea, uric acid, triglycerides (TG) and beta-hydroxy-butyrate (BHB), and plasma enzymes such as creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in wild animals is a valuable possibility for a non-destructive assessment of health in endangered populations. Since August 2004 to January 2005, we conducted a temporal study in a conservation priority site, the "Carlos Anwandter Nature Sanctuary" to determine blood biochemistry of a wild population of black-necked swans (Cygnus melanocoryphus). This population was experiencing a drastic reduction, according to the actual knowledge about yearly fluctuations in numbers and breeding pairs. In six months, we periodically sampled about 12 swans (a total of 122 individuals), which exhibited a reduction near 30% in body mass (body mass corrected by total length). Our results showed reductions in most plasma biochemical parameters (glucose, PRO, ALB, uric acid, TG) and increase in BHB, which taken together indicated signs of chronic malnutrition. Also, the increase in AST and CK that we found, together with additional evidences of sub-lethal hepatic damage (in dead individuals), and iron pollution in aquatic plants and water confirmed that water pollution was the ultimate cause of this population reduction.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Artacho
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soto-Gamboa
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verdugo
authors.forename: Roberto F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Nespolo
mesh_terms: D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D046090:Anseriformes / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007501:Iron / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000662:veterinary*; D010944:Plants / Q000187:drug effects; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D012712:Serum Globulins / Q000378:metabolism; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D001798:Blood Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D012712:Serum Globulins; D014280:Triglycerides; D014527:Uric Acid; D007501:Iron; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid