Metal levels in the bones and livers of globally threatened marbled teal and white-headed duck from El Hondo, Spain.
El Hondo is a key area for marbled teal and white-headed duck. We present Pb, Cu, Zn, Se, and As data for bone and liver in birds found dead between 1996 and 2001. Several metals were higher in adult white-headed ducks than in marbled teal. They were higher in female than in male white-headed ducks, and did not differ with sex in marbled teal, but did by age. Lead in liver of adults was influenced by Pb shot ingestion, which was detected in 21% of marbled teal and in 71% of white-headed duck. No marbled teal had liver levels indicative of Pb poisoning, while 86% of white-headed ducks did. Selenium, Zn, and Cu were elevated in 13%, 7%, and 39% of birds, respectively. Whilst Pb shot poses the greatest threat to these species, further work should assess exposure via plants, invertebrates, water, and sediments for other metals, and investigate possible sub-lethal effects.
Taggart
Mark A
MA
Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain; School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Cruickshank Bld, St Machar Dr, Aberdeen, Scotland AB24 3UU, UK. Electronic address: Mark.Taggart@uclm.es.
Green
Andy J
AJ
Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, Pabellon del Perú, Avenida Maria Luisa s/n, E-40013 Seville, Spain.
Mateo
Rafael
R
Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
Svanberg
Fredrik
F
Department of Environmental Toxicology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden.
Hillström
Lars
L
Institute of Maths, Natural and Computer Science, University of Gävle, SE-801 76 Gävle, Sweden.
Meharg
Andy A
AA
School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Cruickshank Bld, St Machar Dr, Aberdeen, Scotland AB24 3UU, UK.
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000592:standards; D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis*; D004372:Ducks / Q000145:classification*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D012643:Selenium / Q000032:analysis*; D013030:Spain; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis*
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008670:Metals; D007854:Lead; D003300:Copper; D012643:Selenium; D015032:Zinc