title: Variable contribution of functional prey groups in diets reveals inter- and intraspecific differences in faecal concentrations of essential and non-essential elements in three sympatric avian aerial insectivores: a re-assessment of usefulness of bird faeces in metal biomonitoring.
abstract: Aerial insectivores through their insect diet can contribute to biotransfer of elements across habitats. We investigate the relationship between dietary composition as expressed by the contributions of six functional invertebrate prey groups (primarily of agriculturally subsidised invertebrates characteristic of agricultural areas in temperate regions of Europe) and concentrations of essential (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Co) and non-essential (As, Cd, Pb) elements of environmental concern in the faeces of nestlings of three species of avian aerial insectivores - Common Swift Apus apus, Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica and House Martin Delichon urbicum - which breed sympatrically and use apparently similar resources of flying insect prey. There were significant differences between the species for 7 of the 12 elements (Ca, Zn, Cu, Co, As, Pb, Cd); these differences were attributable to the variable dietary composition, even though the concentrations of the elements varied enormously between the faecal samples from the individual species. Partial correlation analysis between the biomass (expressed in mg dry weight) of the six functional prey groups and faecal concentrations of elements showed the highest number of significant relationships for toxic metals (As, Pb and Cd). The results of the General Regression Model explaining faecal element concentrations revealed the different explanatory power of the effects of PCA (of six functional prey groups) dietary scores. A significant fit of GRM was obtained for 7 elements (Na, Mg, Fe, Mn, As, Pb, Cd) for Barn Swallows, 2 elements (Cu, As) for House Martins and 1 element (Mn) for Common Swifts. Overall, the results confirmed our predictions that the biomass of consumed coprophilous taxa and insects from crop habitats was positively correlated with the faecal concentrations of toxic elements. Unexpectedly, however, the faecal samples (primarily those of Common Swifts) that contained many oil-seed rape insect pests had lower Ca, Pb and Cd levels and a higher As level. Our study implies that the cross-boundary transfer of contaminants, primarily non-essential elements, by aerially foraging birds through the considerable accumulation of their faeces has potential consequences for the local biogeochemical cycle and environmental quality.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Agricultural and Forest Environment, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bukowska St. 19, PL 60-809 Poznań, Poland. Electronic address: orlog@poczta.onet.pl.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orłowski
authors.affiliation: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Skłodowska-Curie St. 9, PL 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland; University of Zielona Góra, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Prof. Szafran St. 1, PL-65-516 Zielona Góra, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kamiński
authors.affiliation: Department of Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Z. Szafrana St. 1, PL 65-516 Zielona Góra, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Karg
authors.affiliation: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Skłodowska-Curie St. 9, PL 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Jędrzej
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baszyński
authors.affiliation: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Skłodowska-Curie St. 9, PL 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szady-Grad
authors.affiliation: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Skłodowska-Curie St. 9, PL 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koim-Puchowska
authors.affiliation: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Skłodowska-Curie St. 9, PL 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Klawe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D004032:Diet; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals
keywords: Aerial insects; Aerially foraging vertebrates; Faecal deposits; Food chain; Minerals; Oil-seed rape; Toxic elements