title: Sex-associated differences in trace metals concentrations in and on the plumage of a common urban bird species.
abstract: Urban areas encompass both favorable and stressful conditions linked with human activities and pollution. Pollutants remain of major ecological importance for synanthropic organisms living in the city. Plumage of urban birds harbour trace metals, which can result from external deposition or from internal accumulation. External and internal plumage concentrations likely differ between specific trace metals, and may further differ between males and females because of potential sex-linked differential urban use, physiology or behaviour. Here, we measured the concentrations in four trace metals (cadmium, copper, lead and zinc) in both unwashed and washed feathers of 49 male and 38 female feral pigeons (Columba livia) from Parisian agglomeration. We found that these concentrations indeed differed between unwashed and washed feathers, between males and females, and for some metals depended on the interaction between these factors. We discuss these results in the light of physiological and behavioural differences between males and females and of spatial repartition of the four trace metals in the city.
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UPEC, Paris 7, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, 7, quai St Bernard, 75005, Paris, France. adrien.frantz@upmc.fr.
authors.forename: Adrien
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frantz
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UPEC, Paris 7, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, 7, quai St Bernard, 75005, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Federici
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UPEC, Paris 7, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, 7, quai St Bernard, 75005, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Legoupi
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UPEC, Paris 7, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, 7, quai St Bernard, 75005, Paris, France.|Univ. Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, CNRS, ENFA, UMR 5174 EDB (Laboratoire Evolution and Diversité Biologique), 31062, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jacquin
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UPEC, Paris 7, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, 7, quai St Bernard, 75005, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gasparini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D010856:Columbidae / Q000378:metabolism*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005241:Feathers / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010297:Paris; D012737:Sex Factors; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D014131:Trace Elements
keywords: Feral pigeon; Plumage; Sex-specific effects; Trace metals; Urban pollution