Artículo
Levels of persistent organic pollutants (PoPs) and the role of anthropic subsidies in the diet of avian scavengers tracked by stable isotopes
Autor/es | Muñoz Arnanz, J.
Cortés Avizanda, Ainara Donázar Aramendía, Iñigo Javier Arrondo, E. Ceballos, O. Colomer Vidal, P. Jiménez, B. Donázar, José A. |
Departamento | Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Zoología |
Fecha de publicación | 2023-12-22 |
Fecha de depósito | 2024-05-24 |
Publicado en |
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Resumen | Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) have been identified as a significant factor driving declines in wildlife populations. These contaminants exhibit a dual tendency to biomagnify up the food chains and persist within ... Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) have been identified as a significant factor driving declines in wildlife populations. These contaminants exhibit a dual tendency to biomagnify up the food chains and persist within tissues, rendering long-lived vertebrates, such as raptors, highly vulnerable to their adverse effects. We assessed the concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in fledglings of two vulture species, the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) and the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), coexisting in northern Spain. Vultures, currently facing a severe threat with a population decline exceeding 90%, represent one of the most critically endangered avian groups in the Old World. Despite this critical situation, there remains a scarcity of research examining the intricate relationship between contaminant levels and individual foraging behaviors. In parallel, we analyzed stable isotope levels (δ15N and δ13C) in fledgling's feathers and prey hair to determine the association between individual dietary and contaminant burdens. Our findings revealed higher levels of PCBs in Egyptian vultures, while pesticide concentrations remained very similar between focal species. Furthermore, higher individual values of δ13C, indicating a diet based on intensive farming carcasses and landfills, were associated with higher levels of PCBs. While the levels of POPs found do not raise immediate alarm, the presence of individuals with unusually high values reveals the existence of accessible contamination sources in the environment for avian scavengers. The increasing reliance of these birds on intensive livestock farming and landfills, due to the decline of extensive livestock farming, necessitates long-term monitoring of potential contaminant effects on their populations. |
Agencias financiadoras | Comunidad de Bardenas Reales de Navarra. España Junta de Andalucía Generalitat Valenciana European Commission (EC). Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICINN). España |
Identificador del proyecto | BR-2015-2022
P18-RT-1321 CGL2015-66966-C2-1-2-R RTI2018-099609-B-C21 FEDER2021_1524 Emergia 2021-1073 FJC2021-047885 |
Cita | Muñoz Arnanz, J., Cortés Avizanda, A., Donázar Aramendía, I.J., Arrondo, E., Ceballos, O., Colomer Vidal, P.,...,Donázar, J.A. (2023). Levels of persistent organic pollutants (PoPs) and the role of anthropic subsidies in the diet of avian scavengers tracked by stable isotopes. Environmental Pollution, 343, 123188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123188. |
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