Related Experiment Videos
Metal and sediment ingestion by dabbling ducks
1US Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD 20708-4041, USA. Nelson_Beyer@usgs.gov
The Science of the Total Environment
|September 3, 1999
Summary
Analyzing wildlife scat and digesta offers a simple method to assess environmental contaminant exposure, particularly for metals like lead, associated with ingested sediment. This approach provides straightforward wildlife exposure data compared to traditional environmental sampling.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Wildlife Biology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Assessing wildlife exposure to environmental contaminants is crucial for ecological health.
- Traditional methods like analyzing soil, water, or tissues can be complex and invasive.
- Chemical analysis of intestinal digesta or scat offers a non-destructive alternative for contaminant exposure assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of analyzing intestinal digesta from waterfowl as a method for estimating wildlife exposure to environmental contaminants.
- To determine the correlation between sediment ingestion and the presence of specific metals in waterfowl digesta.
- To compare sediment ingestion rates among different waterfowl species.
Main Methods:
- Collected intestinal digesta from 47 hunter-killed waterfowl at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge.
- Analyzed digesta for aluminum (Al) concentrations as a marker for sediment content.
- Used Spearman's rank correlation to assess relationships between Al and metal concentrations (Cr, V, Ni, Pb).
Main Results:
- Waterfowl digesta averaged approximately 2.4% sediment, indicated by Al concentrations.
- Al concentrations were significantly correlated with Cr, V, Ni, and Pb, suggesting sediment-associated metal ingestion.
- American widgeon ingested sediment at a higher rate than other dabbling duck species.
- One American black duck digesta sample showed elevated lead, likely from lead shot.
Conclusions:
- Chemical analysis of wildlife digesta is a promising, straightforward, and inexpensive method for assessing exposure to poorly absorbed environmental contaminants like sediment-associated metals.
- This approach provides valuable insights into wildlife exposure pathways and can inform habitat contaminant assessments.
- Further widespread use of scat and digesta analysis is recommended for biologists and resource managers.