Egg shell characteristics and incidence of shell breakage for grey herons Ardea cinerea exposed to environmental pollutants

Cooke, A. S.; Bell, A.A.; Prestt, Ian

doi:10.1016/0013-9327(76)90006-9

Cited by 35 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…For light microscope studies, pieces of shell were embedded in methylmethacrylate and either thin sections or cellulose acetate peels of acid-etched faces were prepared using methods similar to those employed for avian egg shells (Cooke, 1975;Cooke, Bell & Prestt, 1976). Shell structure was also studied using a Cambridge Stereoscan electron microscope Mark IIA.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The use of shell features in age determination of juvenile and adult Roman snails Helix pomatia

1977

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Features of the shell which can be used for aging Roman snails Helix pomatia L. are described. Field evidence suggests that growth breaks in the shell correspond to resting periods during the winter in the juvenile phase of shell growth. The microstructure of the shell is described and the structure of the juvenile breaks and layering in the lip of the adult snail are shown to be similar. It is concluded that the two are analogous, that the layers at the lip are annual, and that it is theoretically possible to trace the adult shell back to the year of hatching. In practice, errors may be made in recording, but the method can be of great value in population studies.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The use of shell features in age determination of juvenile and adult Roman snails Helix pomatia

1977

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“…Waterways and fish also became seriously contaminated by persistent pesticides. Herons accumulated considerable residues (Cooke, Bell & Haas, 1982), causing deaths and sublethal effects (Cooke, Bell & Prestt, 1976). Residue concentrations were highest in the Wheat Bulb Fly area of South East England.…”

Section: Djjefleries P a Morris Andj E Mulleneuxmentioning

confidence: 99%

An enquiry into the changing status of the Water Vole Arvicola terrestris in Britain

1989

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An enquiry was conducted into the changing status of the Water Vole Arvicola terrestris in Britain using an analysis of the data contained in County Mammal Reports. These were supplemented by a questionnaire survey and site descriptions from the Waterways Bird Survey organized by the British Trust for Ornithology. There was close conformity between the results obtained from these differing sources. There are indications that the Water Vole population has suffered a long-term decline this century, possibly due to adverse habitat changes. Pollution of rivers in the 1950s by organochlorine insecticides, compounded in the 1960s and '70s by the spread of the introduced American Mink Mustelu vison have apparently exacerbated the situation in recent years. All sources agreed that predation by Mink was considered to be the most important single threat to the Water Vole population. An objective survey is required to form the basis for a conservation plan and future monitoring of the Water Vole's status.

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“…Acetate peels of etched radial faces were prepared as described by Cooke, Bell & Prestt (1976), the etching regime being 10% HCI for 2-5 seconds. For each shell, the thickness of each component layer (see Plate I(a) and I(b)) was measured in ten places on the replica.…”

Section: Replica Techniquementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This paper reports on certain modifications in the modern shells associated with shell thinning. First, structural changes were determined, because knowledge of how thin shells differ from normal ones provides information on mechanisms involved in egg shell thinning (see Cooke, 1975;Cooke, Bell & Prestt, 1976). Secondly, relationships between egg shell thickness and strength were investigated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in egg shell characteristics of the Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) and Peregrine (Falco peregrinus) associated with exposure to environmental pollutants during recent decades

Cooke

1979

Journal of Zoology

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In Britain since the late 1940s, the Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) and Peregrine (Falco peregrinus) have laid eggs with unusually thin shells. DDT and its metabolites have been blamed. This paper reports how various properties of modern shells differ from those of older shells of normal thickness. For the shells of both species, there were roughly proportional reductions in thickness of the two main component layers, the mammillary and palisade layers, suggesting that thin shells resulted from a decreased rate of deposition. In addition, in modern Sparrowhawk shells, the resistant surface layer was especially deficient perhaps due to a further reduction in deposition rate or to slight premature termination. Shell thinning was associated with a proportionately greater decrease in shell strength. For the Peregrine, porosity, measured as the rate of passage of water vapour, was lower for the thin shells than for normal shells. This difference could not be explained by a change in the area of the pore channels, since the modern shells did not have fewer pores and the pore channels were the same size and shape in the two samples of shells. However, in the thin shells of both species, mammillae height increased relative to mammillary layer thickness, and in the Peregrine shells the extent of this increase was related to the change in porosity.

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Egg shell characteristics and incidence of shell breakage for grey herons Ardea cinerea exposed to environmental pollutants

Cited by 35 publications

References 21 publications

The use of shell features in age determination of juvenile and adult Roman snails Helix pomatia

The use of shell features in age determination of juvenile and adult Roman snails Helix pomatia

An enquiry into the changing status of the Water Vole Arvicola terrestris in Britain

Changes in egg shell characteristics of the Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) and Peregrine (Falco peregrinus) associated with exposure to environmental pollutants during recent decades

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