Exposure and effects of chemical contaminants on tree swallows nesting along the Housatonic River, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, USA, 1998–2000

Abstract

Hatching success of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) was assessed for three years in relation to chemical contamination along the Housatonic River, Berkshire County (MA, USA), in 1998, 1999, and 2000. Nest boxes were erected at five sites along the Housatonic River and its tributaries and at one reference location. Concentrations of total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were some of the highest ever reported in bird eggs. Mean concentrations at sites along the Housatonic River ranged between 32 and 101 microg/g wet weight. A significant negative relationship was observed between concentrations of total PCBs in clutches and hatching success. A significant negative relationship was also observed between hatching success and the sum of the total dioxins and furans and the associated toxic equivalents (TEQs) for dioxins and furans. In a combined model with PCB TEQs and dioxin/furan TEQs, PCB TEQs were not significantly correlated to hatching success, whereas dioxin/furan TEQs were. Contamination of tree swallows was from local food sources. Accumulation rates of total PCBs in 12-d-old nestlings averaged between 34 and 76 microg/d at the sites along the main stem of the Housatonic River compared to <1 microg/d at the reference location.

Dietary exposure of three passerine species to PCDD/DFs from the Chippewa, Tittabawassee, and Saginaw River floodplains, Midland, Michigan, USA

“…Stomach contents from tree swallow nestlings and pipers from the Woonasquatucket River floodplain contained 71 to 219 ng/kg ww 2,3,7,8-TCDD (Custer et al 2005), while samples from the primarily PCBcontaminated Housatonic River area (Custer et al 2003) had only a few PCDD/DF congeners with detectable concentrations (2,3,7,1,2,3,7,1,2,3,4,6,7,(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30) ng/kg ww). Tree swallows primarily exposed to PCBs in southern Illinois had dietary TEQ WHO−Avian concentrations that ranged from 0.52 to 35 ng/kg ww for food web samples and averaged 4.4 ng/kg ww in stomach contents (Maul et al 2006).…”

“…Site-specific dietary composition is related to the prevailing invertebrate abundance (Custer et al 2005;Echols et al 2004;Neigh et al 2006a;Nichols et al 1995;Quinney and Ankney 1985;Smits et al 2005;Wayland et al 1998) and the timing of nest initiation (Custer et al 1998;Maul et al 2006;Papp et al 2007), especially for tree swallows that prey primarily on emergent aquatic invertebrates to feed nestlings (Blancher and McNicol 1991;Johnson and Lombardo 2000;McCarty and Winkler 1999). Site-specific residue concentrations in egg and nestling tissues have been studied for a variety of chlorinated hydrocarbons and species (Ankley et al 1993;Bishop et al 1995;Custer et al 1998Custer et al , 2003Custer et al , 2005Froese et al 1998;Henning et al 2003;Neigh et al 2006a, b, c;Spears et al 2008). Fewer studies have investigated accumulation via the diet or determined uptake rates Nichols et al 1995Nichols et al , 2004.…”

Exposure and Multiple Lines of Evidence Assessment of Risk for PCBs Found in the Diets of Passerine Birds at the Kalamazoo River Superfund Site, Michigan

“…Exposures to PCBs and the potential effects of these exposures on passerine birds have been examined in several aquatic ecosystems (Custer et al 1998;Bishop et al 1999;McCarty and Secord 1999;Custer et al 2003), but the effects on species exposed through terrestrial food webs have been less well documented. Even fewer studies have evaluated differential accumulations of PCBs by wildlife from contaminated media with the same point of origin but environmentally weathered in substantially different ways.…”

“…Detailed results of the top-down approach, including tissue concentrations and measurements of reproductive fitness, are presented elsewhere (Neigh et al 2006a,b), but the degree of concordance between the top-down and bottom-up approaches is evaluated in this article. Specific measurement endpoint comparisons include (1) estimate of exposure and subsequent risk calculation for four passerine species based on dietary exposure; (2) comparisons of measured site-specific dietary exposure to dietary exposures derived from a literature based diet; (3) the contributions of terrestrial and aquatic food web-based exposures as related to generalized feeding guilds; (4) tissue-based exposure assessments; (5) species productivity; (6) and hazard quotients based on the total concentration of PCBs and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p -dioxin (TCDD) equivalents (TEQs) of the PCB exposure mixture.Exposures to PCBs and the potential effects of these exposures on passerine birds have been examined in several aquatic ecosystems (Custer et al 1998;Bishop et al 1999;McCarty and Secord 1999;Custer et al 2003), but the effects on species exposed through terrestrial food webs have been less well documented. Even fewer studies have evaluated differential accumulations of PCBs by wildlife from contaminated media with the same point of origin but environmentally weathered in substantially different ways.…”

Steroids in house sparrows (Passer domesticus): Effects of POPs and male quality signalling

“…The fact that HCB is still detected in 14 animal tissue despite EUs ban of HCB use indicates its persistence in the environment, as a byproduct from production of various chlorine-containing chemicals and as an impurity in several pesticides (Bailey, 2001). In addition, OCP levels in the present study were well below levels associated with toxic effects on reproduction in the most sensitive avian species (Custer et al, 2003) and are expected due to little application of pesticides at Leka.…”