Metalliferous Mining Pollution and Its Impact on Terrestrial and Semi-terrestrial Vertebrates: A Review

Gil-Jiménez, Esperanza; Lucas, Manuela de; Ferrer, Miguel

doi:10.1007/398_2021_65

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 236 publications

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“…Working with a free-living population of wild northern quolls, we examined associations between Mn exposure and a set of health measures, considering the effects of season and sex, among other parameters. Historically, studies of stress in wildlife have been hampered by the inclusion of only one marker (e.g., glucocorticoids; Romero et al, 2015) or consideration of one of a myriad of biological mediators (Del Giudice et al, 2018; see review by Gil-Jiménez et al, 2021). In the present study, we examined two health measures in addition to glucocorticoid concentrations: immune function as determined by BKC and aging as determined by RTL.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Manganese Exacerbates Seasonal Health Declines in a Suicidally Breeding Mammal

Amir Abdul Nasir,

Niehaus,

Cameron

et al. 2023

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Reproductive costs must be balanced with survival to maximise lifetime reproductive rates; however, some organisms invest in a single, suicidal bout of breeding known as semelparity. The northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) is an endangered marsupial in which males, but not females, are semelparous. Northern quolls living near mining sites on Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory, Australia, accumulate manganese (Mn) in their brains, testes, and hair, and elevated Mn impacts motor performance. Whether Mn is associated with other health declines is yet unknown. Here, we show that male and female northern quolls with higher Mn accumulation had a 20% reduction in immune function and a trend toward reduced cortisol concentrations in hair. The telomere lengths of male quolls did not change pre‐ to post‐breeding, but those with higher Mn levels had longer telomeres; in contrast, the telomeres of females shortened during the breeding season but recovered between the first year and second year of breeding. In addition, the telomeres of quolls that were re‐captured declined at significantly higher rates in quolls with higher Mn between pre‐breeding, breeding, and/or post‐breeding seasons. Future work should determine whether changes in cortisol, immune function, or telomere length affect reproductive output or survival—particularly for semelparous males.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Manganese Exacerbates Seasonal Health Declines in a Suicidally Breeding Mammal

Amir Abdul Nasir,

Niehaus,

Cameron

et al. 2023

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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“…Previous research has identified interspecific differences in tissue lead concentrations in bird populations inhabiting areas with varying levels of soil lead contamination (Beyer et al, 2013;Chapa-Vargas et al, 2010;Gil-Jiménez et al, 2021;Hansen et al, 2011). However, in these studies, a focus at the population level (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…in contaminated versus uncontaminated areas) means that links between soil and blood lead levels are not always established at the scales over which exposure occurs in different bird species. This is often the case in mining and smelting impacted environments where contamination gradients create significant variability in exposure levels over small geographic areas (Entwistle et al, 2019;Gil-Jiménez et al, 2021). At these spatial scales, identifying biochemical and physiological responses to lead exposure amongst different bird species can benefit the monitoring and management of animal populations in lead contaminated ecosystems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blood lead increases and haemoglobin decreases in urban birds along a soil contamination gradient in a mining city

M Gillings,

Ton,

Harris

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Lead contaminated soil is a persistent global threat to the health of animal populations. Nevertheless, links between soil lead and its adverse effects on exposed wildlife remain poorly understood. Here, we explore local geographic patterns of exposure in urban birds along a gradient of lead contamination in Broken Hill, an Australian mining city. Soil lead concentrations are linked to co-located blood lead measurements in rock pigeons (Columba livia), house sparrows (Passer domesticus), crested pigeons (Ocyphaps Lophotes) and white-plumed honeyeaters (Lichenostomus ornatus). Mean blood lead levels were highest in crested pigeons (82.1 µg/dL), followed by rock pigeons (47.8 µg/dL), house sparrows (43.0 µg/dL) and white-plumed honeyeaters (30.3 µg/dL). Blood lead levels in all species declined away from mining areas, the primary source of lead contamination in Broken Hill. Blood lead increased significantly and at the greatest rate relative to soil lead in the three ground foraging species (crested pigeons, house sparrows, rock pigeons). For these species, soil lead concentrations below 200 mg/kg and 900 mg/kg were needed to maintain a median blood lead under the subtoxic (20 µg/dL) and toxic (50 µg/dL) effect thresholds previously identified for some avian species. We also investigated the effects of lead exposure on blood haemoglobin levels as a general measure of physiological condition in birds exposed to different levels of soil lead contamination. Overall, for every 1 µg/dL increase in blood lead, haemoglobin decreased by 0.11 g/L. The rate of this decrease was not significantly different between species, which supports the measurement of haemoglobin as a robust though insensitive measure of physiological condition in chronically lead exposed birds. Our findings reflect the importance of lead contaminated soil as a widespread source of elevated blood lead and supressed haemoglobin levels in birds inhabiting urbanised and mining impacted environments.

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