The Snow Vole and Tatra Marmot as Different Rodent Bioindicators of Lead Pollution in an Alpine Environment: A Hibernation Effect

Abstract

Alpine ecosystems are the main accumulation sites of trace metals from the atmosphere [1-2]. According to studies on alpine-like sediments in the Eastern Tibetan Plateau, anthropogenic metals began to appear around 1950, significantly increased in the 1980s, and peaked in the mid-1990s. Over 80% of Cd, Pb and Zn were quantified from anthropogenic emissions in atmospheric deposition since the mid-1990s atmosphere [3]. In Europe, the Western Carpathians are one of the most lead-polluted alpine regions [4]. Seasonal fluctuations in the lead concentrations in foliar parts of alpine plants and bones of feral pigeons have been recorded, with values higher in winter and early spring months than in summer months [1, 5-6]. In general, the presence of heavy metals in organisms shows the bioavailability of these heavy metals, which accumulate in plant parts and then subsequently are absorbed by animals. Prolonged

Comparison of Element Concentrations (Ba, Mn, Pb, Sr, Zn) in the Bones and Teeth of Wild Ruminants from the West Carpathians and the Tian-Shan Mountains as Indicators of Air Pollution

“…Potential sources of heavy metals in the Tatra mountains may be northern Moravia in the Czech Republic and the Małopolska district in southern Poland with Zn-Pb mines and smelters [48][49][50][51]. In addition, our previous studies show high levels of Zn were found in the bones and teeth of Tatra marmots, with this element being detected in all samples [38,52]. In a study of snow voles from the Tatra mountains, Zn was also found in all samples, and the mean amount of Zn in bone tissues was 72.49 ppm ± 24.76 [53].…”

“…Due to weathering and hydrologic cycles, Sr from these rocks penetrates into soils, plants, and subsequently into animal skeletons [61]. In bones, Sr is highly related to P content [38]. It was found that Sr in bones decreases as dietary phosphorus increases [62].…”

“…Limits of detection for each measured metal were determined from samples, in which the content of this metal was at the limit of detection. The minimum content of a particular element represented the current detection limit of the spectrometer for the measured material [38]. The minimum values are presented in Table 1 for the Tian-Shan and in the Table 2 for the West Carpathians.…”

Identification of the factors determining the concentration and spatial distribution of Zn, Pb and Cd in the soils of the non-forest Tatra Mountains (southern Poland)

“…Concentrations of Pb and Cd in Vaccinium myrtillus, Luzula luzuloides and Dryopteris dilatata have mostly been found to exceed the limits of the natural occurrence of these elements in plants (Ciriaková, 2009 ). The alpine biota in the Tatras is probably under permanent, long-term stress from exposure to TMs, as suggested by the excessive amounts of Zn, Pb and Cd reported from the skulls, bones, and teeth of wild animals, such as snow voles, Tatra marmots and chamois (Ballová et al, 2019 ; Janiga & Haas, 2018 ; Janiga et al, 2019 ). However, the pollution of the TNP environment is primarily a sad remnant of the strong development of heavy industry and mining in Poland in the 1970s, with influxes of pollutants also taking place in later years.…”

The vertebrate bone hypothesis: Understanding the impact of bone on vertebrate stoichiometry

“…interecosystem nutrient transfer, high consumption rates and large body sizes; e.g. El-Sabaawi, 2017;Janetski et al, 2009;May & El-Sabaawi, 2022) and the major declines in vertebrate diversity and abundance in recent history (e.g. Hoffmann et al, 2010;Kiesecker et al, 2001;Rodrigues et al, 2014), this is essential.…”