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BIRD EGGS as indicator for local pollution and trend analysis

BIRD EGGS as indicator for local pollution and trend analysis. Peter H. Becker Institut für Vogelforschung „Vogelwarte Helgoland“ Wilhelmshaven. Σ PCB ( μg/g Fettgewicht). Becker & Bruhn 2003. Species. Dose-dependent response: Seabirds indicate the contamination

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BIRD EGGS as indicator for local pollution and trend analysis

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  1. BIRD EGGS as indicator for local pollution and trend analysis Peter H. Becker Institut für Vogelforschung „Vogelwarte Helgoland“ Wilhelmshaven

  2. Σ PCB (μg/g Fettgewicht) Becker & Bruhn 2003 Species

  3. Dose-dependent response: Seabirds indicate the contamination of their prey and of the marine environment Seabirds at the top of the food web: BIOINDICATORS

  4. Mercury PCB concentration in Common Tern eggs (ng·g-1 fresh weight) Annual load Elbe (kg· year-1) HCB Becker et al. (1991)

  5. Herring, muscle Guillemot, egg Year ΣDDT (mg/kg fat weight) in Guillemots (eggs) and herring (muscle) from the Baltic Sea (Bignert et al. 1995)

  6. Seabirds integrate the environmental situation across sea areas Common Tern: Radius of foraging flights in the breeding season: 6.3 km Peter H. Becker

  7. Courtship Feeding in the Common Tern

  8. Bird Eggs as Matrix for Monitoring Chemicals: ADVANTAGES • originate from a defined area and year • reflect the contamination of breeding females • (healthy and reproductive part of the population) • being restricted to the breeding season, the seasonal variation • in chemical‘s levels is reduced • not necessary to kill adults • sampling takes little time • easy to handle • consistent composition compared with tissues • high lipid content (accumulation of lipophilous persistent compounds) • during the egg and early chick stage birds react sensitively to • toxic chemicals • relationships between contaminants, eggshell quality and • hatching success can be studied • controlled experiments in the laboratory are possible

  9. Bird Eggs as Matrix for Monitoring Chemicals: DISADVANTAGES • representative of only a part of the population and the year • some heavy metals are not accumulated in the egg (cadmium, lead)

  10. ______________________________________ Environmental Chemicals in Seabird Eggs analyzed in TMAP___________________________________________________ Industrial Chemicals Mercury catalyst, seed disinfection; banned in 1982 HCB byproduct OC-production fungicide, banned in 1980 PCB soft maker, in transformers, condensers, (62 - incl. coplanar - hydraulic oil; banned in 1989 congeners) Insecticides DDTand metabolites (p,p’-) banned in 1972 HCH-Isomeres(-, -, -HCH) technical HCH: banned in 1974 Chlordane (Chlordane, Nonachlor)banned in 1988 ____________________________________________________________________

  11. Contaminants in Seabirds 10 eggs per site and species, 1 egg per clutch TMAP for monitoring the Wadden Sea

  12. Geographic variation: Intersite differences TMAP: Results

  13. Quecksilber Σ PCB Spatial Variation Common Tern 2002 HCB Konzentration (ng/g FG) Σ DDT North Sea Σ HCH Area Gebiet

  14. Spatial Variation Oystercatcher 2002 concentration (ng/g FW) North Sea Area Gebiet

  15. Year 2005 Common Tern Oystercatcher from annual report 2005 Peter H. Becker

  16. Discriminant analysis of 62 PCB congeners Becker et al. (1998) Major components: PCB congeners 138,153,160,180,170,128

  17. Temporal variation: 1981 - 2003 TMAP: Results

  18. Trend Mercury 1981 - 2003 1981 85 1990 95 2000 YEAR

  19. Trend PCBs 1981 - 2003 1981 85 1990 95 2000 YEAR

  20. Mercury 2001 03 05 2001 03 05 YEAR from annual report 2005 Peter H. Becker

  21. Oystercatcher Common Tern Trischen HCB ΣHCH 2001 03 05 2001 03 05 YEAR from annual report 2005

  22. 2001 -2005: 102 trendsstudied: 60 significant  48 (= 80 %) negative trends  12 (= 20 %) positive trends from annual report 2005 Peter H. Becker

  23. Variation in PCB levels • Temporal variation (year) • Spatial variation (site) • Interspecific variation (species) Peter H. Becker

  24. Conclusions and Future • Continue to measure contaminants • in bird eggs in the Wadden Sea in order to • - distinguish short-term fluctuations • from long-term trends • - to keep the hot spots under careful observation • Adapt the monitoring by • - an additional sampling site at the Rhine delta • - including „new“ toxic substances • Intensify policies • - for reduction of application and inputs of • hazardous xenobiotics TMAP

  25. Conclusions and Future • EcoQOs Concentrations (ng/g) should not exceed: Mercury PCBs DDTs HCB HCHs _____________________________________ CT 200 20 10 2 2 OC 100 20 10 2 2 or values measured at southwestern Norway or Shetlands (ICES 2004) TMAP

  26. Why sampling and chemical analysis on an annual basis ? • Logistical reasons: continuity in - staff - organization of sampling - availability of analytics is important to run the monitoring successfully. • Time trend analyses: Lacking years cause lower statistical power and hamper the function of the parameter as „early warning system“ Why the „one lab“ approach ? • Better compariability of results • No intercalibration needed Eggs DK data data 1 Lab Terramare Eggs SH Eggs NL data data Eggs NS

  27. Contaminants inSeabirds: No. of sites in future ? 10 eggs per site and species, 1 egg per clutch TMAP for monitoring the Wadden Sea

  28. Conclusions and Future • EcoQOs • Make use of birds as sensitive indicators: • Monitoring reproductive success as • early warning system TMAP

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