Dept. of Zoology and National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University
Passerine Productivity and PCB Exposure at the Kalamazoo River
Superfund Site, Michigan
Arianne M Neigh Monica A MacCarroll Carrie A Ruppert Dr Matthew J Zwiernik Cyrus S Park Torrey E Moss
Ray J Adams Ryan R Holem Denise Kay Dr John Newsted Dr John P Giesy
Reported PCB Effects on Passerines
• Supernormal Clutches• Decreased Hatching
Success• Decreased hepatic vitamin
A levels
•Nest abandonment•Increased blue-green coloration•Smaller, lower quality nests•Decreased nest attentiveness
Dept. of Zoology and National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University
Plants
Soil/Sediment
NestlingsInsects Eggs Adults
Dept. of Zoology and National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University
Passerine Study Objectives-Bottom Up
Determine PCB concentrations in specific prey items including terrestrial insects, aquatic insects, and earthworms.
Analyze PCB movement through the food web and describe BMFs between trophic levels.
Define site-specific dietary composition of key receptors.
Dept. of Zoology and National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University
Passerine Study Objectives-Top Down
Compare reproductive success rates among exposed and unexposed populations.
Determine body burdensin passerine eggs, nestlings, and adults.
Dept. of Zoology and National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University
Top-Down Risk Assessment
Aquatic Food WebTree Swallow
Terrestrial Food WebHouse Wren
Dept. of Zoology and National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University
Study Sites (Reference Area)
Fort Custer State Recreation Area
– Upstream of source pollution
– 66 nest boxes– Located in preferred
habitat– Established nesting
population
Dept. of Zoology and National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University
Former Trowbridge Dam Impoundment
–4 mile stretch downstream of source pollution–77 nest boxes–1yr. to establish a nesting population
Study Site (Experimental Site)
Dept. of Zoology and National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University
Eggs/ Nestlings/AdultsBolus
Terrestrial InvertebratesSoil
Plants
Benthic InvertebratesAquatic Emergent InsectsSediment
Egg Concentrations
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
HOUSE WREN TREE SWALLOW
(11) (14)(6) (6)
(p<0.001)
(p=0.003)
(mg/
kg)
PCB Body Concentrations
HOUSE WREN TREE SWALLOW
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Nestling Concentrations
(7) (6)(6) (7)
(p=0.003)
(p=0.003)
Fort CusterTrowbridge
Dept. of Zoology and National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University
Daily Accumulation/
Loss Rates
Tree Swallow = 0.09 mg/kg/d
House Wren = -0.48 mg/kg/d
(Cnstl - Cegg)/Agenstl=
Passerine Egg Dimensions
Fort Custer
Trowbridge
15
15.5
16
16.5
17
17.5
18
18.5
19
19.5
Average Length
House Wren Tree Swallow
(p=0.680)
(p=0.761)
(32)(71)
(37)(74)
(mm
)
Average Weight
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
House Wren Tree Swallow
(p=0.429)(p=0.006)
(71)(37)(74)
(32)
Tree Swallow
(p=0.748)(p=0.907)
(p=0.012)
Trowbridge
FLEDGLINGSNESTLINGSEGGS
(28)(28)(32) (62)(62)(72)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
House Wren
EGGS NESTLINGS FLEDGLINGS
(p=0.489) (p=0.980)
(p=0.149)
Fort Custer
(74) (24)(59) (24) (59)(37)
Egg and Nestling Production
Productivity of Passerine Species
PRODUCTIVITY
Tree Swallow
00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.91
(p=0.543)
(p=0.298)
(p=0.463)
Trowbridge
FLEDGINGSUCCESS
HATCHINGSUCCESS
%
(32)(71)(28)(62)(32)(71)
House Wren
00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.91
(p=0.233)
(p=0.044)
(p=0.618)
Fort Custer
% FLEDGINGSUCCESS
(72) (35)(35) (72)(24)(59)
Tree Swallow Nestling Growth Curve
R2 = 0.934
R2 = 0.903
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16Age (days)
Fort Custer Trowbridge
R2 = 0.8356
R2 = 0.8955
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Fort Custer Trowbridge
Age (days)
House Wren Nestling Growth Curve
Dept. of Zoology and National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University
Concentrations Relative to Other Sites
Hudson River > Fox River = Kalamazoo River
•Egg and nestling concentrations at the Kalamazoo River study site were comparable to concentrations in the Fox River system.•Total PCB concentrations causing threshold effects, on the Hudson River, were greater than egg and nestling concentrations on the Kalamazoo River.
Dept. of Zoology and National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University
Conclusions• KRAOC has significantly higher concentrations of
PCBs than the control area.• Number of eggs for TRSW was the only
significant difference between sites, while average egg weight, average egg length, number of nestlings, number of fledglings, hatching success, fledging success, and productivity did not differ between sites.
• The concentrations present in the Kalamazoo River appear to be below a threshold effect level for passerines.
Dept. of Zoology and National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University
AcknowledgmentsI would like to thank the following people for their help in the project.Monica MacCarroll Torrey Moss Wade Knoll Cyrus Park Karl Strause Stephanie Pastva The Peterson Family George Klemolin Ryan Holem Carrie Ruppert Ray Adams Dr. John Newsted
Denise Kay Dr. Paul Jones Dr Alan Blankenship Patrick Bradley Karen Smyth Dong Hoon Kim Dr. Sook Hyeon Im Ruy Santos Dr. Matthew Zwiernik Dr. John Giesy Kalamazoo River Study Group
Dept. of Zoology and National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University
PCB Dietary Exposure and Body Burdens in Passerines at the
Kalamazoo River Superfund Site • Poster Session- Wednesday, November 20• Poster # P856
Arianne NeighMichigan State University-Aquatic Toxicology [email protected]
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