Beck Michelle L, Hopkins William A, Jackson Brian P, Hawley Dana M
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, 106 Cheatham Hall, Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0321, USA,
Environ Monit Assess. 2015 Mar;187(3):119. doi: 10.1007/s10661-015-4333-9. Epub 2015 Feb 18.
Animals are exposed to natural and anthropogenic stressors during reproduction that may individually or interactively influence reproductive success and offspring development. We examined the effects of weather conditions, exposure to element contamination from a recently remediated fly ash spill, and the interaction between these factors on reproductive success and growth of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) across nine colonies. Females breeding in colonies impacted by the spill transferred greater concentrations of mercury (Hg), selenium (Se), strontium, and thallium to their eggs than females in reference colonies. Parental provisioning of emerging aquatic insects resulted in greater blood Se concentrations in nestlings in impacted colonies compared to reference colonies, and these concentrations remained stable across 2 years. Egg and blood element concentrations were unrelated to reproductive success or nestling condition. Greater rainfall and higher ambient temperatures during incubation were later associated with longer wing lengths in nestlings, particularly in 2011. Higher ambient temperatures and greater Se exposure posthatch were associated with longer wing lengths in 2011 while in 2012, blood Se concentrations were positively related to wing length irrespective of temperature. We found that unseasonably cold weather was associated with reduced hatching and fledging success among all colonies, but there was no interactive effect between element exposure and inclement weather. Given that blood Se concentrations in some nestlings exceeded the lower threshold of concern, and concentrations of Se in blood and Hg in eggs are not yet declining, future studies should continue to monitor exposure and effects on insectivorous wildlife in the area.
动物在繁殖期间会受到自然和人为应激源的影响，这些应激源可能单独或相互作用地影响繁殖成功率和后代发育。我们研究了天气条件、近期修复的粉煤灰泄漏造成的元素污染暴露，以及这些因素之间的相互作用对九个殖民地的树燕（双色树燕）繁殖成功率和生长的影响。与对照殖民地的雌性相比，在受泄漏影响的殖民地繁殖的雌性将更高浓度的汞（Hg）、硒（Se）、锶和铊转移到它们的卵中。与对照殖民地相比，受影响殖民地的亲鸟提供新兴水生昆虫导致雏鸟血液中的硒浓度更高，并且这些浓度在两年内保持稳定。卵和血液中的元素浓度与繁殖成功率或雏鸟状况无关。孵化期间降雨量增加和环境温度升高后来与雏鸟翅膀长度增加有关，特别是在2011年。孵化后环境温度升高和硒暴露增加与2011年雏鸟翅膀长度增加有关，而在2012年，无论温度如何，血液中的硒浓度与翅膀长度呈正相关。我们发现，异常寒冷的天气与所有殖民地的孵化和出飞成功率降低有关，但元素暴露和恶劣天气之间没有交互作用。鉴于一些雏鸟的血液硒浓度超过了关注的下限，并且血液中的硒浓度和卵中的汞浓度尚未下降，未来的研究应继续监测该地区食虫野生动物的暴露情况及其影响。
