Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague 2, Czech Republic, EU; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Department of Ecology, Kamýcká 1176, 165 21 Prague 6, Czech Republic, EU.
Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague 2, Czech Republic, EU.
Sci Total Environ. 2017 Dec 1;601-602:1556-1565. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.05.276. Epub 2017 Jun 9.
Urban environmental pollution results in contamination of the tissues of synanthropic organisms by toxic trace elements with potential impacts on human health. Passerine birds may serve as convenient indicators of such contamination. In this study we investigated the effect of blood and plumage contamination with heavy metals (lead Pb, cadmium Cd, copper Cu, chromium Cr) and arsenic metalloid (As) on condition, health and ornamental colour in free-living great tit (Parus major) males from 13 cities across the Czech Republic (EU), mist netted during the early breading season (April-May). Our results showed a significant association of heavy metal tissue contamination with immune function, namely leukocyte composition in the avian blood circulation. High heavy metal contamination in bird feathers was linked to a high heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, indicating long-term stress in individuals inhabiting heavily polluted environments. In contrast, males with higher concentrations of heavy metals in blood had a lower H/L ratio, assumingly due to the direct toxicity of heavy metals in certain cell types. This is also supported by traits indicative of anaemia-like haemolytic conditions (decreased absolute erythrocyte count) and increased haematopoiesis (a tendency for increased frequencies of immature erythrocytes). We did not find any association of heavy metal contamination with the bacteriolytic activity of plasma complement, feather growth or ornamentation (black breast stripe area and yellow colouration). There was no significant relationship between heavy metal contamination in blood or feathers and PM pollution at the study sites. Our correlational study is the first to show on a large geographic scale that despite strict European air pollution regulations and regular monitoring that have allowed general improvements in atmospheric contamination, non-degradable heavy metals persistently contaminate animal blood and feathers in anthropogenic environments at levels that may have subclinical yet physiological effects with varied influence on health.
城市环境污染导致共生生物体组织受到有毒微量元素的污染，可能对人类健康产生影响。雀形目鸟类可能是这种污染的便利指示剂。在这项研究中，我们调查了血液和羽毛中重金属（铅 Pb、镉 Cd、铜 Cu、铬 Cr）和砷类金属（As）污染对自由生活的大山雀（Parus major）雄性的状况、健康和装饰性颜色的影响，这些雄性是在繁殖早期（4 月至 5 月）通过雾网捕获的，来自捷克共和国（欧盟）13 个城市。我们的结果表明，重金属组织污染与免疫功能之间存在显著关联，即鸟类血液中的白细胞组成。鸟类羽毛中重金属污染程度高与异嗜性/淋巴细胞（H/L）比值高有关，表明长期生活在污染严重环境中的个体存在压力。相比之下，血液中重金属浓度较高的雄性 H/L 比值较低，这可能是由于某些细胞类型中的重金属直接毒性所致。这也得到了指示贫血样溶血性情况（绝对红细胞计数减少）和造血增加（不成熟红细胞频率增加的趋势）的特征的支持。我们没有发现重金属污染与血浆补体的杀菌活性、羽毛生长或装饰性（黑色胸部条纹面积和黄色着色）之间存在任何关联。在研究地点，血液或羽毛中重金属污染与 PM 污染之间没有显著关系。我们的相关研究首次在大地理范围内表明，尽管欧洲实施了严格的空气污染法规和定期监测，大气污染得到了普遍改善，但不可降解的重金属仍然持续污染人为环境中的动物血液和羽毛，其污染水平可能具有亚临床但具有生理影响的影响，对健康的影响各不相同。
