Department of Biosciences , University of Oslo (UiO) , 0316 Oslo , Norway.
Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) , Fram Centre , 9296 Tromsø , Norway.
Environ Sci Technol. 2019 Nov 5;53(21):12835-12845. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05316. Epub 2019 Oct 18.
Arctic-breeding seabirds contain high levels of many anthropogenic contaminants, which they deposit through guano to the tundra near their colonies. Nutrient-rich soil in vicinity to seabird colonies are favorable habitats for soil invertebrates, such as springtails (Collembola), which may result in exposure to seabird-derived contaminants. We quantified a wide range of lipid-soluble and protein-associated environmental contaminants in two springtail species ( and ) and their respective habitats (soil/moss) collected underneath seabird cliffs. Although springtails are commonly used in laboratory toxicity tests, this is the first study to measure concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury (Hg) in springtails from the field, and to study biotransportation of contaminants by seabirds to soil fauna. We categorized the sites a priori as of low, medium, or high seabird influence, based on the seabird abundance and species composition. This ranking was reflected in increasing δN values in soil/moss and springtails with increasing seabird influence. We found clear indications of seabirds impacting the terrestrial soil environments with organic contaminants, and that concentrations were higher in soil and moss close to the bird cliff, compared to farther away. However, we did not find a relationship between contaminant concentration in springtails and the concentrations in soil/moss, or with level of seabird influence. Our study indicates a low uptake of contaminants in the soil fauna, despite seabird-derived contamination of their habitat.
北极地区繁殖的海鸟体内含有高水平的多种人为污染物，这些污染物通过鸟粪沉积在其栖息地附近的苔原上。靠近海鸟栖息地的富营养土壤是土壤无脊椎动物（如跳虫（弹尾目））的有利栖息地，这可能导致它们接触到海鸟来源的污染物。我们在两种跳虫物种（ 和 ）及其各自的栖息地（土壤/苔藓）中定量检测了范围广泛的脂溶性和蛋白结合型环境污染物，这些栖息地是在海鸟悬崖下采集的。虽然跳虫通常用于实验室毒性测试，但这是首次在野外测量跳虫中持久性有机污染物（POPs）和汞（Hg）浓度的研究，也是首次研究海鸟将污染物生物转运到土壤动物的研究。我们根据海鸟数量和物种组成，预先将这些地点归类为低、中或高海鸟影响的地点。这种等级反映在随着海鸟影响的增加，土壤/苔藓和跳虫中的 δN 值逐渐增加。我们发现有明确的迹象表明，有机污染物会影响海鸟的陆地土壤环境，而且靠近鸟崖的土壤和苔藓中的污染物浓度高于远离鸟崖的地方。然而，我们没有发现跳虫体内的污染物浓度与土壤/苔藓中的浓度之间，或者与海鸟影响水平之间存在关系。我们的研究表明，尽管其栖息地受到海鸟污染，但土壤无脊椎动物对污染物的吸收水平较低。
