Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
Sci Total Environ. 2020 Jun 15;721:137674. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137674. Epub 2020 Mar 4.
Anthropogenic metal pollution is known to adversely affect bird reproduction; however, few systematic studies are available on the effects of metal pollution on breeding performance and parental investment in a common resident songbird, the tree sparrow (Passer montanus). We conducted this study in two sites, a long-term heavy metal polluted site (Baiyin [BY]) and a relatively unpolluted site at approximately 110 km distance (Liujiaxia [LJX]), to assess the potential effects of environmental metal contamination on breeding parameters (clutch size, hatching success, fledging success, and growth of nestlings) and parental investment. The results showed smaller clutch size, lower fledging success, and differences in incubation behaviors of tree sparrows in BY than in LJX. Although there was no difference in parental body condition (residual body mass) between the two study sites, the parents responded differently with respect to reproduction due to varying metal levels in their habitats and bodies. Higher Cd levels in the primary feathers of females in BY were associated with lower clutch sizes. Parental investment including incubation duration and feeding rates showed no significant difference between the two sites during the incubation and nestling periods, but the frequencies of incubation visits were higher in BY. Parental behavior during the incubation period was also negatively affected by the parental Pb and Cd levels. Although the nestling growth patterns were relatively similar between the two sites, the nestlings were smaller, had lower body weight, and fledged later and fledging rate was also lower in BY than in LJX. Metal concentrations were higher in nestling organs and feces in BY. Taken together, metal pollution might adversely affect nestling growth condition. Our results suggest a negative response in the reproduction of tree sparrows to long-term environmental metal pollution.
人为金属污染已知会对鸟类繁殖产生不利影响；然而，关于金属污染对常见留鸟——树麻雀（Passer montanus）繁殖性能和亲代投资的影响，很少有系统的研究。我们在两个地点进行了这项研究，一个是长期重金属污染的地点（白银[BY]），另一个是大约 110 公里远的相对无污染的地点（刘家峡[LJX]），以评估环境金属污染对繁殖参数（窝卵数、孵化成功率、育雏成功率和雏鸟生长）和亲代投资的潜在影响。结果表明，BY 的窝卵数较小，育雏成功率较低，并且树麻雀的孵化行为也存在差异。尽管两个研究地点的亲鸟身体状况（剩余体重）没有差异，但由于栖息地和体内金属水平的不同，亲鸟在繁殖方面的反应不同。BY 雌鸟初级飞羽中的 Cd 水平较高与窝卵数较小有关。尽管在孵化和育雏期间，两个地点的亲代投资（包括孵化持续时间和喂食率）没有显著差异，但 BY 的孵化访问频率更高。在孵化期间，亲鸟的行为也受到亲代 Pb 和 Cd 水平的负面影响。尽管两个地点的雏鸟生长模式相对相似，但 BY 的雏鸟体型较小，体重较低，出飞时间较晚，出飞率也较低。巢雏器官和粪便中的金属浓度在 BY 更高。总的来说，金属污染可能会对巢雏的生长状况产生不利影响。我们的结果表明，树麻雀对长期环境金属污染的繁殖反应呈负性。
