Timofieieva Olha, Labecka Anna Maria, Vlaschenko Anton, Shulenko Alona, Laskowski Ryszard
Terrestrial Ecosystems and Ecotoxicology Group, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387, Kraków, Poland.
Life History Evolution Group, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387, Kraków, Poland.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2024 Dec;31(57):65638-65647. doi: 10.1007/s11356-024-35611-w. Epub 2024 Nov 26.
Bats, as exceptionally long-lived small mammals, are at particular risk of metal poisoning due to the tendency of metals to bioaccumulate throughout their lives. In our study, we investigated the general question of how trace metal concentrations change with age in different bat tissues on the example of Pipistrellus kuhlii lepidus, which lives for years in one area and is strongly associated with urban environments. To determine the exact age of the individuals, osteochronology was applied, counting the number of dentine rings in cross-sections of the upper canine tooth of each individual. The age of 57 individuals of P. kuhlii lepidus, representing ca. 10% of the colony, was identified. Whole internal organs (liver, kidneys, lungs, and forearm bones) and samples of external tissues (fur and wing membrane) were analyzed for concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn using atomic absorption spectrometry. We found that concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn, but not Cu, increase with the age of the bats, but in relatively unpolluted areas, metal concentrations do not reach the level which can cause chronic adverse effects. Nevertheless, due to the confirmed accumulation of metals in bat tissues with age, toxic effects can be expected in older individuals in areas where trace metal concentrations are elevated.
蝙蝠作为寿命极长的小型哺乳动物，由于金属在其一生中具有生物累积的趋势，因此特别容易受到金属中毒的影响。在我们的研究中，我们以库氏伏翼指名亚种为例，探讨了不同蝙蝠组织中痕量金属浓度如何随年龄变化这一普遍问题，该亚种在一个地区生活数年，且与城市环境密切相关。为了确定个体的准确年龄，我们采用了骨龄测定法，计算每个个体上犬齿横截面中的牙本质环数量。确定了57只库氏伏翼指名亚种个体的年龄，约占群体的10%。使用原子吸收光谱法分析了整个内部器官（肝脏、肾脏、肺和前臂骨）以及外部组织样本（皮毛和翼膜）中的镉、铜、铅和锌浓度。我们发现，镉、铅和锌的浓度随蝙蝠年龄的增长而增加，但铜的浓度并非如此，不过在污染相对较轻的地区，金属浓度未达到会导致慢性不良反应的水平。尽管如此，由于已证实金属会在蝙蝠组织中随年龄累积，在痕量金属浓度升高的地区，预计老年个体中会出现毒性作用。
