Influence of overwinter distribution on exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in seabirds, ancient murrelets (Synthliboramphus antiquus), breeding on the Pacific coast of Canada

Aroha Miller; John E Elliott; Laurie K Wilson; Kyle H Elliott; Ken G Drouillard; Jonathan Verreault; Sandi Lee; Abde Idrissi

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113842

Influence of overwinter distribution on exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in seabirds, ancient murrelets (Synthliboramphus antiquus), breeding on the Pacific coast of Canada

Environ Pollut. 2020 Apr:259:113842. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113842. Epub 2019 Dec 27.

Authors

Aroha Miller¹, John E Elliott², Laurie K Wilson³, Kyle H Elliott⁴, Ken G Drouillard⁵, Jonathan Verreault⁶, Sandi Lee¹, Abde Idrissi⁷

Affiliations

¹ Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC, Canada.
² Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC, Canada. Electronic address: john.elliott@canada.ca.
³ Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC, Canada.
⁴ McGill University, Montreal, QU, Canada.
⁵ University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada.
⁶ Université du Québec à Montréal, P.O. Box 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada.
⁷ Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.

PMID: 31926389
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113842

Abstract

Assessing the fate of both legacy and newer persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is an ongoing challenge. Top predators, including seabirds, are effective monitors of POPs because they forage over a range of marine habitats, integrating signals over space and time. However, migration patterns can make unravelling contaminant sources, and potentially assessments of the effectiveness of regulations, challenging if chemicals are acquired at distant sites. In 2014, we fitted geolocators on ancient murrelets (Synthliboramphus antiqueus) at four colonies on the Pacific Coast of Canada to obtain movement data throughout an annual cycle. All birds underwent a post-breeding moult in the Bering Sea. Around one-third then returned to overwinter on the British Columbia (BC) coast while the rest migrated to overwinter in waters along the north Asian coast. Such a stark difference in migration destination provided an opportunity to examine the influence of wintering location on contaminant signals. In summer 2015, we collected blood samples from returned geo-tagged birds and analyzed them for a suite of contaminants, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), non-PBDE halogenated flame retardants, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), organochlorines, and mercury. Feathers were also collected and analyzed for stable isotopes (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and δ³⁴S). We found no significant differences in blood concentrations of any contaminant between murrelets from the two different overwinter areas, a result that indicates relatively rapid clearance of POPs accumulated during winter. Spatial variation in diet (i.e., δ¹³C) was associated with both BDE-47 and -99 concentrations. However, individual variation in trophic level had little influence on concentrations of any other examined contaminants. Thus, blood from these murrelets is a good indicator of recent, local contaminants, as most signals appear independent of overwintering location.

Keywords: Ancient murrelet; Environmental contaminants; Migration; North Pacific Ocean; Seabirds.

MeSH terms

Animal Distribution*
Animals
Birds
Breeding
British Columbia
Environmental Exposure*
Environmental Monitoring
Environmental Pollutants* / blood
Environmental Pollutants* / metabolism
Pacific Ocean
Seasons

Substances

Environmental Pollutants