Tissue mercury concentrations and adrenocortical responses of female big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) near a contaminated river

被引:61
作者
Wada, Haruka [1 ]
Yates, David E. [2 ]
Evers, David C. [2 ]
Taylor, Robert J. [3 ]
Hopkins, William A. [1 ]
机构
[1] Virginia Polytech Inst & State Univ, Dept Fisheries & Wildlife Sci, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
[2] BioDivers Res Inst, Gorham, ME 04038 USA
[3] Texas A&M Univ, Trace Element Res Lab, College Stn, TX 77843 USA
关键词
Mercury; Cortisol; Fur:blood ratio; Insectivore; Eptesicus fuscus; INORGANIC MERCURY; METHYLMERCURY; CHIROPTERA; CORTICOSTERONE; VESPERTILIONIDAE; PATTERNS; EXPOSURE; MINK; BIOACCUMULATION; ACCUMULATION;
D O I
10.1007/s10646-010-0513-0
中图分类号
Q14 [生态学(生物生态学)];
学科分类号
071012 ; 0713 ;
摘要
Much of the research on mercury (Hg) in wild vertebrates has focused on piscivores and other animals at high trophic levels. However, recent studies indicated that insectivorous terrestrial vertebrates may also be at risk. In the present study, we examined blood and fur Hg concentrations as well as the adrenocortical responses of insectivorous big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) near the Hg-contaminated South River, VA and a nearby reference area. Baseline glucocorticoids and adrenocortical responses to handling have been widely used to assess the influence of environmental stressors because plasma glucocorticoids rise in response to various physical, psychological, and physiological challenges. Female bats captured at the contaminated site had 2.6 times higher blood and fur Hg concentrations than those captured at the reference site (blood: 0.11 vs. 0.04 mu g/g wet weight; fur: 28.0 vs. 10.9 mu g/g fresh weight). Fur Hg concentrations at the contaminated site were higher than most wild omnivorous and carnivorous mammals reported in the literature. Although fur and blood Hg concentrations were tightly correlated, fur Hg concentrations averaged 260 times higher than concentrations in blood. This suggests that fur may be an important depuration route for bats, just as it is in other mammals. Despite the high Hg concentrations in bat tissue, we did not observe any site difference in adrenocortical responses. Our results suggest that the bats at the contaminated site were exposed to Hg concentrations below those causing adverse effects on their adrenal axis.
引用
收藏
页码:1277 / 1284
页数:8
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