Incidence and impact of axial malformations in larval bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) developing in sites polluted by a coal-burning power plant

被引:115
作者
Hopkins, WA
Congdon, J
Ray, JK
机构
[1] Savannah River Ecol Lab, Aiken, SC 29802 USA
[2] NW State Univ, Louisiana Scholars Coll, Natchitoches, LA 71497 USA
关键词
coal combustion wastes; amphibians; selenium; malformations; behavior;
D O I
10.1002/etc.5620190412
中图分类号
X [环境科学、安全科学];
学科分类号
08 ; 0830 ;
摘要
Amphibian malformations have recently received much attention from the scientific community, but Few studies have provided evidence linking environmental pollution to larval amphibian malformations in the field. We document an increased incidence of axial malformations in bullfrog larvae (Rana catesbeiana) inhabiting tao sites contaminated with coal combustion wastes. In the polluted sites, 18 and 37% of larvae exhibited lateral curvatures of the spine, whereas zero and 4% of larvae from two reference sites had similar malformations. Larvae from the most heavily polluted site had significantly higher tissue concentrations of potentially toxic trace elements, including As, Cd, Se, Cu, Cr, and V, compared with conspecifies from the reference sites. In addition, malformed larvae from the most contaminated site had decreased swimming speeds compared with those of normal larvae from the same site. We hypothesize that the complex mixture of contaminants produced by coal combustion is responsible for the high incidence of malformations and associated effects on swimming performance.
引用
收藏
页码:862 / 868
页数:7
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