Maternal transfer of selenium in Alligator mississippiensis nesting downstream from a coal-burning power plant

Selenium (Se) is embryotoxic in many oviparous vertebrates, but little is known about maternal transfer of Se and its impact in reptiles. Over a four‐year period, we collected three clutches of eggs of the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) from a single nest at a site contaminated with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental toxicology and chemistry 2004-08, Vol.23 (8), p.1969-1972
Main Authors: Roe, John H., Hopkins, William A., Baionno, Jennifer A., Staub, Brandon P., Rowe, Christopher L., Jackson, Brian P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alligator mississippiensis
Alligators and Crocodiles - embryology
Alligators and Crocodiles - physiology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Applied ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Chorioallantoic membrane
Coal
Crocodylia
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates
Environmental Monitoring
Female
Freshwater
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Incineration
Maternal transfer
Maternal-Fetal Exchange
Ovum - chemistry
Power Plants
Pregnancy
Reptilia. Amphibia
Selenium
Selenium - pharmacokinetics
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Summary:Selenium (Se) is embryotoxic in many oviparous vertebrates, but little is known about maternal transfer of Se and its impact in reptiles. Over a four‐year period, we collected three clutches of eggs of the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) from a single nest at a site contaminated with Se and compared egg and hatchling Se concentrations and clutch viability from this nest to nests downstream from the contaminated site (two clutches from two nests) and at a reference site (two clutches from two nests). Eggs and hatchlings from the nest at the Se‐contaminated site and downstream nests had elevated Se concentrations (2.1–7.8 ppm) and lower viability (30–54%) compared to reference nests (1.4–2.3 ppm and 67–74% viability), but Se concentrations did not exceed reproductive toxicity thresholds established for other oviparous vertebrates. Selenium concentrations were higher in chorioallantoic membranes of eggs from Se‐contaminated sites, suggesting that this tissue may be useful as a nondestructive index of Se exposure for embryos of A. mississippiensis. Examination of these data suggests that further studies on uptake, accumulation, and reproductive success of crocodilian embryos exposed to excessive Se are warranted.
ISSN:0730-7268
1552-8618
DOI:10.1897/03-520