Trace-Element Interactions in Rook Corvus frugilegus Eggshells Along an Urbanisation Gradient

• Published in: Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology 2014-11, Vol.67 (4), p.519-528
• Main Authors: Orłowski, Grzegorz, Kasprzykowski, Zbigniew, Dobicki, Wojciech, Pokorny, Przemysław, Wuczyński, Andrzej, Polechoński, Ryszard, Mazgajski, Tomasz D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Arsenic; Aves; Bioaccumulation; Biological and medical sciences; Birds; Cadmium; Chemical elements; Chromium; cities; Contaminants; Copper; correlation; Corvus; Corvus frugilegus; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates; egg shell; Eggs; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Environmental Pollution - statistics & numerical data; females; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heavy metal content; Indicator organisms; Lead; Lead (metal); Metals - analysis; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Nickel; Organic contaminants; Ovum - chemistry; Ovum - drug effects; Pesticides; Pollution; Rural areas; Soil contamination; Soil Science & Conservation; Studies; Towns; Trace elements; Trace Elements - analysis; Urban areas; Urbanization; Urbanization - trends; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Villages; Zinc
• ISSN: 0090-4341; 1432-0703
• DOI: 10.1007/s00244-014-0030-x

Concentrations of seven trace elements [arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd)] in the eggshells of Rooks Corvus frugilegus, a focal bird species of Eurasian agricultural environments, are increased above background levels and exceed levels of toxicological concern. The concentrations of Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu, and Zn are greater in eggshells from urban rookeries (large cities) compared with rural areas (small towns and villages) suggesting an urbanisation gradient effect among eggs laid by females. In the present study, the investigators assessed whether the pattern of relationships among the seven trace elements in eggshells change along an urbanisation/pollution gradient. Surprisingly, we found that eggshells with the greatest contaminant burden, i.e., from urban rookeries, showed far fewer significant relationships (n = 4) than eggshells from villages (n = 10), small towns (n = 6), or rural areas (n = 8). In most cases, the relationships were positive. As was an exception: Its concentration was negatively correlated with Ni and Cd levels in eggshells from small town rookeries (where As levels were the highest), whereas eggshells from villages (with a lower As level) showed positive relationships between As and Cd. Our findings suggest that at low to intermediate levels, interactions between the trace elements in Rook eggshells are of a synergistic character and appear to operate as parallel coaccumulation. A habitat-specific excess of some elements (primarily Cr, Ni, Cu, As) suggests their more competitively selective sequestration.