Cadmium Accumulation in Small Mammals: Species Traits, Soil Properties, and Spatial Habitat Use

In this study, the impact of species-specific spatial habitat use, diet preferences, and soil concentrations and properties on the accumulation of cadmium in small mammals was investigated. The results show that for the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), a mobile species with a large range in diet co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 2011-09, Vol.45 (17), p.7497-7502
Main Authors: van den Brink, Nico W, Lammertsma, Dennis R, Dimmers, Wim J, Boerwinkel, Marie Claire
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Applied ecology
Arvicolinae
bioaccumulation
Biological and medical sciences
Cadmium
Cadmium - analysis
Carbon Isotopes - analysis
Diet
earthworms
Ecosystem
Ecotoxicology and Human Environmental Health
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates
food-web
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Habitats
heavy-metal concentrations
Kidney - chemistry
lead
Mammalia
Mice
mice apodemus-sylvaticus
Muscle, Skeletal - chemistry
Netherlands
Nitrogen Isotopes - analysis
pollution
river floodplains
Rodents
Small mammals
Soil - chemistry
Soil contaminants
Soil Pollutants - analysis
Spatial Behavior
stressors
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Summary:In this study, the impact of species-specific spatial habitat use, diet preferences, and soil concentrations and properties on the accumulation of cadmium in small mammals was investigated. The results show that for the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), a mobile species with a large range in diet composition, accumulation of cadmium was not related to local soil concentrations or soil properties, but to diet preferences. For the common vole (Microtus arvalis), a nonmobile, specific feeding species, accumulation of cadmium was related to local soil concentrations or properties. For the bank vole (Myodes glareolus), a species with a smaller home range than the wood mouse but a broader diet spectrum than the common vole, both local soil properties and diet appeared to affect the cadmium accumulation in the kidneys. The results of this field study show that species-specific traits of small mammals are important determinants of accumulation of cadmium on a local scale. For site-specific assessment of risks of contaminants, such information is essential in order to understand exposure dynamics.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/es200872p