Environ Res
April 2024
Landfills are sources of soil, water, and air pollution due to the release of toxic compounds such as metals and metalloids. In both tropical and temperate environments, scavenger birds such as the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) that have learned to use these sites as a feeding area are probably exposed to metals, metalloids and other "persistent bioaccumulative toxic substances (PBTs)" released in open dumpsite (OD) and sanitary landfill (SL). The objective of this study is to evaluate the presence and distribution of toxic metals (Al, Sn, Hg, Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr) and As in OD and SL from urban, semi-urban and rural localities in Campeche, México, using molting feathers of C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Baja California Pacific Islands (BCPI) is a seabird hotspot in the southern California Current System supporting 129 seabird breeding populations of 23 species and over one million birds annually. These islands had a history of environmental degradation because of invasive alien species, human disturbance, and contaminants that caused the extirpation of 27 seabird populations. Most of the invasive mammals have been eradicated and colonies have been restored with social attraction techniques.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Total Environ
December 2021
Plastics are produced by the millions of tons worldwide each year, with their final deposition in landfills (LFs). Plastics deposited in LFs can fragment over time, giving rise to mesoplastics and later to microplastics (MPs), in which toxic chemicals such as heavy metals, organochlorine pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can adhere. MPs can be vectors for the exposure to pollutants of black vultures (Coragyps atratus) due to feeding in LFs, resulting in accidental ingestion of MPs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSexual dimorphism in the Laysan albatross () on Guadalupe Island was evaluated during the breeding seasons of 2015-2018 by measuring and comparing 10 morphological attributes: cranial length, bill length, nostril length, cranial width, bill height, bill width, tarsus length, closed wing length, opened wing length, and wingspan length in reproductive adults ( = 135). Males were larger than females across all traits (Student's -test, < 0.05, < 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite growing concerns over mercury (Hg) exposure to humans and wildlife on a global scale, little is known about Hg bioaccumulation in the New World tropics. From 2005 to 2011, we monitored Hg concentrations in blood of nine avian species occupying a geographic range of tropical wet broadleaf sites on the island of Hispaniola, including eight passerines (two Nearctic-Neotropical migrant and six resident species) and one top order predatory accipiter. Invertivorous songbirds were further differentiated by foraging guild, with six species of ground-foragers and two species of foliage-gleaners.
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