Interactions between contaminants and the trophic ecology of two seabirds in a coastal lagoon of the Gulf of California.

Monitoring the dynamics of contaminants in ecosystems helps understand their potential effects. Seabirds have been used as biomonitors of marine ecosystems for this purpose. However, exposure and vulnerability to pollutants are understudied in tropical species, and the relationships between various pollutants and the trophic ecology of seabirds are poorly understood.

Trophic plasticity of a tropical seabird revealed through DNA metabarcoding and stable isotope analyses.

DNA metabarcoding and stable isotope analysis have significantly advanced our understanding of marine trophic ecology, aiding systematic research on foraging habits and species conservation. In this study, we employed these methods to analyse faecal and blood samples, respectively, to compare the trophic ecology of two Red-billed Tropicbird (Phaethonaethereus; Linnaeus, 1758) colonies on Mexican islands in the Pacific. Trophic patterns among different breeding stages were also examined at both colonies.

Micronuclei in embryos of eight seabird species in northwestern Mexico: A biomarker of exposure to coastal pollution?

The micronucleus (MN) test may be used to evaluate genome instability in birds and the potential of different species to function as biomarkers of genotoxicity. However, little is known regarding genome instability in seabird embryos or the instability present among embryonic development stages. Therefore, the present study aimed to describe the frequencies of micronucleated erythrocytes (MNE) and micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCE) in blood samples collected from the embryos of eight seabird species nesting on the coast of Sinaloa, Mexico.

Nutritional state variations in a tropical seabird throughout its breeding season.

Individual body condition is frequently used to explain differences in foraging and breeding ecology in seabirds. However, little is known about the covariations of body mass with the nutritional state of animals as measured through plasma metabolites and how these different measures vary between and within individuals during breeding. Here, we assessed intra-individual variations of plasma metabolites (triglycerides, cholesterol, protein, and ß-hydroxybutyrate concentrations) and in body mass of Blue-footed boobies (Sula nebouxii) throughout their breeding season 2011-2012 in Isla El Rancho, Mexico.