Publications by authors named "Tobias A Ross"
Article Synopsis
- PFAS (Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) are persistent environmental contaminants that could harm wildlife, especially long-lived species in higher food chains.
- A study of ruddy turnstones, a migratory shorebird, showed no age-related increase in PFAS contamination in their blood over 15 years, indicating low overall PFAS levels (<0.015-25 ng/g).
- Despite increased PFAS use along their migration route, turnstone populations remained stable, suggesting that PFAS alone do not threaten their survival, though the risks from other pollutant mixtures are still unknown.
Article Synopsis
- Shorebirds are highly threatened birds, particularly at risk from pollution along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, which includes harmful metals and persistent chemicals that can impact wildlife survival.
- The study analyzed blood samples from 142 Arctic-breeding migratory shorebirds to assess pollution levels and their potential links to population trends, finding elevated concentrations of certain pollutants in birds staging in Taiwan compared to those in Western Australia.
- Despite identifying some elevated pollutant levels, the research concluded that there were no significant variations in pollution among different bird species, nor a clear correlation between pollution levels and declining shorebird populations, suggesting other factors might be influencing these declines.
The rapid destruction of natural wetland habitats over past decades has been partially offset by an increase in artificial wetlands. However, these also include wastewater treatment plants, which may pose a pollution risk to the wildlife using them. We studied two long-distance Arctic-breeding migratory shorebird species, curlew sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea, n = 69) and red-necked stint (Calidris ruficollis, n = 103), while on their Australian non-breeding grounds using an artificial wetland at a wastewater treatment plant (WTP) and a natural coastal wetland.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF