PFAS Exposure is Associated with a Lower Spermatic Quality in an Arctic Seabird.

Several studies have reported an increasing occurrence of poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) in Arctic wildlife tissues, raising concerns due to their resistance to degradation. While some research has explored PFAS's physiological effects on birds, their impact on reproductive functions, particularly sperm quality, remains underexplored. This study aims to assess (1) potential association between PFAS concentrations in blood and sperm quality in black-legged kittiwakes (), focusing on the percentage of abnormal spermatozoa, sperm velocity, percentage of sperm motility, and morphology; and (2) examine the association of plasma levels of testosterone, corticosterone, and luteinizing hormone with both PFAS concentrations and sperm quality parameters to assess possible endocrine disrupting pathways.

Mercury contamination and potential health risk to French seabirds: A multi-species and multi-site study.

Mercury (Hg) is a naturally occurring highly toxic element which circulation in ecosystems has been intensified by human activities. Hg is widely distributed, and marine environments act as its main final sink. Seabirds are relevant bioindicators of marine pollution and chicks are particularly suitable for biomonitoring pollutants as they reflect contamination at short spatiotemporal scales.

Winter Tracking Data Suggest that Migratory Seabirds Transport Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances to Their Arctic Nesting Site.

Seabirds are often considered sentinel species of marine ecosystems, and their blood and eggs utilized to monitor local environmental contaminations. Most seabirds breeding in the Arctic are migratory and thus are exposed to geographically distinct sources of contamination throughout the year, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Despite the abundance and high toxicity of PFAS, little is known about whether blood concentrations at breeding sites reliably reflect local contamination or exposure in distant wintering areas.

Mercury exposure and trophic ecology of urban nesting black-legged kittiwakes from France.

Seabirds are increasingly used as bioindicators for assessing the chemical contamination of marine ecosystems, including by mercury (Hg) worldwide. However, some geographical areas are still poorly documented, as metropolitan France that is home to 28 seabird species including the black-legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, in the part of the southern limit of the North Atlantic range of the species. Here, we investigated Hg contamination and trophic ecology of black-legged kittiwakes breeding in the harbour of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Northern France.

Individual quality overwrites carry-over effects across the annual cycle of a long-distance migrant.

In seasonal environments, the fitness of animals depends upon the successful integration of life-history stages throughout their annual cycle. Failing to do so can lead to negative carry-over effects where individuals are transitioning into the next season in different states, consequently affecting their future performance. However, carry-over effects can be masked by individual quality when individuals vary in their efficiency at acquiring resources year after year (i.