Long-term trends and sources of organochlorine contamination in Canadian tundra Peregrine Falcons, Falco peregrinus tundrius

Levels of eggshell thinning, and organochlorine residues in egg contents, blood plasma of adults and juveniles, tissue samples, and prey species were determined for a population of migratory Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus tundrius) breeding in the Canadian Arctic. Temporal trends were assessed by comparing data collected during 1991-1994, with data from 1982-1986, for the same population. Shells (n=54) from 1991-1994 averaged 15% thinner than eggs produced prior to the introduction of DDT. No improvement in shell thickness was detected between decades. Mean DDE residue levels in eggs showed a decline from 7.6 mg kg (1982-1986) to 4.5 mg kg (1991-1994), but there was no significant change in SigmaPCB residues. Moreover, the proportion of clutches with eggs exceeding critical SigmaPCB, DDE, and dieldrin residue levels (10%) did not change between decades. Relative to Greenland and Alaskan populations, F. p. tundrius at Rankin Inlet show high levels of organochlorine contamination and little reduction in residues over the last decade. These Tundra Peregrines continue to be exposed to organochlorines in Latin America; however, results also link relatively high levels in the study population with waterfowl species that do not leave Canada in winter.     

Biomass and production of amphipods in low alkalinity lakes affected by acid precipitation

Population biomass and production of the amphipod Hyalella azteca (Saussure) were found to be related to alkalinity (ranging from 0.2 to 58.1 mg liter(-1)) in 10 Canadian Shield lakes in south-central Ontario. Biomass and production of amphipods in the two lakes characterized by spring depressions of pH below 5.0 were found to be lower than those for populations inhabiting lakes that did not experience such acid pulses. The proportional biomass of amphipods in relation to the total littoral zoobenthos community was lower in lakes of low alkalinity than in circumneutral or hardwater lakes. Because production in these amphipod populations is known to depend closely on population abundance, the labour-intensive derivation of production rates yields relatively little information for biomonitoring that cannot be obtained from abundance data alone.     

Effects of air pollutants on the growth and antioxidative system of Norway spruce exposed in open-top chambers

Grafted Norway spruce trees were subjected to exposure beginning in April 1988, to one of four different air treatments in open-top chambers: Charcoal filtered air (CF), non-filtered air (NF), non-filtered air with the addition of O(3) during summer (NFO), and SO(2) plus NO(2) during winter (NFOSN). CF trees were considered as the reference group. No effects on growth parameters were observed. Samples of the two youngest needle year classes were taken late in November 1989 for enzyme determinations. The activity of ascorbic acid peroxidase (A-POD) increased the same level in all treatments, and activities of catalase and dehydroascorbic acid reductase (DHA-R) increased only in NF and NFO treatments. A higher level of activity in the NFOSN treatment was observed only for glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (Glc-6-P-DH) and non-specific peroxidase (POD). Isoelectric focusing of POD showed a changed pattern in the NFOSN treatment. Neither activity nor isoelectric focusing of superoxidase dismutase (SOD) was changed in any of the treatments.     

Petroleum and hazardous chemical spills in Newark Bay, New Jersey, USA from 1982 to 1991

Newark Bay, New Jersey, is particularly vulnerable to ecological damage from petroleum and chemical spills, as a result of the enclosed nature and shallow depth of the bay, the high frequency of shipping traffic, and the numerous chemical and petroleum transfer terminals located alongs its shores. To evaluate the potential impacts to the natural resources of this coastal estuarine ecosystem, chemical and petroleum accidents reported to the US Coast Guard (USCG) between 1982 and 1991 were compiled to determine the frequency and volume of these incidents in Newark Bay and in each of its major tributaries. Records obtained from the USCG National Response Center's computerized database indicated that more than 1453 accidental incidents, resulting in the release of more than 18 million US gallons of hazardous materials and petroleum products, occurred throughout Newark Bay during this period of time. The bulk of the materials released to the aquatic environment consisted of petroleum products, specifically No. 6 Fuel Oil (103 spills, 12 829 272 US gal) and gasoline (207 spills, 48 816 US gal). The majority of the reported incidents occurred in the Arthur Kill and its tributaries, as well as in the Kill Van Kull and the Passaic River. The results of this study indicated that the accidental discharge of petroleum and hazardous chemicals represents a significant source of chemical pollution in Newark Bay. Based on the frequency of spills and the volume of materials released to the aquatic environment, it is likely that these events are having a deleterious effect on the Newark Bay ecosystem.     

Larval development in the Antarctic nemertean Parborlasia corrugatus (Heteronemertea: Lineidae)

Embryonic and larval development were followed from fertilisation to settlement in the Antarctic heteronemertean Parborlasia corrugatus (McIntosh, 1876). The first cleavage occurred 10 to 15 h after fertilisation, and the second at 17 h. Larvae hatched at the gastrula stage, between 170 and 200 h post-fertilisation, and were 150 m in diameter. Early larval stages aggregated in dense groups near the surface of incubation vessels and were positively phototactic. Early pilidium larvae were recognisable 435 h post-fertilisation. They were 155×152 m in size, and possessed a complete apical tuft of cilia and a full marginal band of locomotory cilia. At this stage, the gust was visible through the body wall, and the mouth was open and was 40 m in diameter. Late pilidia, 222×193 m in size, were helmet-shaped. They had an apical tuft over 100 m long, and possessed a lobed marginal band of locomotory cilia. Pilidia were observed aggregating close to the bottom of incubation vessels 1200 to 1350 h (50 to 56 d) after fertilisation, and this was interpreted as settlement behaviour. At this stage, the apical tuft had been lost and they were highly contractile, being capable of compressing their bodies. However, neither developing juveniles within the larval envelope nor hatched juveniles were observed. Pilidia consumed the microalgae Tetraselmis suecica, Thalassiosira pseudonana and Isochrysis galbana. They also fed on particulate organic material < 1 m in size, as shown by the presence of material in the guts of larvae offered filtered extracts of algal cultures. There was some indication that larvae could use dissolved organic material, since pilidia held in seawater with organic material removed did not survive as long as those in filtered seawater or in filtered water with added amino acids. However, the only larvae to exhibit settlement behaviour in the feeding experiments were those offered Tetraselmis succica and Thalassiosira pseudonana, and these required a longer development time to reach this stage than pilidia in the standard cultures, where a mixed algal diet was offered.     

Relation between heavy metal concentrations in salt marsh plants and soil

The aim of the research reported here was to investigate the relation between heavy metal concentrations in salt marsh plants, extractability of the metals from soil and some soil characteristics. In April 1987, Spartina anglica and Aster tripolium plants and soil were collected from four salt marshes along the Dutch coast. The redox potential of the soil between the roots of the plants and at bare sites was measured. Soil samples were oven-dried and analyzed for chloride concentration, pH, fraction of soil particles smaller than 63 microm (f < 63 microm), loss on ignition (LOI) and ammonium acetate and hydrochloric acid extractable Cd, Cu and Zn concentrations. The roots and shoots of the plants were analyzed for Cd, Cu and Zn. Because drying of the soil prior to chemical analysis might have changed the chemical speciation of the metals, and therefore the outcome of the ammonium acetate extraction, a second survey was performed in October 1990. In this survey A. tripolium plants and soil were collected from two salt marshes. Fresh and matched oven-dried soil samples were analyzed for water, ammonium acetate and diethylene triaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) extractable Cd, Cu and Zn concentrations. The soil samples were also analyzed for f < 63 microm, LOI and total (HNO(3)/HCl digestion) metal concentrations. Soil metal concentrations were correlated with LOI. Drying prior to analysis of the soil had a significant effect on the extractability of the metals with water, ammonium acetate or DTPA. Plant metal concentrations significantly correlated only with some extractable metal concentrations determined in dried soil samples. However, these correlations were not consistently better than with total metal concentrations in the soil. It was concluded that extractions of metals from soil with water, ammonium acetate or DTPA are not better predictors for metal concentrations in salt marsh plants than total metal concentrations, and that a major part of the variation in metal concentrations in the plants cannot be explained by variation in soil composition.     

Seasonal changes in an intertidal community affected by sewage pollution

Seasonal changes in structure of a rocky intertidal community affected by sewage pollution at Quequén (Argentina) were studied over a period of 2 years. Most species showed a decrease in cover values in the polluted area. On the other hand, a small proportion of organisms favoured by organic enrichment predominated around the outfall during the period of study. Community structure was not significantly altered by frosts or windstorms. Desiccation is identified as the main physical stress. A combination of late spring high temperatures with extreme midday low-tides caused by northerly winds was responsible for heavy losses in dominant algae. Major seasonal changes in community structure were primarily due to variations in area covered by the chlorophyte Ulva lactuca, and crusts of blue-green algae and diatoms in the vicinity of the outfall. Highest diversity values were attained during either late winter or spring, due to increased abundances of several seasonal algae. Abundance of the dominant organism, the bivalve Brachidontes rodriguezi, remained stable, showing only slight, non-seasonal, changes. Since the absence of B. rodriguezi is an indication of heavy pollution, temporal stability of this species suggests that the intensity of sewage discharges did not vary over the period of study.     

Susceptibility of different yeast species to environmental toxic metals

The purpose of the study reported here was to investigate the relative resistance of yeast species to various metallic and metalloid ions, with a view to gaining more knowledge on this subject, as resistant species may become dominant in habitats contaminated with the relevant metals. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis were grown in media containing different concentrations of mercury (as HgCl(2)), cadmium (as CdCl(2)), lead (as Pb(CH(3)COO)(2)), arsenic (as Na(2)HAsO(4)) and selenium (as Na(2)SeO(3)) for various intervals. Invariably, the two Candida species turned out to be more resistant to all the metals studied than S. cerevisiae. The metal showing the highest toxicity for these species was mercury, with cadmium being the second, lead, the third and arsenic and selenium being the least toxic elements. Strains showing resistance to mercury were isolated, even in the case of S. cerevisiae.     

Does the cost of polygyny in house wrens include reduced male assistance in defending offspring?

Summary This study investigated whether reduced male aid in defending offspring potentially reduces the fitness of females choosing already-mated males in the house wren (Troglodytes aedon), a small, territorial songbird. Frozen snakes were placed at 23 nests of monogamously mated males and 12 secondary nests of bigamously mated males. All presentations were made during incubation stages of females attending focal nests. Snakes were placed at nests of secondary females when nests of their primary counterparts contained young 5–9 days old. Males are most attentive to primary nests during this period and should therefore be relatively inattentive to secondary mates and nests. Nevertheless, an equal proportion of monogamous and bigamous males discovered snakes within 15 min, and mean time to discovery, when discovery occurred, did not differ with nest status. Monogamous and bigamous males were also equally likely to attack snakes physically once discovered. Monogamous males appeared no more likely to discover snakes than bigamous males for two main reasons. First, although monogamous males were near focal nests (i.e., < 10 m) more often than bigamous males, monogamous males tended to stay out of view of nests for long periods. In contrast, bigamous males always went immediately to focal nests upon arriving in their vicinity. Second, about one-third of monogamous males in this study spent much of their time during trials at the far edges of their territories advertising for secondary mates. Our experiment suggests that reduced male aid in defending nests against small, diurnal predators probably does not contribute to the cost of polygyny in house wrens. Correspondence to: L.S. Johnson