BAUEROVÁ, Petra, Jitka VINKLEROVÁ, Jakub HRANÍČEK, Vojtěch ČORBA, Libor VOJTEK, Jana SVOBODOVÁ and Michal VINKLER. Associations of urban environmental pollution with health-related physiological traits in a free-living bird species. Science of the Total Environment. AMSTERDAM: Elsevier, 2017, vol. 601, December, p. 1556-1565. ISSN 0048-9697. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.05.276.
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Basic information
Original name Associations of urban environmental pollution with health-related physiological traits in a free-living bird species
Authors BAUEROVÁ, Petra (203 Czech Republic), Jitka VINKLEROVÁ (203 Czech Republic), Jakub HRANÍČEK (203 Czech Republic), Vojtěch ČORBA (203 Czech Republic), Libor VOJTEK (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Jana SVOBODOVÁ (203 Czech Republic) and Michal VINKLER (203 Czech Republic, guarantor).
Edition Science of the Total Environment, AMSTERDAM, Elsevier, 2017, 0048-9697.
Other information
Original language English
Type of outcome Article in a journal
Field of Study 30105 Physiology
Country of publisher Netherlands
Confidentiality degree is not subject to a state or trade secret
Impact factor Impact factor: 4.610
RIV identification code RIV/00216224:14310/17:00096947
Organization unit Faculty of Science
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.05.276
UT WoS 000406294900152
Keywords (in Czech) Antropogenní znečištění; anémie; živočišná hematologie; hematopoéza; PM10; stopové kovy
Keywords in English Anthropogenic pollution; anemia; animal hematology; hematopoiesis; PM10; trace metals
Tags NZ, rivok
Tags International impact, Reviewed
Changed by Changed by: Ing. Nicole Zrilić, učo 240776. Changed: 28/3/2018 17:00.
Abstract
Urban environmental pollution results in contamination of the tissues of synanthropic organisms by toxic trace elements with potential impacts on human health. Passerine birds may serve as convenient indicators of such contamination. In this study we investigated the effect of blood and plumage contamination with heavy metals (lead Pb, cadmium Cd, copper Cu, chromium Cr) and arsenic metalloid (As) on condition, health and ornamental colour in free-living great tit (Parus major) males from 13 cities across the Czech Republic (EU), mist netted during the early breading season (April – May). Our results showed a significant association of heavy metal tissue contamination with immune function, namely leukocyte composition in the avian blood circulation. High heavy metal contamination in bird feathers was linked to a high heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, indicating long-term stress in individuals inhabiting heavily polluted environments. In contrast, males with higher concentrations of heavy metals in blood had a lower H/L ratio, assumingly due to the direct toxicity of heavy metals in certain cell types. This is also supported by traits indicative of anaemia-like haemolytic conditions (decreased absolute erythrocyte count) and increased haematopoiesis (a tendency for increased frequencies of immature erythrocytes). We did not find any association of heavy metal contamination with the bacteriolytic activity of plasma complement, feather growth or ornamentation (black breast stripe area and yellow coloration). There was no significant relationship between heavy metal contamination in blood or feathers and PM10 pollution at the study sites. Our correlational study is the first to show on a large geographic scale that despite strict European air pollution regulations and regular monitoring that have allowed general improvements in atmospheric contamination, non-degradable heavy metals persistently contaminate animal blood and feathers in anthropogenic environments at levels that may have subclinical yet physiological effects with varied influence on health.
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