Investigating sources, transport, accumulation and effects of persistent contaminants in urban environments using a top predator as indicator

基于最近的研究，我建议制定一项计划，调查居住在城市化和邻近半农村环境的顶级捕食者的优先污染物的生态毒理学。许多具有重要生态意义的加拿大景观，如不列颠哥伦比亚省南部的弗雷泽和奥肯纳根地区，正在迅速转变为城市和残余乡村土地的矩阵。这些景观继续作为猛禽繁殖的栖息地和纬度和高度迁徙者的越冬地。该提案的重点是使用库珀鹰（Accipter cooperii）作为此类系统中持久性有机污染物的来源、归宿、迁移和影响的主要生物指示器。最近引起关注的持久性有机污染物，如溴化阻燃剂和全氟化合物，似乎源自城市地区商业产品的使用和处置，并可能以细尘和气溶胶的形式进入环境并污染环境。我推测，顶级捕食者通过鸟类和小型哺乳动物的饮食暴露于这些污染物，这些哺乳动物又通过食物、皮肤和吸入暴露以及在大气中灰尘和气溶胶负荷增加的更多环境中对羽毛和毛皮的修饰需求增加来积累污染物。猛禽，特别是在城市化环境中的猛禽，也暴露于第二代抗凝血灭鼠剂并中毒。目前，这种暴露的来源和后果在食鸟猛禽如库柏鹰中知之甚少。传统的方法将被用来定位筑巢领土和衡量繁殖。将对巢进行访视，并根据需要采集血液和未孵化的卵用于暴露测定。将使用远程视频、地理信息系统数据记录器等先进遥测技术和稳定同位素等技术来确定饮食和食物网关系。将使用生物标志物评估效应。将使用微卫星DNA标记研究群体遗传学。结果将传达给联邦和省政府的风险评估人员和监管机构。

Building on recent research, I propose to develop a program to investigate the ecotoxicology of priority contaminants in top predators inhabiting urbanized and neighboring semi-rural environments. Many ecologically important Canadian landscapes, such as the Fraser and Okanagan regions of southern British Columbia are being rapidly transformed into a matrix of urban and residual rual lands. Such landscapes continue as habitat for breeding of birds of prey and as wintering areas for latitudinal and altitudinal migrants. This proposal focuses on using the Cooper's hawk, Accipter cooperii, as a primary bioindicator of sources, fate, transport and effects of persistent organic contaminants (POPs) in such systems. POPs of recent concern such as brominated flame retardants and perfluorinated compounds appear to originate from use and disposal of commercial products in urban areas, and likely move through and contaminate the environment in the form of fine dust and aerosols. I hypothesize that top predators are exposed to such pollutants through their diet of birds and small mammals, which in turn accumulate contaminants via food, dermal and inhalation exposure and the increased need to preen feathers and fur in more environments with increased atmospheric loadings of dust and aerosols. Birds of prey, particularly in urbanized environments, are also exposed to and poisoned by second generation anticoagulant rodenticides. Currently, the sources and consequences of such exposure are poorly understood in bird-eating raptors such as the Coooper's hawk. Traditional methods will be used to locate nesting territories and measure reproduction. Nests will be visited and as needed blood and unhatched eggs collected for exposure determination. Technologies such as remote video, advanced telemetry techniques such as GIS data loggers and stable isotopes will be used to determine diet and food web relations. Effects will be assessed using biomarkers. Population genetics will be investigated using microsatellite DNA markers. Results will be communicated to risk assessors and regulators in federal and provincial governments.