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

在最近研究的基础上，我建议制定一个计划，调查居住在城市化和邻近半农村环境中的顶级捕食者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那根地区，正在迅速转变为城市和剩余农村土地的矩阵。这些景观仍然是猛禽繁殖的栖息地，也是纬向和纬向候鸟的越冬区。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（POPs）的来源、命运、运输和影响的主要生物指标。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，似乎源于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穿过环境并污染环境。我推测，顶级捕食者通过以鸟类和小型哺乳动物为食而接触到这些污染物，而鸟类和小型哺乳动物又通过食物、皮肤和吸入接触来积累污染物，并且在大气中灰尘和气溶胶负荷增加的环境中，需要更多地梳理羽毛和皮毛。猛禽，特别是在城市化环境中，也暴露于第二代抗凝血灭鼠剂并被其毒死。目前，对于像库伯鹰这样的食鸟猛禽，人们对这种暴露的来源和后果知之甚少。传统的方法将用于定位筑巢区域和测量繁殖。将访问巢，并根据需要收集血液和未孵化的蛋进行暴露测定。远程视频等技术、地理信息系统数据记录仪等先进遥测技术和稳定同位素将用于确定饮食和食物网的关系。将使用生物标志物评估效果。群体遗传学将利用微卫星DNA标记进行研究。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.