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，我建议开发一个项目，调查居住在城市化和邻近的半农村环境中的顶级捕食者优先污染物的生态毒理学。加拿大许多重要的生态景观，如不列颠哥伦比亚省南部的弗雷泽和奥卡纳根地区，正在迅速转变为城市和剩余土地的母体。这种地貌仍然是猛禽繁殖的栖息地，也是纬度和高度迁徙的越冬地区。这项建议的重点是使用库珀鹰Accipter coperii作为这类系统中持久性有机污染物(POPs)的来源、去向、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，似乎源于城市地区商业产品的使用和处置，并可能以微尘和气雾剂的形式通过和污染环境。我推测，顶级捕食者通过以鸟类和小型哺乳动物为食接触到这些污染物，这些污染物反过来通过食物、皮肤和吸入暴露积累污染物，以及在更多的环境中随着大气中粉尘和气溶胶负荷的增加而增加对羽毛和毛皮的捕食需求。猛禽，特别是在城市化环境中，也暴露在第二代抗凝血灭鼠剂中并被其中毒。目前，对于像库珀鹰这样的食鸟猛禽来说，这种接触的来源和后果还知之甚少。传统的方法将被用来定位筑巢区域和测量繁殖。将探访鸟巢，并根据需要收集血液和未孵化的鸡蛋，以确定暴露情况。将使用远程视频、先进的遥测技术(如地理信息系统数据记录器和稳定同位素)来确定饮食和食物网络的关系。效果将使用生物标记物进行评估。群体遗传学将使用微卫星DNA标记进行研究。结果将传达给联邦和省级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.