Contaminant-induced impacts on avian migration: evaluating cue perception, fuelling and orientation

虽然迁徙是一种跨越动物王国的现象，但许多长距离迁徙物种目前相对于非迁徙物种的数量急剧下降。各种污染物造成的环境污染已被确定为造成这些下降的一个潜在重要因素。然而，污染物暴露和减少迁移成功之间的机械联系尚未建立。利用滨鸟和雀形目模式物种，我将采取一种整体的方法来连接小规模的机械工业污染物对细胞的影响，生物体。 这将使我们更好地了解在早期发育的关键生命阶段使用受污染场地的候鸟种群的影响，如首次迁徙的青少年或有经验的成年人。通过使用禽类肝细胞和成纤维细胞的体外实验室研究，圈养剂量和行为研究，以及在迁徙中途停留地的实地研究，我的目标是确定环境中常见的工业污染物是否能够影响候鸟种群。在这里，我将测试假设，亚致死的影响，工业污染物改变自然昼夜节律和昼夜节律，迁徙方向和导航，以及燃料和脂肪储存。鉴于全球40%以上的候鸟物种正在减少，对化学物质对迁徙生理和行为的影响缺乏了解，限制了我们采取保护措施保护迁徙物种的潜力。 候鸟在提供生态系统服务方面极为重要，如害虫控制、种子传播、授粉、分解和营养补充，它们的减少最终可能威胁到大片地理区域生态系统的完整性。 这项研究将有助于发现暴露的敏感生命阶段，并对工业污染物暴露对迁移成功的后果增加新的见解。

Although migration is a phenomenon that spans the animal kingdom, many long-distance migrant species are currently in steeper decline relative to non-migrant species. Environmental contamination by various pollutants has been identified as a potentially important factor contributing to these declines. However, the mechanistic links between pollutant exposure and reduced migratory success have yet to be established. Using shorebirds and passerine model species, I will take a holistic approach to link the small scale mechanistic effects of industrial contaminants on cells to organisms. This will improve our knowledge of the implications for migratory bird populations using contaminated sites during key life stages of early development, as first time juveniles or experienced adults on migration. Through in vitro lab studies using avian hepatocytes and fibroblasts, captive dosing and behavioural studies, and field studies at migratory stopover sites, my goal is to determine if industrial contaminants commonly found in the environment are capable of affecting migrant bird populations. Here I will test hypotheses that sublethal effects of industrial pollutants alter natural circadian and circannual rhythms, migratory orientation and navigation, as well as fuelling and fat storage. Given more than 40% of migratory bird species are declining worldwide, a lack of understanding of chemical effects on migratory physiology and behaviour limits our potential to employ conservation measures to protect migratory species. Migratory birds are extremely important for providing ecosystem services such as pest control, seed dispersion, pollination, decomposition, and nutrient additions and their declines may ultimately threaten the integrity of ecosystems across large geographic areas. This research will aid in the discovery of sensitive life stages for exposure and add new insight into the consequences of industrial pollutant exposure on migration success.