Developmental exposure to a toxic spill compromises long-term reproductive performance in a wild, long-lived bird: the white stork (Ciconia ciconia).

ABSTRACT:

Background/objective

Exposure to environmental contaminants may result in reduced reproductive success and long-lasting population declines in vertebrates. Emerging data from laboratory studies on model species suggest that certain life-stages, such as development, should be of special concern. However, detailed investigations of long-term consequences of developmental exposure to environmental chemicals on breeding performance are currently lacking in wild populations of long-lived vertebrates. Here, we studied how the developmental exposure to a mine spill (Aznalcóllar, SW Spain, April 1998) may affect fitness under natural conditions in a long-lived bird, the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia).

Methodology

The reproductive performance of individually-banded storks that were or

SUBMITTER: Baos R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3329485 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature