Dataset Information

Temporal trends in metal pollution: using bird excrement as indicator.

ABSTRACT: Past mining and smelting activities have resulted in metal polluted environments all over the world, but long-term monitoring data is often scarce, especially in higher trophic levels. In this study we used bird (Parus major and Ficedula hypoleuca) excrement to monitor metal pollution in the terrestrial environment following 16 years of continuously reduced emissions from a copper/nickel smelter in Finland. In the early 1990s, lead and cadmium concentrations dropped significantly in excrement, but the reduction did not directly reflect the changes in atmospheric emission from the smelter. This is likely due to a continuous contribution of metals also from the soil pool. We conclude that bird excrement can be used to assess changes in the environment as a whole but not specifically changes in atmospheric emission. Inter-annual variation in excrement concentration of especially copper and nickel demonstrates the importance of long-term monitoring to discern significant trends.

SUBMITTER: Berglund AM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4332472 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Temporal trends in metal pollution: using bird excrement as indicator.

Berglund Åsa M M ÅM Rainio Miia J MJ Eeva Tapio T

PloS one 20150213 2

Past mining and smelting activities have resulted in metal polluted environments all over the world, but long-term monitoring data is often scarce, especially in higher trophic levels. In this study we used bird (Parus major and Ficedula hypoleuca) excrement to monitor metal pollution in the terrestrial environment following 16 years of continuously reduced emissions from a copper/nickel smelter in Finland. In the early 1990s, lead and cadmium concentrations dropped significantly in excrement, b ...[more]

PMID: 25680108

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Dataset Information

Temporal trends in metal pollution: using bird excrement as indicator.

Publications

Temporal trends in metal pollution: using bird excrement as indicator.

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