Ecotype Variation in Trace Element Content of Hard Tissues in the European Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus).

ABSTRACT: Animals living in anthropogenic habitats bear a multitude of costs, which are directly or indirectly associated with human activities. Among others, an elevated exposure to environmental pollution can have negative consequences for wildlife populations. We examined the differences in the concentrations of trace elements between the field and forest ecotype of the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Naturally, roe deer inhabited various types of woodlands (forest ecotype), but within the last century, they adapted to life in a human-transformed agricultural areas (field ecotype), which could be associated with an increased exposure to pollution. In this study, we measured concentrations of seven trace metals (barium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, strontium, zinc) and fluoride in skull

SUBMITTER: Demesko J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6326995 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature