ISSN:
1432-0703
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering
,
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Ring Doves (Streptopelia risoria) with breeding experience were fed a control diet or one of two dosages of a mixture of DDE, PCBs, mirex, and photomirex throughout an isolation period of 90 days and one reproductive cycle. Daily observations were made of courtship and parental behaviors. Circulating levels of androgens, estrogens, progesterone, thyroxine, and prolactin were measured in the appropriate sex at selected points in the breeding cycle. The organochlorine mixture altered the nature and duration of courtship behavior in a dose-related fashion resulting in marked asynchrony in the breeding cycle. Alterations were apparently mediated through the female. Incubation and brooding behavior was altered in a dose-related fashion and the median incubation period of the high dosage group was extended by three days. Pairs receiving the high dosage spent less time feeding their young. Androgen levels of males, and the estrogen and progesterone levels of females were altered in a dose-related fashion. Thyroxine levels were increased in both sexes in a dose-related fashion and there was an alteration of prolactin levels. Correlations were obtained between behavior and some hormones. There was a marked dose-related decrease in fledging success, resulting in reductions of 15 and 50% in the number of squabs fledged per nesting attempt. Squabs of pairs receiving the high dosage were of lower weight. The results suggest that behavioral anomalies in breeding synchrony, nest construction, incubation attentiveness and parental care induced in a wild bird population by a mixture of organochlorine pollutants could alter reproductive success, increase the energetic cost to the population, and alter the reproductive fitness of contaminated individuals. These effects were seen in Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) nesting in colonies in Lake Ontario which was highly contaminated by this same suite of organochlorine pollutants in the mid-1970's.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01059412
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