Whereas the other themes of the Contaminant Ecology Research Program focus on where, why, and how contaminants cycle and bioaccumulate in ecological systems, this theme is focused on determining what happens at environmentally relevant concentrations.
It is specifically designed to measure the effects of contaminants on biological functioning across a gradient of ecological scales. Individual metrics vary depending on the specific taxa, ecosystems, and contaminants associated with each project, but the primary responses of interest can be categorized as: (1) Biochemical-level (e.g., stress biomarkers, cellular damage, endocrine response); (2) Individual-level (e.g., behavior, growth, mortality); and (3) Population-level. Perhaps the most important component of this theme is the overarching goal of integrating the effects at all levels of organization to form a more cohesive understanding of the emergent responses to contaminant exposure. Specifically, the goal is to not only understand how various exposure regimes induce responses at discrete scales, but also how effects at one scale contribute those at other scales. Additionally, this theme seeks to understand how contaminant-induced effects interact with other ecological stressors (e.g., disease, climate, predation, nutrition, and other disturbances) to quantify the cumulative role that contaminants play on natural resources.
Active Projects
- Mercury Effects on Avian Reproduction in San Francisco Bay
- Assessing the Risk of Non-lead Environmental Contaminant Exposure on the Health and Potential to California Condors
- Monitoring Contaminant Exposure and Physiological Stress in Scavengers on the Pacific Coast: Implications for the California Condor Reintroduction Program
- Incorporating Wildlife Mercury Exposure and Risk Estimates Using Biomagnification Factors into BOG California Lake Monitoring
- Mercury Contamination in Waterbird Eggs and Risk to Avian Reproduction at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and Great Salt Lake
- Mercury Bioaccumulation in Terrestrial Songbirds and the Influence of Aquatic Energy Subsidies
- Mercury Exposure and Risk to Purple Martins Breeding in the Willamette Valley, Oregon
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Contaminant Ecology Research Team (FRESC)
Below are publications associated with this project.
Collateral damage: Anticoagulant rodenticides pose threats to California condors
Contaminant concentrations in sediments, aquatic invertebrates, and fish in proximity to rail tracks used for coal transport in the Pacific Northwest: A baseline assessment
Current state of knowledge on biological effects from contaminants on arctic wildlife and fish
Managing the trifecta of disease, climate, and contaminants: Searching for robust choices under multiple sources of uncertainty
Characterizing Golden Eagle risk to lead and anticoagulant rodenticide exposure: A review
Correlates of immune defenses in golden eagle nestlings
Avian mercury exposure and toxicological risk across western North America: A synthesis
It’s what’s inside that counts: Egg contaminant concentrations are influenced by estimates of egg density, egg volume, and fresh egg mass
Egg laying sequence influences egg mercury concentrations and egg size in three bird species: Implications for contaminant monitoring programs
Mercury and selenium contamination in waterbird eggs and risk to avian reproduction at Great Salt Lake, Utah
The persistent problem of lead poisoning in birds from ammunition and fishing tackle
Mercury exposure associated with altered plasma thyroid hormones in the declining western pond turtle (Emys marmorata) from California mountain streams
- Overview
Whereas the other themes of the Contaminant Ecology Research Program focus on where, why, and how contaminants cycle and bioaccumulate in ecological systems, this theme is focused on determining what happens at environmentally relevant concentrations.
It is specifically designed to measure the effects of contaminants on biological functioning across a gradient of ecological scales. Individual metrics vary depending on the specific taxa, ecosystems, and contaminants associated with each project, but the primary responses of interest can be categorized as: (1) Biochemical-level (e.g., stress biomarkers, cellular damage, endocrine response); (2) Individual-level (e.g., behavior, growth, mortality); and (3) Population-level. Perhaps the most important component of this theme is the overarching goal of integrating the effects at all levels of organization to form a more cohesive understanding of the emergent responses to contaminant exposure. Specifically, the goal is to not only understand how various exposure regimes induce responses at discrete scales, but also how effects at one scale contribute those at other scales. Additionally, this theme seeks to understand how contaminant-induced effects interact with other ecological stressors (e.g., disease, climate, predation, nutrition, and other disturbances) to quantify the cumulative role that contaminants play on natural resources.
Active Projects
- Mercury Effects on Avian Reproduction in San Francisco Bay
- Assessing the Risk of Non-lead Environmental Contaminant Exposure on the Health and Potential to California Condors
- Monitoring Contaminant Exposure and Physiological Stress in Scavengers on the Pacific Coast: Implications for the California Condor Reintroduction Program
- Incorporating Wildlife Mercury Exposure and Risk Estimates Using Biomagnification Factors into BOG California Lake Monitoring
- Mercury Contamination in Waterbird Eggs and Risk to Avian Reproduction at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and Great Salt Lake
- Mercury Bioaccumulation in Terrestrial Songbirds and the Influence of Aquatic Energy Subsidies
- Mercury Exposure and Risk to Purple Martins Breeding in the Willamette Valley, Oregon
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Contaminant Ecology Research Team (FRESC)
The FRESC Contaminant Ecology research program evaluates the distribution, movement, and ecological effects of environmental contaminants across the landscape and strives to provide relevant science in support of natural resource conservation, management, and decision making. - Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 23Collateral damage: Anticoagulant rodenticides pose threats to California condors
Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are widespread environmental contaminants that pose risks to scavenging birds because they routinely occur within their prey and can cause secondary poisoning. However, little is known about AR exposure in one of the rarest avian scavengers in the world, the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus). We assessed AR exposure in California condors and surrogate turAuthorsGarth Herring, Collin Eagles-Smith, Rachel Wolstenholme, Alacia Welch, Chris West, Barnett A. RattnerContaminant concentrations in sediments, aquatic invertebrates, and fish in proximity to rail tracks used for coal transport in the Pacific Northwest: A baseline assessment
Railway transport of coal poses an environmental risk because coal dust contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), mercury (Hg), and other trace metals. In the Pacific Northwest, proposed infrastructure projects could result in an increase in coal transport by train through the Columbia River corridor. Baseline information is needed on current distributions, levels, and spatial patterns ofAuthorsWhitney B Hapke, Robert W. Black, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Cassandra Smith, Lyndal Johnson, Gina M Ylitalo, Daryle Boyd, Jay W. Davis, Sara L. Caldwell Eldridge, Elena NilsenCurrent state of knowledge on biological effects from contaminants on arctic wildlife and fish
Since the last Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) effort to review biological effects of the exposure to organohalogen compounds (OHCs) in Arctic biota, there has been a considerable number of new Arctic effect studies. Here, we provide an update on the state of the knowledge of OHC, and also include mercury, exposure and/or associated effects in key Arctic marine and terrestrial maAuthorsRune Dietz, Robert J. Letcher, Jean-Pierre Desforges, Igor Eulaers, Christian Sonne, Simon Wilson, Emilie Andersen-Ranberg, Niladri Basu, Benjamin D. Barst, Jan Ove Bustnes, Jenny Bytingsvik, Tomasz M. Ciesielski, Paul E. Drevnick, Geir W. Gabrielsen, Ane Haarr, Ketil Hylland, Bjørn Munro Jenssen, Milton Levin, Melissa A. McKinney, Rasmus Dyrmose Nørregaard, Kathrine E. Pedersen, Jennifer Provencher, Bjarne Styrishave, Sabrina Tartu, Jon Aars, Joshua T. Ackerman, Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid, Rob Barrett, Anders Bignert, Erik W. Born, Marsha Branigan, Birgit Braune, Colleen E. Bryan, Maria Dam, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Marlene S. Evans, Thomas J. Evans, Aaron T. Fisk, Mary Gamberg, Kim Gustavson, C. Alex Hartman, Björn Helander, Mark P. Herzog, Paul F. Hoekstra, Magali Houde, Katrin Hoydal, Allyson K. Jackson, John Kucklick, Elisabeth Lie, Lisa Loseto, Mark L. Mallory, Cecilie Miljeteig, Anders Mosbech, Derek C.G. Muir, Sanna Túni Nielsen, Elizabeth Peacock, Sara Pedro, Sarah H. Peterson, Anuschka Polder, Frank F. Rigét, Pat Roach, Halvor Saunes, Mikkel-Holger S. Sinding, Janneche U. Skaare, Jens Søndergaard, Garry Stenson, Gary Stern, Gabriele Treu, Stacy S. Schuur, Gísli VíkingssonManaging the trifecta of disease, climate, and contaminants: Searching for robust choices under multiple sources of uncertainty
Wood frogs, like other amphibian species worldwide, are experiencing population declines due to multiple stressors. In the northeastern United States, wood frog declines are thought to result from a reduction in successful metamorphosis in part due to climate change, disease (specifically ranavirus) and contaminant exposure. The presence of multiple stressors can increase uncertainty in characteriAuthorsKelly Smalling, Collin Eagles-Smith, Rachel A. Katz, Evan GrantCharacterizing Golden Eagle risk to lead and anticoagulant rodenticide exposure: A review
Contaminant exposure is among the many threats to Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) populations throughout North America, particularly lead poisoning and anticoagulant rodenticides (AR). These threats may act in concert with others (e.g., lead poisoning and trauma associated with striking objects) to exacerbate risk. Golden Eagles are skilled hunters but also exploit scavenging opportunities, makinAuthorsGarth Herring, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Jeremy A. BuckCorrelates of immune defenses in golden eagle nestlings
An individual's investment in constitutive immune defenses depends on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. We examined how Leucocytozoon parasite presence, body condition (scaled mass), heterophil-to-lymphocyte (H:L) ratio, sex, and age affected immune defenses in golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) nestlings from three regions: California, Oregon, and Idaho. We quantified hemolytic-complement activAuthorsElisabeth MacColl, Kris Vanesky, Jeremy A. Buck, Benjamin Dudek, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Julie A. Heath, Garth Herring, Chris Vennum, Cynthia J. DownsAvian mercury exposure and toxicological risk across western North America: A synthesis
Methylmercury contamination of the environment is an important issue globally, and birds are useful bioindicators for mercury monitoring programs. The available data on mercury contamination of birds in western North America were synthesized. Original data from multiple databases were obtained and a literature review was conducted to obtain additional mercury concentrations. In total, 29219 origiAuthorsJoshua T. Ackerman, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Mark P. Herzog, C. Alex Hartman, Sarah H. Peterson, David C. Evers, Allyson K. Jackson, John E. Elliott, Stacy S. Vander Pol, Colleen E. BryanIt’s what’s inside that counts: Egg contaminant concentrations are influenced by estimates of egg density, egg volume, and fresh egg mass
In egg contaminant studies, it is necessary to calculate egg contaminant concentrations on a fresh wet weight basis and this requires accurate estimates of egg density and egg volume. We show that the inclusion or exclusion of the eggshell can influence egg contaminant concentrations, and we provide estimates of egg density (both with and without the eggshell) and egg-shape coefficients (used to eAuthorsMark P. Herzog, Joshua T. Ackerman, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, C. Alex HartmanEgg laying sequence influences egg mercury concentrations and egg size in three bird species: Implications for contaminant monitoring programs
Bird eggs are commonly used in contaminant monitoring programs and toxicological risk assessments, but intra-clutch variation and sampling methodology could influence interpretability. We examined the influence of egg laying sequence on egg mercury concentrations and burdens in American avocets, black-necked stilts, and Forster's terns. The average decline in mercury concentrations between the firAuthorsJoshua T. Ackerman, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Mark P. Herzog, Julie L. Yee, C. Alex HartmanMercury and selenium contamination in waterbird eggs and risk to avian reproduction at Great Salt Lake, Utah
The wetlands of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem are recognized regionally, nationally, and hemispherically for their importance as breeding, wintering, and migratory habitat for diverse groups of waterbirds. Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is the largest freshwater component of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem and provides critical breeding habitat for more than 60 bird species. However, the Great SalAuthorsJoshua T. Ackerman, Mark P. Herzog, Christopher A. Hartman, John P. Isanhart, Garth Herring, Sharon Vaughn, John F. Cavitt, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Howard Browers, Chris Cline, Josh VestThe persistent problem of lead poisoning in birds from ammunition and fishing tackle
Lead (Pb) is a metabolic poison that can negatively influence biological processes, leading to illness and mortality across a large spectrum of North American avifauna (>120 species) and other organisms. Pb poisoning can result from numerous sources, including ingestion of bullet fragments and shot pellets left in animal carcasses, spent ammunition left in the field, lost fishing tackle, Pb-basedAuthorsSusan M. Haig, Jesse D'Elia, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Jeanne M. Fair, Jennifer Gervais, Garth Herring, James W. Rivers, John H. SchulzMercury exposure associated with altered plasma thyroid hormones in the declining western pond turtle (Emys marmorata) from California mountain streams
Mercury (Hg) is a global threat to wildlife health that can impair many physiological processes. Mercury has well-documented endocrine activity; however, little work on the effects of Hg on the thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) in aquatic wildlife exists despite the fact that it is a sensitive endpoint of contaminant exposure. An emerging body of evidence points to the toxiAuthorsErik Meyer, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Donald Sparling, Steve Blumenshine