Selenium in Ecosystems: Deformed American Coot Embryo

Deformed American coot (Fulica americana) embryo (A) from a nest in the vicinity of a southeast Idaho phosphate mine tailings reservoir. The deformity exhibited here-curly toe-is similar to that induced by Se in chickens (B, deformed; C, normal). The scale bar is 10 mm in each image. This coot egg was artificially incubated and analyzed using a fluorescence-based micro-digestion.