Christine Custer
Science and Products
PFAS Transport, Exposure, and Effects
The team is determining the movement and behavior of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from their sources in the environment, as they move through exposure pathways in ecosystems including watersheds and aquifers, their incorporation into food webs, and molecular to population scale effects on fish and wildlife. These studies are accomplished at a variety of spatial scales from...
Areas of Concern: Effects of Contaminants of Emerging Concern on Avian Biota in the Great Lakes
The objectives of this work are to evaluate whether there is compelling evidence that Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) are eliciting adverse effects in Great Lakes fish and wildlife. A second objective is to develop efficient strategies and develop endpoints to survey for, and monitor threats, that CECs may pose before those threats become large scale impacts on Great Lakes ecosystems...
Wildlife Toxicology
The team's long term goal is:
- Examine the causes, fates, exposures, biological accumulation, and adverse effects (including sublethal effects) of environmental contaminants on animal (largely bird) populations.
Assessing contaminant exposure and effects at Areas of Concern across the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement designated 31 Areas of Concern (AOCs) across the Great Lakes. The AOCs are geographical areas where significant beneficial use impairment has occurred as a result of human activities. A beneficial use impairment (BUI) relates to a change in the chemical, physical, or biological integrity of the Great Lakes system sufficient to cause any of the 14...
Assessing contaminant exposure and effects of contaminants of emerging concern in the Great Lakes Basin
The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, in addition to designating 31 Areas of Concern (AOCs) across the Great Lakes, also identified contaminants of emerging (CECs) and mutual concern (CMCs) that warranted additional work not only at AOCs but elsewhere within the Great Lakes Basin.
No Adverse Reproductive Effects Observed in Tree Swallows Exposed to Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Clarks Marsh, Michigan
Perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) concentrations in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) breeding at Clarks Marsh near a decommissioned U.S. Air Force base in Michigan were among the highest concentrations ever documented in birds indicating significant PFAS exposures. In contrast to previous studies where reproductive impairment was documented at lower PFAS exposure, there were no...
Systematic Approach to Understanding Tree Swallow Health in the Great Lakes Region—Science to Inform Restoration
Four papers by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists document tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) chemical exposure, physiological responses, and reproductive success in the Great Lakes region. These studies were designed to understand if there are health threats to swallows from contaminant exposure, and to provide resource managers with information about the actual as opposed to...
Low Levels of Contaminants Found in Great Lakes Tree Swallow Nestlings
Tree swallow nestlings at most study sites in the Great Lakes basin were minimally exposed to organic contaminants.
Birds as Indicators of Contaminant Exposure in the Great Lakes
Low Levels of Contaminants Found in Great Lakes Tree Swallow Eggs
Tree swallow eggs at most study sites in the Great Lakes basin were minimally exposed to legacy organic contaminants and brominated flame retardants.
Using tree swallows to assess reductions in PCB exposure as a result of dredging at Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) sites in the Upper Midwest, USA
Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) were used to assess the effectiveness of reducing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure to wildlife as a result of contaminated sediment removal at locations across the Great Lakes under two dredging scenarios, full or spot dredging. For comparative purposes, other locations where no dredging occurred were...
Custer, Christine M.; Custer, Thomas W.; Dummer, Paul Linking field and laboratory studies: Reproductive effects of perfluorinated substances on avian populations
Although both laboratory and field studies are needed to effectively assess effects and risk of contaminants to free-living organisms, the limitations of each must be understood. The objectives of this paper are to examine information on field studies of reproductive effects of perfluorinated substances (PFASs) on bird populations, discuss the...
Custer, Christine M. Legacy and contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in tree swallows along an agricultural to industrial gradient: Maumee River, OH
Exposure to multiple classes of contaminants, both legacy and contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), were assessed in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) tissue and diet samples from 6 sites along the Maumee River, Ohio, USA, to understand both exposure and possible effects of exposure to those CECs for which there are little avian data. The 6...
Custer, Christine M.; Custer, Thomas W.; Dummer, Paul; Schultz, Sandra L.; Tseng, Chi Yen; Karouna-Renier, Natalie K.; Matson, Cole W. Perfluoroalkyl contaminant exposure in tree swallows nesting at Clarks Marsh, Oscoda, Michigan, USA
A site in north eastern Michigan, Oscoda Township, has some of the highest recorded exposure in birds to perfluorinated substances (PFASs) in the U.S. Some egg and plasma concentrations at that location exceeded the lowest reproductive effect threshold established for two avian laboratory species. The objectives of this study were to determine...
Custer, Christine M.; Custer, Thomas W.; Delaney, Robert; Dummer, Paul; Schultz, Sandra L.; Karouna-Renier, Natalie K. Element concentrations in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) from the U.S. and Binational Great Lakes’ areas of concern
Selected elements were targeted in state Remedial Action Plans as one group of chemicals affecting the Beneficial Use Impairments of Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOC). Livers of nestling tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, were harvested from 76 sites in the Great Lakes which included multiple sites at 27 AOCs and 12 reference sites from 2010...
Custer, Thomas W.; Custer, Christine M.; Dummer, Paul; Goldberg, Diana R.; Franson, J. Christian Reproductive success and contaminant associations in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) used to assess a Beneficial Use Impairment in U.S. and Binational Great Lakes’ Areas of Concern
During 2010-2014, tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) reproductive success was monitored at 68 sites across all 5 Great Lakes, including 58 sites located within Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) and 10 non-AOCs. Sample eggs were collected from tree swallow clutches and analyzed for contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins...
Custer, Christine M.; Custer, Thomas W.; Etterson, Matthew A.; Dummer, Paul; Goldberg, Diana R.; Franson, J. Christian Annual variation in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) eggs and nestlings at Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) study sites
Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) eggs and nestlings were collected from 16 sites across the Great Lakes to quantify normal annual variation in total polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure and to validate the sample size choice in earlier work. A sample size of five eggs or five nestlings per site was adequate to quantify exposure to PCBs in...
Custer, Christine M.; Custer, Thomas W.; Dummer, Paul; Goldberg, Diana R.; Franson, J. Christian
Synthesis of tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) data for Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) assessment at Wisconsin Areas of Concern
Assessment of the “Bird or Animal Deformities or Reproductive Problems” Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) can be accomplished by (1) comparing tissue concentrations to established background and Lowest Observable Effect Level (LOEL) for reproductive effects, or (2) directly measuring reproductive success at Areas of Concern (AOCs) and statistically...
Custer, Christine M.; Custer, Thomas W.; Dummer, Paul EROD activity, chromosomal damage, and oxidative stress in response to contaminants exposure in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) nestlings from Great Lakes Areas of Concern
Tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor, nestlings were collected from 60 sites in the Great Lakes, which included multiple sites within 27 Areas of Concern (AOCs) and six sites not listed as AOCs from 2010 to 2014. Nestlings, approximately 12 days-of-age, were evaluated for ethoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase (EROD) activity, chromosomal damage, and six...
Custer, Thomas W.; Custer, Christine M.; Dummer, Paul; Bigorgne, Emilie; Oziolor, Elias; Karouna-Renier, Natalie K.; Schultz, Sandra L.; Erickson, Richard A.; Aagaard, Kevin; Matson, Cole W. Organic contamination in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) nestlings at United States and binational great Lakes Areas of Concern
Contaminant exposure of tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, nesting in 27 Areas of Concern (AOCs) in the Great Lakes basin was assessed from 2010 to 2014 to assist managers and regulators in their assessments of Great Lakes AOCs. Contaminant concentrations in nestlings from AOCs were compared with those in nestlings from nearby non-AOC sites....
Custer, Thomas W.; Custer, Christine M.; Dummer, Paul; Goldberg, Diana R.; Franson, J. Christian; Erickson, Richard A. Concentrations and spatial patterns of organic contaminants in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) eggs at United States and binational Great Lakes Areas of Concern, 2010–2015
Tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, were sampled across the Great Lakes basin in 2010 through 2015 to provide a system-wide assessment of current exposure to organic contaminants. The results provide information identified as critical by regulators to assess the “bird or animal deformity or reproductive problems” beneficial use...
Custer, Christine M.; Custer, Thomas W.; Dummer, Paul; Goldberg, Diana R.; Franson, J. Christian Chromosomal damage and EROD induction in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) along the Upper Mississippi River, Minnesota, USA
The health of tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, on the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) was assessed in 2010 and 2011 using biomarkers at six sites downriver of Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN metropolitan area, a tributary into the UMR, and a nearby lake. Chromosomal damage was evaluated in nestling blood by measuring the coefficient of...
Bigorgne, Emilie; Custer, Thomas W.; Dummer, Paul; Erickson, Richard A.; Karouna-Renier, Natalie K.; Schultz, Sandra L.; Custer, Christine M.; Thogmartin, Wayne E.; Matson, Cole W.
Tree Swallow GLRI Story Map
This Story Maps accompanies 4 peer-reviewed publications to provide a convenient and useful tool to access the information contained within these four peer-reviewed publications. The tree swallow data are easily visualized on a landscape scale, or more detail can be obtained by drilling down. These data are being used by States and EPA in their Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) assessments. ...
