ORBi: Debacker Virginie - Ecotoxicological and pathological studies of common guillemots Uria aalge, beached on the Belgian coast during six successive wintering periods (1989-90 to 1994-95).

Reference : Ecotoxicological and pathological studies of common guillemots Uria aalge, beached on th...


	Document type :	Scientific journals : Article
	Discipline(s) :	Life sciences : Environmental sciences & ecology
	To cite this reference:	http://hdl.handle.net/2268/15869

Title :	Ecotoxicological and pathological studies of common guillemots Uria aalge, beached on the Belgian coast during six successive wintering periods (1989-90 to 1994-95).
Language :	English
Author, co-author :	Debacker, Virginie [Université de Liège - ULg > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Ecologie animale et écotoxicologie - Ecophysiologie et physiologie animale >]
	Holsbeek, Ludo [Vrije Universiteit Brussel - VUB > > Laboratory for Ecotoxicology and Polar Biology > >]
	Tapia, German [Vrije Universiteit Brussel - VUB > > Laboratory for Ecotoxicology and Polar Biology > >]
	Gobert, Sylvie [Université de Liège - ULg > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Océanologie >]
	Joiris, Claude [Vrije Universiteit Brussel - VUB > > Laboratory for Ecotoxicology and Polar Biology > >]
	Jauniaux, Thierry [Université de Liège - ULg > Département de morphologie et pathologie > Département de morphologie et pathologie >]
	Coignoul, Freddy [Université de Liège - ULg > Département de morphologie et pathologie > Pathologie générale et autopsies >]
	Bouquegneau, Jean-Marie [Université de Liège - ULg > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Océanologie >]
Publication date :	1997
Journal title :	Diseases of Aquatic Organisms
Publisher :	Inter-Research Science Publishing
Volume :	29
Pages :	159-168
Audience :	International
ISSN :	0177-5103
City :	Oldendorf Luhe
Country :	Germany
Keywords :	[en] seabird ; Uria aalge ; heavy metals ; PCBs ; cachexia ; Belgian coast
Abstract :	[en] During six successive wintering periods, 727 common guillemots Uria aalge were recovered from Belgian beaches. One third of the birds were already dead, the rest passed through rehabilitation centres where they eventually died. All birds were monitored for general condition (body mass, fat reserves), eventual status of oiling and pathological changes (cachexia, acute hemorrhagic gastro-enteropathy - GEAH -), 339 birds were sampled for trace metals (total and organic Hg, Cu, Zn, Fe, Cd) and PCB analysis. Oiling is still a major cause of death for wintering pelagic seabirds: half of the birds showed signs of external or internal oiling, probably a still greater number of oiled birds never reach the shores. Although a low body mass should be a normal winter condition for wintering guillemots, pathology results showed that three quarters of the studied animals were in a state of cachexia with emaciated pectoral muscles and lowered muscle lipid contents. Elevated levels of Cu, Zn, Hg and PCBs were linked to the state of cachexia and may well represent an additional stress factor leading to debilitation and death of part of the wintering guillemot population.
Funders :	´Impulse Programme in Marine Sciences supported by the Belgian state - The Prime Minister’s Services - Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs.’ (MS/03/31, MS/12/032 and MS/12/033), by the ´European Commission' (13M/91/138, 1366-188901) and by The French Community of Belgium (nr 89/94-131).
Permalink :	http://hdl.handle.net/2268/15869

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