Oil spill vulnerability of marine birds: Combining telemetry and biomarker data to assess exposure risk to hydrocarbons
Presentation Abstract
Nearshore marine habitats of coastal British Columbia (BC) are used by large numbers of numerous species of marine birds. These habitats span a range of contemporary hydrocarbon pollution levels, and represent areas susceptible to catastrophic or chronic hydrocarbon pollution in the future. Our ability to understand ecological consequences of contemporary and potential future hydrocarbon pollution is limited by our lack of knowledge of the movement ecology of birds and how that corresponds to the spatial extent and degree of hydrocarbon pollution.
Using Barrow’s goldeneye (Bucephala islandica), a species known to be susceptible to oil pollution, we modelled ecological risk by pairing satellite telemetry data with biomarker expressions of hydrocarbon exposure obtained from overwintering individuals. In winter, goldeneyes congregate along sheltered coastlines throughout the Salish Sea, feeding primarily on blue mussels (Mytilus spp.). Mussels are known to accumulate hydrocarbons that can be transferred to goldeneyes through diet. We predicted that, if goldeneyes showed high site fidelity, individuals with associations to industrialized coastlines would have higher hydrocarbon exposure. Conversely, broader scale movements would result in more homogenized exposure risk.
We determined that goldeneyes routinely moved between industrialized and less-polluted sites in Burrard Inlet, and thus all individuals in the region are more risk of elevated hydrocarbon exposure. This was consistent with our finding that cytochrome P450 expression in goldeneyes was higher, and associated with the degree and distribution of hydrocarbon concentration in blue mussels in this region, compared to pristine sites sampled in northern BC.
Session Title
Fossil Fuel Export Through the Salish Sea- Impacts of Trains and Ships
Conference Track
Fate and Effects of Pollutants
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Sea birds--Effect of oil spills on--British Columbia; Pollution--British Columbia; Environmental toxicology--British Columbia
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); British Columbia
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Oil spill vulnerability of marine birds: Combining telemetry and biomarker data to assess exposure risk to hydrocarbons
2016SSEC
Nearshore marine habitats of coastal British Columbia (BC) are used by large numbers of numerous species of marine birds. These habitats span a range of contemporary hydrocarbon pollution levels, and represent areas susceptible to catastrophic or chronic hydrocarbon pollution in the future. Our ability to understand ecological consequences of contemporary and potential future hydrocarbon pollution is limited by our lack of knowledge of the movement ecology of birds and how that corresponds to the spatial extent and degree of hydrocarbon pollution.
Using Barrow’s goldeneye (Bucephala islandica), a species known to be susceptible to oil pollution, we modelled ecological risk by pairing satellite telemetry data with biomarker expressions of hydrocarbon exposure obtained from overwintering individuals. In winter, goldeneyes congregate along sheltered coastlines throughout the Salish Sea, feeding primarily on blue mussels (Mytilus spp.). Mussels are known to accumulate hydrocarbons that can be transferred to goldeneyes through diet. We predicted that, if goldeneyes showed high site fidelity, individuals with associations to industrialized coastlines would have higher hydrocarbon exposure. Conversely, broader scale movements would result in more homogenized exposure risk.
We determined that goldeneyes routinely moved between industrialized and less-polluted sites in Burrard Inlet, and thus all individuals in the region are more risk of elevated hydrocarbon exposure. This was consistent with our finding that cytochrome P450 expression in goldeneyes was higher, and associated with the degree and distribution of hydrocarbon concentration in blue mussels in this region, compared to pristine sites sampled in northern BC.
