Trophic Transport of Metals in Birds: Birds as Indicators of Exposure and Effect

摘要

The ubiquitous nature of metals from both natural and anthropogenic sources combined with their necessity in biological processes produce a complex system for study. Metal distributions in abiotic and biotic systems must be examined to accurately assess impact on ecosystems. Wildlife studies of exposure and effect can be challenging, but the results are more complete than evaluation of only metal concentrations. Birds are good sentinel species because they visible, sensitive to toxins, and occupy different trophic positions. Therefore, studies to assess avian population status, reproductive success, and toxicological significance of metal exposures can be extrapolated to other wildlife and possibly humans.