Biology of Puget Sound Marine Mammals and Marine Birds: Population Health and Evidence of Pollution Effects

摘要

The objective of the research was to determine whether detrimental effects possibly caused by toxic chemicals could be observed in Puget Sound marine mammals and marine birds. The study design was based on examination of a wide variety of indices of population and individual health and comparison of these indices from areas of suspected high contaminant levels (target areas) to those from areas of suspected low contaminant levels (reference areas) and to those reported by other researchers. Primary species considered here are harbor seal, Glaucous-winged Gull, Great Blue Heron, and Pigeon Guillemot; these species were chosen because they reside, feed, and breed in some of the most contaminated portions of Puget Sound. Three other mammal species (killer whale, harbor porpoise, and river otter) were chosen as secondary study species either because they seasonally occur in contaminated areas of Puget Sound or they were found through previous research to be experiencing problems that might be pollutant-related.