Pesticide contamination and hatching success of waterbirds in Mississippi

Donald H. White; W. James Fleming; Keren L. Ensor

doi:10.2307/3800937

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Pesticide contamination and hatching success of waterbirds in Mississippi

Donald H. White·W. James Fleming·Keren L. Ensor

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Abstract

Waterfowl wintering on the Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) were contaminated (ltoreq 4 ppm wet wt) with dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis-(p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (DDE), but residues were below levels known to affect waterfowl. Eggs of some nesting waterbirds contained higher than expected levels of DDE, especially those of green-backed herons ( Butorides striatus ), ranging up to 43 ppm wet weight. Hatching success (P < 0.05) and eggshell thickness (P < 0.05) in green-backed herons and anhingas ( Anhinga anhinga ) were negatively correlated with DDE in the eggs, and shell thinning (P < 0.05) was evident 12-13 years after DDT was banned in the United States. The threshold level of DDE determined necessary for reduced hatching success in green-backed heron eggs was 5.1-10 ppm wet weight. These results further increase our ability to interpret DDE concentrations in waterbirds and predict their potential effects on productivity.

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Journal of Wildlife Management Article

Source-reported bounding extent: 33.03579250910256° to 33.11576951729235° latitude; -91.02638684723075° to -90.96596204254341° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Donald H. White, W. James Fleming, Keren L. Ensor. 1988. Pesticide contamination and hatching success of waterbirds in Mississippi. https://doi.org/10.2307/3800937

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