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Contaminants in sediment, food-chain biota, and bird eggs from the Newport Bay watershed, Orange County, California
- Source :
- Environmental monitoring and assessment. 188(2)
- Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- Groundwater-related discharges in the San Diego Creek/Newport Bay watershed in Orange County, California have the potential to adversely affect the surface waters within the watershed and would likely not comply with the established total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for the watershed. In 2004 and 2005, we studied the concentrations of contaminants of TMDL concern (particularly selenium [Se]) in birds that are at risk of exposure to contaminated food items because they feed and nest in the Newport Bay watershed. Most bioaccumulation is from elevated Se in groundwater downstream of a historic terminal swamp. Se bioaccumulation was observed in all biota tested, and DDE was found in fish and bird egg samples. Effects of contaminants on fish and birds are inconclusive due to the management disturbances in the watershed (e.g., flood control) and lack of bird nesting habitat. Although a significant relationship was observed between DDE concentrations and eggshell thinning in American avocet (Recurvirostra americana) eggs, the shell thinning in avocet and other species examined was not enough to result in hatching failure. Further focused monitoring efforts will be needed to characterize the exposure and risk levels.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
Geologic Sediments
Watershed
Food Chain
Eggs
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
010603 evolutionary biology
01 natural sciences
Swamp
Bird egg
California
010605 ornithology
Birds
Food chain
Charadriiformes
Selenium
Animals
Ecosystem
General Environmental Science
geography
geography.geographical_feature_category
biology
Ecology
Fishes
Biota
General Medicine
biology.organism_classification
Pollution
Fishery
Avocet
Bays
Bioaccumulation
Environmental science
Bay
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Environmental Monitoring
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15732959
- Volume :
- 188
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Environmental monitoring and assessment
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....55d2ed5ae88a7832316813bf25ba3fe0