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Titre :
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Chlorinated hydrocarbons in birds and mammals
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Auteurs :
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P.L. Chambers ;
D.W. Norriss ;
Claire M. Chambers, Éditeur scientifique ;
Philip L. Chambers, Éditeur scientifique ;
S. Gitter, Éditeur scientifique
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Type de document :
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Congrès
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Editeur :
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[S.l.] : Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 1983
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Collection :
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Toxicology in the Use, Misuse, and Abuse of Food, Drugs, and Chemicals
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Format :
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206-212
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Langues:
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Anglais
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Mots-clés:
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Behaviour
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Birds
;
Chlorinated hydrocarbons
;
Eggshell index
;
Peregrine falcon
;
Rat
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Résumé :
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The loss of raptor birds and in particular the peregrine falcon during the use of chlorinated hydrocarbons as pesticides has led to discussion of the means by which these compounds produced their effects. The effect of thinning the egg shells is well known and this may have been the major contribution to the change in reproductive capacity. Other species of birds, however, have increased in population in Ireland during the same period. The hooded crow and the heron continued to be successful during this period. The magpie has also increased its population. The crow and the magpie are scavengers and not raptors whilst the heron is a raptor for fish. Another possibility is that the peregrine may have been particularly susceptible to the action of the chlorinated hydrocarbons because of its reliance on the precision provided by its nervous system in making its kill and thus continuing to feed. Moreover it has been suggested that it has shown signs of irritability and hyperactivity which would, during the period of incubation of the egg, put a thin shelled egg more at risk.Mammalian activity is also known to be disturbed by a body burden of chlorinated hydrocarbons. Although evidence has not been provided of direct effect on reproduction by these compounds, survival of the neonate rat can be at risk by a change in behaviour of the mother. Even at low levels, chlorinated hydrocarbons can lead to a change in behaviour. The female can be found to bite off the umbilical cord but not to stop until she has bitten through into the abdomen. Failure to reproduce was therefore failure of survival of the neonate.
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