Organochlorine concentrations in prefledging common terns Sterna hirundo at three Rhode Island USA colonies

Colonial Waterbirds
By: , and 

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Abstract

Concentrations of DDE, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (PCDPEs) in carcasses of prefledging Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) at three Rhode Island colonies support the hypothesis that local contamination is responsible for among-colony differences observed in eggs in an earlier study. The highest concentrations of DDE and PCBs (mean=0.24 and 2.8 ppm wet weight) were found in prefledging terns from Providence, a highly industrialized area, and the lowest (DDE range=nd-0.11, PCBs mean=0.85) in terns from Price Neck, an undeveloped area 40 km to the south, PCDPEs were detected in 3 of 14 tern carcasses from Providence and were not detected in carcasses from 2 other colonies. The occurrence and concentrations of DDE and PCBs in killifish (Fundulus spp.), a major dietary item of Common Terns, qualitatively demonstrated the same trend among locations.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Organochlorine concentrations in prefledging common terns Sterna hirundo at three Rhode Island USA colonies
Series title Colonial Waterbirds
DOI 10.2307/1521065
Volume 8
Issue 2
Year Published 1985
Language English
Publisher Waterbird Society
Contributing office(s) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
Description 5 p.
First page 150
Last page 154
Country United States
State Rhode Island
Other Geospatial Providence Barge, Wickford Tower, Prince Neck
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