Organochlorine residues in bats after a forest spraying with DDT

Northwest Science
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Abstract

Background levels of DDT and its metabolites (ZDDT) were extremely low or not detected in five species of forest-dwelling bats in northeastern Oregon, i.e., areas not sprayed with DDT in 1974. Other organochlorine pesticides were rarely found and no polychlotinated biphenyls (PCBs) were detected at any time during the study. Four of five species of bats showed significant changes in Z:DDT residues in, their carcasses following the single DDT spray application. Myotis californicus and M. volans showed the highest post-spray carcass residues, 6.90 and 6.21 ppm (wet weight). respectively. Lasionycteris noctivagans and Eptesicus fuscus also showed an increase; however, M. evotis exhibited no significant post-spray change. By 1977 (3 years post-spray), residues declined and only M. californicus and M. volans contained levels that were significantly above those in the nonspray (control) area. We are uncertain if the elevated residue levels resulting from the DDT-spray project adversely affected any of the bats. An attempt to relate bat carcass ZDDT residues to food habits, through analysis of stomach contents, yielded no clear relationships.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Organochlorine residues in bats after a forest spraying with DDT
Series title Northwest Science
Volume 56
Issue 4
Year Published 1982
Language English
Publisher Northwest Science Association
Contributing office(s) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Description 9 p.
First page 329
Last page 337
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