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Cliff Swallows Petrochelidon pyrrhonota as Bioindicators of Environmental Mercury, Cache Creek Watershed, California

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Abstract

To evaluate mercury (Hg) and other element exposure in cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), eggs were collected from 16 sites within the mining-impacted Cache Creek watershed, Colusa, Lake, and Yolo counties, California, USA, in 1997–1998. Nestlings were collected from seven sites in 1998. Geometric mean total Hg (THg) concentrations ranged from 0.013 to 0.208 μg/g wet weight (ww) in cliff swallow eggs and from 0.047 to 0.347 μg/g ww in nestlings. Mercury detected in eggs generally followed the spatial distribution of Hg in the watershed based on proximity to both anthropogenic and natural sources. Mean Hg concentrations in samples of eggs and nestlings collected from sites near Hg sources were up to five and seven times higher, respectively, than in samples from reference sites within the watershed. Concentrations of other detected elements, including aluminum, beryllium, boron, calcium, manganese, strontium, and vanadium, were more frequently elevated at sites near Hg sources. Overall, Hg concentrations in eggs from Cache Creek were lower than those reported in eggs of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) from highly contaminated locations in North America. Total Hg concentrations were lower in all Cache Creek egg samples than adverse effects levels established for other species. Total Hg concentrations in bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) and foothill yellow-legged frogs (Rana boylii) collected from 10 of the study sites were both positively correlated with THg concentrations in cliff swallow eggs. Our data suggest that cliff swallows are reliable bioindicators of environmental Hg.

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Acknowledgments

R. Taylor of TERL conducted or oversaw the chemical analyses. J. O’Keefe, M. Jennings, and C. Hui assisted with field collections. Access to study sites was granted by managers of Wilbur Hot Springs Resort, the Payne Ranch, Bear Valley Ranch, Heidrich Farms, Homestake Mining Company, Conaway Ranch, Syar Industries, Inc., and California Department of Fish and Game and by numerous private landowners. This field investigation was funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Environmental Contaminants Investigations Program (Project 1130 1F22). Permission to collect specimens for this study was kindly granted by the California Department of Fish and Game. We thank C. M. Custer, J. R. Longcore, T. H. Suchanek, D. R. Bergen, J. L.Yee, and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on the manuscript. Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 6924 Tremont Road, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA

    Roger L. Hothem & Bonnie S. Trejo

  2. U.S. Geological Survey, California Water Science Center, 6000 J Street, Placer Hall, Sacramento, CA, 95819, USA

    Marissa L. Bauer

  3. California Department of Fish and Game, 78078 Country Club Drive, Bermuda Dunes, CA, 92203, USA

    John J. Crayon

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  1. Roger L. Hothem
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  2. Bonnie S. Trejo
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Correspondence to Roger L. Hothem.

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Hothem, R.L., Trejo, B.S., Bauer, M.L. et al. Cliff Swallows Petrochelidon pyrrhonota as Bioindicators of Environmental Mercury, Cache Creek Watershed, California. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 55, 111–121 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-007-9082-5

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