Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Correlations between melanin pigmentation and element concentration in feathers of White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla)

Melaninpigmentation und Elementkonzentration in Federn des Seeadlers (Haliaeetus albicilla)

  • Published:
Journal für Ornithologie Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The element concentration of moult feathers of White-tailed Eagles was investigated. Using the 2- MeV Hamburg proton microprobe we tried to differentiate between elements incorporated into the feather via the food chain and those which are deposited externally onto the feather vane. Regarding incorporated elements, special attention has been given to a possible correlation between element concentration and feather pigmentation. Concerning the elements detected in this work (S, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Hg, Pb), calcium, manganese and zinc show a considerable enhancement within the pigmented feather as compared with pigment-free feather sections. On the other hand, no differences were found in concentrations for sulfur, titanium, iron, copper, mercury and lead. Our findings therefore imply a special enrichment of Ca, Mn and Zn within melanin, the source of the feather's pigmentation. The possible role of these elements with regard to melanin formation is discussed.

Zusammenfassung

Es wurden die Elementkonzentrationen in Mauserfedern von Seeadlern untersucht. Mit Hilfe der Hamburger 2-MeV-Protonenmikrosonde, die die Analyse von Probendetails im Mikrometerbereich ermöglicht, versuchen wir zwischen Elementen zu unterscheiden, die vom Adler mit der Nahrung inkorporiert, verstoffwechselt und während der Mauser in die Feder eingelagert wurden und solchen, die während der etwa einjährigen Verweilzeit der Feder im Gefieder extern aus der Atmosphäre aufgelagert wurden.

Im Hinblick auf die eingelagerten Elemente untersuchen wir mögliche Zusammenhänge zwischen der Elementkonzentration und der Federpigmentierung. Von den nachgewiesenen Elementen (Schwefel, Kalium, Calcium, Titan, Mangan, Eisen, Kupfer, Zink, Quecksilber und Blei) zeigen Calcium, Mangan und Zink eine erhebliche Anreicherung in der pigmentierten Feder im Vergleich zu pigmentfreien Federausschnitten. Dagegen wurden keine signifikanten Unterschiede der Elementkonzentrationen von Schwefel, Titan, Eisen, Kupfer, Quecksilber und Blei festgestellt. Die gefundenen Ergebnisse bedeuten eine erhebliche Anreicherung von Calcium, Mangan und Zink im Melanin, das für die Federpigmentierung verantwortlich ist. Die mögliche Funktion dieser Elemente im Hinblick auf die Melaninbildung wird diskutiert.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bogacz A., Buszman, E. & Wilczok, T. (1989): Competition between metal ions for dopa-melanin Stud. Biophys. 132: 189–195.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bonser, R.H.C. (1997): Melanin and the abrasion resistance of feathers. Condor 590–591.

  • Borovansky, J., Horcicko, J. & Ducho, J. (1976): The hair melanosome: another tissue reservoir of zinc Physiol. bohemoslov. 25: 87–91.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bowness, J.M., Morton, R.A., Shakir, M.H. & Stubbs, A.L. (1952): Distribution of copper and zinc in mammalian eyes. Occurence of metals in melanin fractions from eye tissues. Biochem. J. 51: 521–530.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Burger, J. (1994): Metals in avian feathers: Bioindicators of environmental pollution. Rev. Environ. Toxicol. 5: 197–306.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burger, J., Nisbet, I.C.T. & Gochfeld, M. (1994): Heavy metal and selenium levels in feathers of known-aged Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) Arch. Environ. Toxicol. 26: 351–355.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burger, J. & Gochfeld, M. (1995): Biomonitoring of heavy metals in the pacific basin using avian feathers. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 14: 1233–1239.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dorea, J.G. & Pereira, S.E. (1983) The influence of hair color on the concentration of zinc and copper in boys' hair J. Nutrition 113: 2375–2381.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ellenberg, H., Dietrich, J., Gast, F., Hahn, E. & May, R. (1986): Vögel als Biomonitoren für die Schadstoffbelastung von Landschaftsausschnitten — Ein Überblick. Verh. Ges. Ökol. 14: 403–412.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitzpatrick, T.B. & Breathnach, A.S. (1963): Das epidermale Melanin-Einheit System. Derm. Wschr. 147: 481–489.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Flesch, P. (1968): Epidermal iron pigments in red species. Nature 217: 1056–1057.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Giesen, M. (1981): Beiträge zur Kenntnis des Melanins in Keratinfasern. Dissertation, RWTH Aachen.

  • Goede, A.A. (1985): Mercury, selenium, arsenic and zinc in waders from the Dutch Wadden Sea. Environmental Pollution (Series A) 37: 287–309.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Greenstein, G.P. (1948): Chemistry of melanomas Spec. Pubs. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 4: 433–436.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Großmann, D., Niecke, M., Koopmann, J.P. & Schöttler, J. (1990): The Hamburg Proton Microprobe: Application in environmental analysis. Nucl. Instr. & Meth. B49: 495–500.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hahn, E., Hahn, K. & Ellenberg, H. (1989): Schwermetallgehalte in Federn von Elstern (Pica pica) — Folge exogener Auflagerung aus der Atmosphäre. Verh. Ges. Ökol. 18: 317.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hahn, E. (1991): Schwermetallgehalte in Vogelfedern — ihre Ursache und der Einsatz von Federn standorttreuer Vogelarten im Rahmen von Bioindikationsverfahren. Berichte des Forschungszentrums Jülich 1991: 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hahn, E., Hahn, K. & Stoeppler, M. (1993): Bird feathers as bioindicators in areas of the German Environmental Specimen bank — bioaccumulation of mercury in food chains and exogenous deposition of atmospheric pollution with lead and cadmium. Sci. Tot. Environ. 139/140: 259–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, H.C. & Jones, R.L. (1968): Use of feather minerals as biological tracers to determine the breeding and molting grounds of wild gees. Illinois Nat. Hist. Surv. Biol. Notes 60: 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horcicko, J., Borovansky, J., Duchon, J. & Prochazkova, B. (1973): Distribution of zinc and copper in pigmented tissues. Hoppe-Seyler's Z. Physiol. Chem. 354: 203–204.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hartner, L., Hueber, N. & Schreiber, N. (1992): Über die Eignung der Vogelfeder als Bioindikator. Hohenheimer Umwelttagung 24: 75–91.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jimbow, M., Kanoh, H. & Jimbow, K. (1982): Characterization of biochemical properties of melanosomes for structural and functional differentiation: Analysis of the compositions of lipids and proteins in melanosomes and their subfractions. J. Invest. Dermatol. 79: 97–102.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lindquist, N.G., Larsson, B.S. & Lyden-Sokolowski, A. (1987): Neuromelanin and its possible protective and destructive properties. Pigment Cell Research 1: 133–136.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, A.M. & Stettenheim, P.R. (1971): Avian Anatomy: Integument, Vol Chap. 7. Washington D.C.

  • Lyden, A., Larsson, B.S. & Lindquist, N.G. (1984): Melanin affinity of manganese. Acta Pharmacol. Toxicol. 55: 133–138.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lyttkens, L., Larsson, B., Stahale, J. & Englesson, S. (1979): Accumulation of substances with melanin affinity to the internal ear. Adv. Otorhinolaryngol. 25: 17–25.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Niecke, M., Ambor, S., Kühnast, O. & Ellenberg, H. (1990): Vogelfedern als Biomonitoren für die atmosphärische Schwermetallbelastung — Untersuchungen mit der Protonenmikrosonde — Teil I: Externe Deposition von Schwermetallen auf Elsternfedern. Umweltwissenschaften und Schadstoff-Forschung, Heft 2: 71–75.

  • Niecke, M. & Krüger, A. (1997): Schwermetalle in Vogelfedern — Systematische Untersuchung von externer Deposition und Einlagerung in die Feder. Beiträge zur Gefiederkunde und Morphologie der Vögel, Naumann Museum Köthen Heft 4: 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Niecke, M., Krüger, A., Hauff, P., Ellenberg, H., Labes, R. & Niecke, S. (1998): Analyse der Quecksilberbelastung in Seeadlerfedern aus Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. UWSF — Z. Umweltchem. Ökotox. 10: 3–14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Okazaki, K., Kuwata, K., Miki, Y., Shiga, S. & Shiga, T. (1985): Electron spin relaxation of synthetic melanin and melanin-containing human tissues as studied by electron spin echo and electron spin resonance. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 242: 197–205.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Palumbo, A., d'Ischia, M., Misuraca, G. & Prota, G. (1987): Effect of metal ions on the rearrangement of dopachrome. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 925: 203–209.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Palumbo, A., d'Ischia, M., Misuraca, G., Prota, G. & Schultz, T. M. (1988): Structural modifications in biosynthetic melanins induced by metal ions. Biochem. Biophys. Acta 964: 193–199.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Panessa, B.J. & Zadunaisky, J.A. (1981): A calcium reservoir in the vertebrate eye. Exp. Eye Res. 32: 593–604.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pfeiffer, C. C. & Mailloux, R. J. (1988): Heavy metals, useful cations and melanin as a possible repository. Med. Hypotheses 26: 125–130.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Potts, A. M. & Au, P. C. (1976): The affinity of melanin for inorganic ions. Exp. Eye Res. 22: 487–491.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Prasad, S. P. (1993): Biochemistry of Zinc. New York.

  • Prota, G. (1988): Some new aspects of eumelanin chemistry. In: Bagnara, J. T. (ed.): Advances in Pigment Cell Research: 101–124. New York.

  • Rorsman, H. (1972): Binding of simple chemicals in melanin producing cells. Progress in Org. Biol. & Med. Chem. 3: 655–670.

    Google Scholar 

  • Samuelson, D.A., Smith, P., Ulfshafer, R.J., Hendricks, D.G., Whitley, R.D., Hendricks, H. & Leone, N.C. (1993) X-ray Microanalysis of ocular melanin in pigs maintained on normal and low zinc diets. Eye Res. 56: 63–70.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sarna, T., Korytowski W., M. Pasenkiewicz-Gierula & E. Gudowska (1981): Ion-exchange studies in melanins. In: Seiji, M. (Ed.): Pigment Cell 1981: Phenotypic Expression in Pigment Cells: 23–29. Tokyo.

  • Scanlon, P.F., O'Brien, T.G., Schauer, N.L., Coggin, J.L. & Steffen, D.E. (1979): Heavy metal levels in feathers of wild turkeys from Virginia. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 21: 591.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Scanlon, P.F., Oderwald, R.G., Dietrick, T.J. & Coggin, J.L. (1980): Heavy metal concentrations in feathers of Ruffed Grouse shot by Virginian hunters. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 25: 947–949.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shibata, T., Prota, G. & Mishima, Y. (1990): Regulatory factors of melanin monomer and polymer formation in melanogenic subcompartment of pigment chells. XIV Int. Pigment Cell Conference, Kobe, Japan, p.91.

  • Stein, W.D. (1955): Chemical Composition of the melanin granule and its relation to the mitochondrion. Nature 175: 256–257.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ulfshafer, R.J., Allen, C.B. & Rubin, M.L. (1990): Distributions of elements in the human retinal pigment epithelium. Arch. Ophthalmol. 108: 113–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weyers, B., Glück, E. & Stoeppler, M. (1988): Investigation of the significance of heavy metal contents of Blackbird feathers. The Science of the Total Environment 77: 61–67.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zecca, L., Mecacci, C., Seraglia, R. & Parati, E. (1992): The chemical characterization of melanin contained in substantia nigra of human brain. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1138: 6–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. I. Institut für Experimentalphysik der Universität Hamburg — Umweltanalytik —, Jungiusstr. 9, D-20355, Hamburg, Germany

    Manfred Niecke, Matthias Heid & Andreas Krüger

Authors
  1. Manfred Niecke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Matthias Heid
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Andreas Krüger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Niecke, M., Heid, M. & Krüger, A. Correlations between melanin pigmentation and element concentration in feathers of White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla). J Ornithol 140, 355–362 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01651032

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01651032

Key words

Search

Navigation