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Effects of exposure to vegetation sprayed with dimethoate or chlorpyrifos on mallard ducklings (Anas platyrhynchos)

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Abstract

Broods of day-old mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) duckings were led through 200 m of grassland vegetation that had been sprayed with emulsifiable formulations of either dimethoate (480 g a.i. ha−1) or chlorpyrifos (420 g a.i. ha−1) or left unsprayed (control). The broods were subsequently observed on a pond during four 2--3 h periods over the next 2 days and their activities systematically recorded. The brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities of the ducklings were determined at 6, 24 and 48 h after exposure. There were no differences in the behavioural activities of the duckling broods at any time after exposure. The mean brain AChE activities did not differ among the treatment groups, although one dimethoate-exposed and one chlorpyrifos-exposed duckling exhibited activity depression of approximately 20% from the mean control value; the level indicating some exposure to anticholinesterase insecticides

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Canadian Wildlife Service, Box 5050, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Canada

    Pamela A. Martin & Douglas J. Forsyth

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  1. Pamela A. Martin
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  2. Douglas J. Forsyth
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Martin, P.A., Forsyth, D.J. Effects of exposure to vegetation sprayed with dimethoate or chlorpyrifos on mallard ducklings (Anas platyrhynchos). Ecotoxicology 7, 81–87 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008863819270

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008863819270

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