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Organochlorines and selenium in California night-heron and egret eggs

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Abstract

Exceptionally high concentrations of DDE were found in black-crowned night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) (geometric mean 8.62 μg g−1 wet wt.) and great egret (Casmerodius albus) (24.0 μg g−1) eggs collected from the Imperial Valley (Salton Sea), California in 1985. DDE concentrations in 14 of the 87 (16%) randomly selected night-heron eggs from six colonies (two in San Francisco Bay, three in the San Joaquin Valley, and one at Salton Sea) were higher than those associated with reduced reproductive success of night-herons (8 μg g−1). In addition, mean shell thickness of night-heron eggs collected from the San Joaquin Valley and from San Francisco Bay during 1982–1984 was significantly less than pre-DDT thickness and was negatively correlated (r=−0.50, n=75, P<0.0001) with DDE concentration. Mean selenium concentration in night-heron eggs from Salton Sea (1.10 μg g−1) was significantly higher than in eggs from three locations in the San Joaquin Valley, and in egret eggs from Salton Sea.

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Author notes

  1. Harry M. Ohlendorf

    Present address: , CH2M Hill, 3840 Rosin Court, Suite 110, 95834, Sacramento, CA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Pacific Coast Research Station, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 96616, Davis, California, USA

    Harry M. Ohlendorf & Katherine C. Marois

  2. c/o Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, University of California, 96616, Davis, California, USA

    Harry M. Ohlendorf & Katherine C. Marois

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  1. Harry M. Ohlendorf
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  2. Katherine C. Marois
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Ohlendorf, H.M., Marois, K.C. Organochlorines and selenium in California night-heron and egret eggs. Environ Monit Assess 15, 91–104 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00454751

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