Abstract
Breeding performance of Great tit (Parus major) was studied in two forests in southern Poland, in the districts of Cracow and Katowice, and in a Swedish reference area. Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn, methyl Hg, ΣDDT, and ΣPCB in tissues of nestlings, were monitored. The birds′ tissue concentrations of the nonessential elements, Cd and Pb, were elevated at the Polish localities, and reflected the degree of environmental contamination. ΣDDT levels were higher in the Polish birds than in the Swedish. Breeding results of the birds were severely affected in southern Poland, and high frequencies of the fledged young showed low Hb.
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Nyholm, N.E.I., Sawicka-Kapusta, K., Swiergosz, R. et al. Effects of environmental pollution on breeding populations of birds in southern Poland. Water Air Soil Pollut 85, 829–834 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00476932
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00476932