Metal pollution is currently a major issue in marine ecosystems, as organisms, and particularly seabirds, are exposed and accumulating increased levels from several anthropogenic sources. A set of 13 metals were quantified in two gull species breeding in sympatry, and in two distinct colonies separated by ca. 400 km. Oxidative stress was measured, and stable isotope analyses were used to link metal contamination and oxidative stress with the trophic ecology of each species/population. There was a clear segregation of metal contamination between the two species and to a much lesser extent between colonies. Overall, Audouin's gull was the most contaminated species for most metals, once this species relies mainly on fish and other marine resources. The Yellow-legged gull feeds regularly on terrestrial food sources besides fish, which may dilute contamination levels. Oxidative stress responses were related with birds' trophic ecology and foraging habitat, but apparently not with metal contamination.

金属污染目前是海洋生态系统中的一个主要问题，因为生物（尤其是海鸟）已经暴露，并从几种人为来源积累了越来越高的水平。在共生的两个海鸥物种中，以及在由ca隔开的两个不同的菌落中，对一组13种金属进行了定量。400公里 测量了氧化应激，并使用稳定的同位素分析将金属污染和氧化应激与每个物种/种群的营养生态联系起来。在两个物种之间以及在菌落之间的程度要小得多的情况下，金属污染明显分离。总体而言，奥杜因海鸥是大多数金属中污染最严重的物种，一旦该物种主要依赖鱼类和其他海洋资源。黄腿鸥除了鱼类以外，还定期以陆地食物为食，这可能会稀释污染水平。氧化应激反应与鸟类的营养生态和觅食栖息地有关，但显然与金属污染无关。