Abstract
To examine whether sexually selected traits are particularly sensitive bioindicators of environmental toxicants, we assessed the effects of exposure to environmentally relevant dietary concentrations of the pollutant methylmercury on pigment coloration in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). First, we tested whether effects of methylmercury on coloration were influenced by timing of exposure. Birds were either exposed developmentally (up to 114 days after hatching), as adults (after reaching sexual maturity), or for their entire life. Bill coloration, which is a carotenoid-based, sexually selected trait, was less red in males with lifetime exposure to methylmercury, compared to controls. Neither adult, nor developmental exposure influenced bill color in adult males, with the possible exception of early exposure of nestlings. Among females, where bill color is not under strong sexual selection, neither lifetime nor adult exposure to methylmercury affected bill color. For males and females, there was no effect of either lifetime or adult methylmercury exposure on coloration of back feathers, which is a non-sexually-dimorphic, melanin-based trait that is not likely the result of sexual selection. This study is a comprehensive experimental test of the proposal that sexually selected traits may be particularly useful bioindicators of the stress imposed by environmental toxins such as methylmercury.
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Acknowledgements
This study was funded by E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company and research was completed with oversight from the South River Science Team, a collaboration of state and federal agencies, academic institutions, and environmental interests. William & Mary, Sigma Xi, and the National Science Foundation (IOS-1257590) provided additional funding. The authors would also like to thank Kemin Industries, Inc. for providing FloraGlo Lutein carotenoid powder and Margaret Whitney for diet preparation and analysis. Also thanks to Kenton Buck, Megan Kobiela, Ghazi Mahjoub, and Jessica Ebers Smith who assisted in feeding and collecting monthly blood samples from the birds used in this study.
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Experiments were in accordance with the Guide of the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the National Institutes of Health, and were approved and overseen by The College’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC-IBC-2010-05-03-6516-dacris). All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.
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Spickler, J.L., Swaddle, J.P., Gilson, R.L. et al. Sexually selected traits as bioindicators: exposure to mercury affects carotenoid-based male bill color in zebra finches. Ecotoxicology 29, 1138–1147 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-020-02271-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-020-02271-8