Literaturdatenbank
Literaturdatenbank |
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Matache, M. L., Rozylowicz, L., Hura, C., & Matache, M. (2006). Organochlorine pesticides - a threat on the herman's tortoise perpetuation. Organohalogen Compounds, 68, 728–731.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich (27 Mar 2011 16:16:42 UTC) |
| Resource type: Journal Article BibTeX citation key: Matache2006 View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Chelydra, Chelydra serpentina, Chelydridae, Habitat = habitat, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises, Südosteuropa = South-Eastern Europe, Testudinidae, Testudo, Testudo hermanni, Toxikologie = toxicology, Zeitigung = incubation Creators: Hura, Matache, Matache, Rozylowicz Collection: Organohalogen Compounds |
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| Abstract |
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Testudinidae Introduction: Although their synthesis has been considered of a great importance for humankind due to their pesticide action (P. Muller won the Nobel prize in 1948 for medicine for the discovery of DDT insecticide action1), subsequent research on organochlorinated compounds as HCHs and DDT and metabolites (e.g. DDE, DDD) has revealed their persistence, bioaccumulation capacity and toxicity (PBT) generating a global concern regarding their effects on living organisms and ecosystems (an overview the harmful effects that persistent organic pollutants may have on biota, their environmental sources and analysis, their environmental trends and processes, their movement through food chains are provided by Jones and de Voogt2 and Blus3). Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni boettgeri) belongs to the Palaearctic tortoises and is present in the South-Western part of Romania, where the submediterranean climate appears4. Hermann’s tortoise lives in habitats like pasturages, grazing lands, mesophilic oaks rare forests or submediterranean shrubs. Species diet is exclusively herbivorous, sometimes preferring the food represented by the people vegetables gardens. It is a vulnerable species mainly due to the late sexual maturity and slow reproduction rhythm. Habitats destruction and the increase in the number of prey animals (many of the antropophilic) are the main threats on species perpetuation. Hermann’s tortoise is a threatened species according to the Romanian legal framework and a strictly protected species according to the Habitats Directive5. Very few studies are available in the literature regarding pesticides effects and bioaccumulation on land tortoises (Testudo genus mainly), most of the papers dealing with aquatic species. A study performed on a population of Testudo hermanni in Southern Greece revealed the effects of some herbicides (2,4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4–D), 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5–T)) on the reproductive capacity of the species. The results indicate a higher vulnerability of Hermann’s tortoises to the herbicides, which have not been associated with reptile mortality prior to this study6. De Solla et al.7 have determined several pesticides (organochlorine, PCBs, Dibenzodioxin, Furan) in the egg content of snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina serpentina) eggs from St. Lawrence River watershed in the neighborhood of a PCB-contaminated landfill site. They report PCB levels of up to 1% of the egg mass (a maximum of 737.68 ppm) with possible source the aquatic sediments (with PCB concentrations between 2 and 7900 ppm)8. The authors do not exclude the possibility that the PCB and organochlorine pesticides to influence the hatching success and the juveniles survivor. PCB concentration in the chorioallantoic membranes of Caretta Caretta seem to be higher than in the egg content9. Generally, aquatic species tend to get high concentrations of organochlorine compounds because of the large fish component existing in their diet. Results: ... Therefore, the overall number of incubated eggs during 2002-2005 was 546, the overall number of living juveniles 380, out of which 80 showed different disorders. In addition, there were another 120 nonhatched eggs, with the juveniles in different Yntema developing stages. The remaining were infertile eggs. The incubation average time was 56 days (maximum 66 days, minimum 50 days). The average hatch was of 5.39 eggs per tortoise. No information is available in the literature related to the lethal concentration for Testudo hermanni so a comparison was not possible. Although we cannot affirm that the organochlorine pesticides are the cause of the large percentage of infertile eggs or juveniles that did not developed correctly, the important concentrations of HCH and its isomers and DDT (sum of DDT, DDE and DDD) quantified within the eggshell samples of Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni boettgeri) are likely to represent a threat to the perpetuation of the species.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich |