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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Is The Lcp Superfund Site An Ecological Trap For Clapper Rails?, Karen F. Gaines, Jay W. Summers, James C. Cumbee Jr., Warren L. Stephens Jr., Gary L. Mills
Is The Lcp Superfund Site An Ecological Trap For Clapper Rails?, Karen F. Gaines, Jay W. Summers, James C. Cumbee Jr., Warren L. Stephens Jr., Gary L. Mills
Faculty Research & Creative Activity
Rallus longirostris (Clapper Rail) is considered a good indicator species for toxicants because of its strong site fidelity and predictable diet of benthic organisms. High levels of the rare PCB Aroclor 1268 have been found in Clapper Rail adults, chicks, and eggs from the marshes associated with the Linden Chemical Plant (LCP) in Brunswick, GA. Recently, sampling and testing feathers has successfully been used as a non-lethal tool to trace exposure and assimilation of Aroclor 1268 in rails from the LCP site. This approach allows us to infer how and when these birds are exposed to contaminants in the marsh …
Effect Of In Ovo Exposure To Pcbs And Hg On Clapper Rail Bone Mineral Chemistry From A Contaminated Salt Marsh In Coastal Georgia, Alejandro Rodriquez-Navarro, Christopher S. Romanek, Pedro Alvarez-Lloret, Karen F. Gaines
Effect Of In Ovo Exposure To Pcbs And Hg On Clapper Rail Bone Mineral Chemistry From A Contaminated Salt Marsh In Coastal Georgia, Alejandro Rodriquez-Navarro, Christopher S. Romanek, Pedro Alvarez-Lloret, Karen F. Gaines
Faculty Research & Creative Activity
The effect of Hg and PCBs (Aroclor 1268) on bone characteristics was investigated in a population of Clapper Rails (Rallus longirostris) inhabiting contaminated and unimpacted estuarine marsh systems in coastal Georgia. Exposure to contaminants did not affect the length or weight of leg bones, but it significantly altered the chemical composition of the bone. Specifically, bone in the contaminated site had a higher Ca to P, and lower carbonate and acid phosphate content. These characteristics are typical of more mature bone mineral and indicate that toxicants have accelerated bone maturation. FTIR spectroscopy data revealed a dose dependent change in the …
The Clapper Rail As An Indicator Species Of Estuarine Marsh Health, James N. Novak, Karen F. Gaines, James C. Cumbee Jr., Gary L. Mills, Alejandro Rodriguez-Navarro, Christopher S. Romanek
The Clapper Rail As An Indicator Species Of Estuarine Marsh Health, James N. Novak, Karen F. Gaines, James C. Cumbee Jr., Gary L. Mills, Alejandro Rodriguez-Navarro, Christopher S. Romanek
Faculty Research & Creative Activity
Clapper Rails (Rallus longirostris) can potentially serve as an indicator species of estuarinemarsh health because of their strong site fi delity and predictable diet consisting predominantly of benthic organisms. These feeding habits increase the likelihood of individuals accumulating signifi - cant amounts of contaminants associated with coastal sediments. Moreover, since Clapper Rails are threatened in most of their western range, additional study of the effects of potential toxins on these birds is essential to conservation programs for this species. Here we present techniques (DNA strand breakage, eggshell structure, and human-consumption risk) that can be used to quantify detrimental effects to …
Nest Characteristics Of The Clapper Rail In Coastal Georgia, Karen F. Gaines, James C. Cumbee Jr., Warren L. Stephens Jr.
Nest Characteristics Of The Clapper Rail In Coastal Georgia, Karen F. Gaines, James C. Cumbee Jr., Warren L. Stephens Jr.
Faculty Research & Creative Activity
The nesting habitat of the Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris) is not well studied in the southeastern United States. We documented Clapper Rail nest characteristics and surrounding habitats near Brunswick on the Georgia coast. Of 159 nests found, only 29 were active. Although some nests may have been abandoned or never used, many could have been depredated. Nests were constructed farther away from tidal influences than in those populations studied in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Clapper Rails also tended to nest near tidal pools as frequently as tidal creeks, contrasting with other Atlantic coast studies. The greater tidal …
Mineralization Of Clapper Rail Eggshell From A Contaminated Salt Marsh System, Alejandro Rodriguez-Navarro, Karen F. Gaines, Christopher S. Romanek, G. R. Masson
Mineralization Of Clapper Rail Eggshell From A Contaminated Salt Marsh System, Alejandro Rodriguez-Navarro, Karen F. Gaines, Christopher S. Romanek, G. R. Masson
Faculty Research & Creative Activity
The effect of contamination on eggshell mineralization has been studied for clapper rails (Rallus longirostris) inhabiting a contaminated salt marsh in coastal Georgia. To assess the impact of contaminants, the thickness, microstructure (crystal orientation), mineral composition, and chemistry of shell material were analyzed from a contaminated site and a nearby reference site using optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and gas chromatography with electron capture detector. Eggshells from the contaminated site were generally thinner than those from the reference site. Also, eggshells from the contaminated site were abnormally brittle and contained anomalous microstructural attributes. The combination of …