Biology Commons^™

Using Raccoons As An Indicator Species For Metal Accumulation Across Trophic Accumulation Across Trophic Levels: A Stable Isotope Approach, Karen F. Gaines, Christhopher S. Romanek, C. Shane Boring, Christine G. Lord, Michael Gochfeld, Joanna Burger

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

: The fact that raccoons (Procyon lotor) are an opportunistic omnivore has severely complicated interpreta- tions of contaminant uptake patterns due to the inability to determine the trophic position an individual occupies. Moreover, few studies have examined the relationships between heavy metal bioaccumulation and trophic struc- ture, especially in the terrestrial environment. In this study, the stable isotopes of nitrogen were used to charac- terize the feeding habits of the raccoon at the population level and to determine whether metal burden was relat- ed to trophic feeding structure within a welldefined ecosystem. Raccoon populations were isotopically distinct, and significant positive …