IP02 Wildlife Toxicology
Room 13A/B, Level 4
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Wednesday, 12 November 2003
Chair: Forsythe, Barry ,
(IP11) Haematology and condition of wood mice along a heavy metal pollution gradient.
Rogival, D.1, Scheirs, J.2, De Coen, W.1, Verhagen, R.2, Blust, R.2, 1 Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology Group2 Evolutionary Biology Group, University of Antwerp (RUCA), Belgium
ABSTRACT- A field study of selected wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus L.) populations was conducted in four areas along a heavy metal pollution gradient in Antwerp (Belgium). The most contaminated sites are characterised by high concentrations of Ag, Cd and Pb. The concentration of heavy metals in the soils and selected food sources was determined as an estimate of the exposure levels. Metal concentrations in blood were determined as an indicator of the internal exposure levels. Haematological parameters were used for monitoring potential effects of heavy metal contamination on the wood mice. The investigated haematological parameters were red blood cell count, white blood cell count, haematocrit, haemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration. Other individual parameters such as the ratio of body weight to body length and total body fat content were also measured as indicators of condition. We investigated whether metal exposure can be related to internal concentrations and whether there is evidence for metal related effects on the condition of the mice.
Key words: Heavy metals, Haematology, condition, wood mouse