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(42-09) Seasonal variability of heavy metal levels in roe deer kidneys: the contribution of fungi ingestion. Pokorny, BoMISSING CHARACTER ENTITY: sbevetjan*,1, Al Sayegh PetkovMISSING CHARACTER ENTITY: sbeveek, Samar1, Ribari&cbreve; Lasnik, Cvetka1, Doganoc, Darinka2, Adami&cbreve;, Miha3, 1 Ecological Research & Industrial Cooperation, Velenje, Slovenia2 Veterinary Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia3 Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia ABSTRACT- Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) has often been mentioned as a good or even an excellent bioindicator of heavy metal burdens in the environment; however, some external factors, such as the season of sample collection, might significantly affect heavy metal levels (HML) in target organs of the species. Our recent analysis of HML in kidneys of 164 roe deer revealed a very evident peak of Hg and Pb levels in late summer and early autumn. This seasonal variability might originated in some physiological processes (e.g. catabolism; elimination of heavy metals via lactation, formation of foetus or antlers) as well as in different intensity of food intake due to seasonally different energy needs. However, the narrow and distinctive summer-autumnal peak indicated that the seasonal availability of some specific forage with a high bioaccumulative ability (e.g. fungi) is the most important factor influencing HML in roe deer kidneys. Since the importance of edible fungi for seasonal variability of HML in roe deer kidneys was previously based on indirect evidence and reasoning rather than on concrete findings, we tried to ascertain the connection between fungi and wildlife regarding the transfer of toxic substances along the food chain. Therefore, we simultaneously studied residues of metals and mushroom spores in roe deer faeces. The results of the study will be presented in the contribution; yet it is evident that the season of sample collection has to be considered whenever using wildlife as an accumulative bioindicator of environmental pollution or when a hazard due to accumulation of heavy metals along the food chain is assessed. Key words: roe deer, heavy metals, seasonal variability, fungi ingestion |
