An Assessment of Reproduction and Deformities in Herring Gulls Nesting in the Thunder Bay Area of Concern Doug Crump, Kim Williams, Kim Hughes, and Pamela Martin Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada March 23, 2016 Thunder Bay Area of Concern (AOC) •  Boundary extends 28 km along •  the shoreline and 9 km offshore Ecosystem impairments due to: –  Urbanization, industrial and municipal wastewater discharges, pulp and paper industry, and hydroelectric developments •  Wildlife deformities/reproduction •  problems BUI listed as “requires further assessment” in 1991 and 2011 Relates to contaminant exposure or other anthropogenic stressors on reproductive success or deformity rates Page 2 – April 1, 2016 Rationale for research needs Bird/Animal Deformities or Reproductive problems 1991 Status (Stage 1) 2004 Status (Stage 2) 2011 Status (Update) RFA NI RFA Page 3 – April 1, 2016 Environment Canada’s Role in Thunder Bay AOC (Herring gulls) – 2012, 2014, 2015 •  Initiated a two-year field/lab study in 2012 to assess the wildlife deformities and reproduction problems BUI in the Thunder Bay AOC •  Objectives: –  Examine reproduction and development of herring gulls (Larus argentatus) breeding within the Thunder Bay AOC to meet the recommendations of the 2010 Remedial Action Plan Status Report •  Outcome: –  Clarify the status of this BUI (i.e. impaired or not) in terms of potential delisting Page 4 – April 1, 2016 .N Noam 90933 ?8:mom seam? EmooUemm .. .. .. . .. . . 3:035 :sm .mEtmI. I thought you said a 2 year study (2012, 2014)?? Lots of ice coverage and(>90% snow =coverage water level 2014 – The Frozen Year L rise Looking promising in 2012 (April 27) throughouttaken breeding Superior); May season 4 (B. Ratcliff) Page 6 – April 1, 2016 Multi-tiered Approach: Field study #1 •  Late April – Gulls –  Collect unincubated eggs (n=15-26) from single egg clutches for artificial incubation in the lab –  Build enclosures (n=12) around 3-egg clutches –  Measure 30 3-egg clutches Page 7 – April 1, 2016 Multi-tiered Approach: Field study #2 - Juveniles •  Mid-June – Gulls –  Productivity: # of > 21-day-old chicks/# of enclosures –  Deformity survey –  Banding, body measurements –  Blood and feather collection –  Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) mitogen skin response test (immune response) Page 10 – April 1, 2016 Multi-tiered Approach: Lab Study #1 Embryos •  Artificial incubation –  Embryonic viability, deformities •  Contaminant analysis –  OCs, PCBs, PBDEs, Mercury –  Dioxins/furans/non-ortho PCBs (calculate TEQs) PCB 126 PBDE •  Biochemical endpoints –  Stable isotopes of C and N to determine trophic position/diet Page 11 – April 1, 2016 OR TCDD Multi-tiered Approach: Lab Study #2 Juveniles •  Feather corticosterone –  Corticosterone (i.e. stress hormone) is deposited in growing feathers and provides insight into the physiology of stress during feather growth –  Extraction and analysis were carried out using optimized lab procedures and a commercially-available kit •  Plasma thyroid hormone –  Indicator of potential endocrine disruption of the thyroid hormone pathway –  Whole blood is centrifuged in the field to separate red blood cells from plasma –  Plasma thyroid hormone levels are determined using a commercially-available kit Page 12 – April 1, 2016 Lab Results – Artificial Incubation •  Herring gulls Colony Year N % Viability Deformities % deformities Mutton 2012 2014 2012 2014 2012 2013 15 15 15 15 26 15 92 83 92 100 96 93 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Welcome Double Page 13 – April 1, 2016 Lab Results PCBs 8.0 a - 8:19:19 A 3 7'0 lMuttonI EB DWelcomel-a 6.0 lDoublel 1.0 2012 2014 lirl Environment and Environnement et I I Climate Change Canada Changement climatique Canada a. Lab Results PBDEs 3-0 Mutton I Welcome l-a 2_5 Doublel 1.8 ?9/9 2.0 - PBDE 1.0 Mean Concentration (pg/g, ww) 0.5 - 0,0 - 2012 2014 lirl Environment and Environnement et I I Climate Change Canada Changement climatique Canada a, Lab Results Mercury 0.8 Muttonl DWelcomel-a 0.7 lDoublel 3 3 0.6 0.6 [190.1 0.0 2012 2014 lirl Environment and Environnement et I I Climate Change Canada Changement climatique Canada a, TEQs: How do gulls from Thunder Bay AOC stack up? 400 - CITEQmono-ortho PCBs ITEQdioxins/furans 350 ITEQnon-ortho PCBs 300 250 - 200 150 100 Mean Total TEQ Concentration (pg/g) SO Environment and Environnement et I I Climate Change Canada Changement climatique Canada a Improvement over time - PCBs 8Sum PCB Concentration (pg/1992 2000 2007 2012 2014 Page 18 ?April 1, 2016 lirl Environment and Environnement et I I Climate Change Canada Changement climatique Canada a. Lab Results – Stable Isotopes OR –  δ15N significantly greater in gulls from reference colony (Double) than AOC colonies in 2014; no differences in 2012. –  δ13C not significantly different between Thunder Bay AOC and the reference colony. –  Take home message: Minimal dietary differences (e.g. trophic position) between birds feeding within the Thunder Bay AOC and the reference site (exception: Double Island gulls at higher trophic level than AOC gulls in 2014) Page 19 – April 1, 2016 Field Results Clutch Volume 300 I Muttonl El Welcome I-a I Double Mean Clutch Volume (cm3) SO - 2012 2014 2015 lirl Environment and Environnement et I I Climate Change Canada Changement climatique Canada a, Field Results – Productivity 0.8 chicks/ nest •  Productivity: # of ≥ 21-day-old chicks / # of enclosures •  To maintain a stable herring gull population → 0.8-1.4 chicks/nest (Kadlec and Drury, 1968) •  Productivity estimates of the AOC colony and the reference colonies 21 – April 2016 exceeded this threshold in allPage years of1,study Field results - Deformities Colony Thunder Bay AOC Double Year No. Chicks Examined % deformities 2012 33 0 2014 10 0 2015 14 0 2012 14 0 2014 9 0 2015 15 0 NO DEFORMED GULL CHICKS WERE OBSERVED AT ANY OF THE COLONIES IN 2012 (N=14-33), 2014 (N=9-10) OR 2015 (N=14-15) Page 22 – April 1, 2016 Biochemical results –  In general, feather corticosterone concentrations were lower and plasma thyroxine levels were higher at the Thunder Bay AOC colonies (not significant in all study years) Page 23 – April 1, 2016 PHA Immune Function Test •  No significant differences in immune stimulation index response (mm) between Thunder Bay AOC and reference site in 2015 Page 24 – April 1, 2016 Conclusions – Happy or Angry Birds •  Based on current available data, no evidence of •  •  •  •  contaminant-induced impairment of reproduction for colonial waterbirds within the Thunder Bay AOC 0% deformity rate of herring gull embryos from Thunder Bay AOC following artificial incubation 0% deformity rate in herring gull chicks within Thunder Bay AOC in both study years Limited differences in contaminant concentrations between AOC and reference colonies and TEQs lowest across Great Lakes Current contaminant concentrations are below thresholds established for impairment of reproduction and protection of avian fish-eating wildlife Page 25 – April 1, 2016 The Path Forward •  Addition of a 3rd field season (2015) permitted the completion of “on the ground” research •  Should have waited until 2016 field season given the minimal ice coverage (back to normal??) •  Analysis of data from all years (including census data for population trends) •  Submission of final report and recommendations in terms of BUI status update Page 26 – April 1, 2016 A big thanks goes to…. Field team: •  Kim Williams, Aaron Nicholson (ex-RAP Coordinator), Sarah DaSilva, Zimmer Air (Chris Allen – pilot); Jim Bailey and Brian Ratcliff (Thunder Bay conditions reporting!) Lab analyses: •  Kim Williams, Tissue Prep/Lab Services at NWRC, University of Ottawa stable isotope lab Data analysis and report preparation: •  Kim Hughes, Kim Williams, Pam Martin Great Lakes AOC, ECCC: Mark Chambers, Claudia Dias •  Thunder Bay Public Advisory Committee and RAP Implementation Committee Funding: Great Lakes Action Plan (GLAP) Page 27 – April 1, 2016 DCCO contaminant data AOC/ Ref Colony Welcome I.-a Black Rock Year 2,3,7,8 – TCDD TEQ – nonortho PCBs TEQ –PCDD/ Fs TEQ – monoortho PCBs Total TEQs AOC 2014 3.07 61.58 12.24 4.81 78.64 Ref 2014 6.23 108.99 25.31 6.08 140.37 Colony AOC/ Ref Year PCB 1:1a Sum PCBsb Sum PBDEsc Welcome I.-a AOC 2012 NA 0.921 0.036 Ref 2012 5.480 2.955 0.114 AOC 2014 2.320 1.180 0.044 Ref 2014 3.570 1.470 0.054 Black Rock Welcome I.-a Black Rock Page 28 – April 1, 2016