Comparison of Hepatic and Nephric Total Mercury Concentrations Between Feral and Ranch American Mink (Neovison vison) from Northwestern Poland

For many years the American mink (Neovison vison) has been used in North America (where it originates from) as a sensitive indirect bioindicator in assessing the degree of mercury (Hg) contamination in terrestrial ecosystems. The aim of this paper was the determination of total concentrations of Hg in the liver and kidneys of feral and ranch mink from the Warta Mouth National Park (WMNP) and from farms located in northwestern Poland, for comparison with similar data on American mink from North America. In road-killed feral mink from the WMNP, the mean concentrations were 11.8 and 14.1 mg/kg dry weight in the liver and kidney, respectively. Mean Hg concentrations in feral mink were from 240 to 90 times higher in these two respective tissues than in ranch mink. The feral mink from northwestern Poland had concentrations of hepatic and nephric Hg similar to the highest concentrations that have been recorded over the past several decades in wild American mink from certain areas of Canada and the USA

Trace metals and micronutrients in bone tissues of the red fox Vulpes vulpes (L., 1758)

In this study we determined the levels of trace elements (zinc, copper, lead, cadmium and mercury) in three layers of bones of the hip joint (cartilage, compact bone and spongy bone) of 30 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from north-western Poland. Concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (ICP-AES) in inductively coupled argon plasma using a Perkin-Elmer Optima 2000 DV. Determination of Hg concentration was performed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. In cartilage, compact bone and spongy bone samples from the red fox, median concentrations of the metals studied could be arranged in the following descending series: Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd > Hg, the values ranging from 142 to 0.002 mg/kg dw. There was a significant difference in Cu concentrations, among all the materials analyzed, with much more Cu found in spongy bone than in compact bone. Significant differences were also noted in the case of Hg concentrations in cartilage with compact bone and the spongy bone, and between concentrations of this metal in compact bone and spongy bone. In males, the concentration of Hg in spongy bone was greater than in females. Younger foxes had a higher concentration of this metal in cartilage than adults. The strongest synergistic relationships were observed in spongy bone between the Zn and Cu, Zn and Cd, as well as between Cu and Cd. Statistically significant antagonistic relationships were detected between zinc and lead in compact bone. In addition to monitoring studies conducted on the abiotic environment, an urgent need exists for long-term monitoring of concentrations of heavy metals with long-term effects on living organisms. An important addition is provided by biomonitoring studies on domesticated and free-living mammals, including Canidae

Red Fox Vulpes vulpes (L., 1758) as a Bioindicator of Mercury Contamination in Terrestrial Ecosystems of North-Western Poland

In this study, we determined the concentrations of total mercury (Hg) in samples of liver, kidney and skeletal muscle of 27 red foxes Vulpes vulpes (L., 1758) from north-western Poland, and examined the morphometric characteristics of the collected specimens. The analysis also included the relationship between Hg concentration and the fox size, and the suitability of individual organs as bioindicators in indirect evaluation of environmental mercury contamination. Determination of Hg concentration was performed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. In the analysed samples, the Hg concentration was low and the maximum value did not exceed 0.85 mgHg/kg dry weight (dw). There were no significant differences in Hg concentrations in the analysed material between males and females or between immature and adult groups. The median concentrations of Hg in the liver, kidney and skeletal muscle were 0.22, 0.11 and 0.05 mgHg/kg dw, respectively. The correlation coefficients were significant between the concentrations of mercury in the liver, kidney and skeletal muscle (positive) and between the kidney Hg concentration and kidney mass (negative). Taking into account our results and findings of other authors, it may be argued that the red fox exhibits a measurable response to mercury environmental pollution and meets the requirements of a bioindicator

First record of species Microsomacanthus oidemiae Spassky et Jurpalova, 1964 [Cestoda: Hymenolepididae] in wild ducks of north-western Poland

The presently reported study on cestodofauna of wild Anatinae of north−western Poland showed the presence of at least a dozen or so cestodes, hitherto unrecorded in Polish fauna. One of them is Microsomacanthus oidemiae Spassky et Jurpalova, 1964 (Hymenolepididae). This parasite (two not fully developed individuals, including one without a scolex) was found in the common scoter, Melanitta nigra L., (Mergini) wintering on Lake Dąbie near Szczecin

First record of Microsomacanthus tuvensis Spasskaya et Spasskii, 1961 [Cestoda, Hymenolepididae] in Poland

During standard parasitological studies of the tufted duck Aythya fuligula, obtained from fishermen from West Pomerania in December 2007, three cestode specimens were found in the jejunum of one male host. They were determinated as Microsomacanthus tuvensis (Spasskaya et Spasskii, 1961) on the basis of the cirrus’s and cirrus sac’s size and vagina’s shape. This is the first record of this species in Poland

Helminths of Falco peregrinus Tunstall, 1771 from Szczecin area

In 2006, an emaciated female peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus was found near its nest, and died soon after. Parasitological research involved digestive tract and respiratory system, kidney and liver. In air sacs, nematode Serratospiculum tendo (Nitzsch, 1857), which causes the falcon disease serratospiculiasis, was found, and in the digestive tract trematodes Strigea falconis Szidat, 1928, Conodiplostomum spathula (Creplin, 1829), and a cestode Cladotaenia cylindracea (Bloch, 1782)

Cloacotaenia megalops (Nitzsch in Creplin, 1829) (Cestoda, Hymenolepididae) u dzikich kaczek Pomorza Zachodniego

Cloacotaenia megalops (Nitzsch in Creplin, 1892) is a polyxenic and cosmopolitan tapeworm from the family Hymenolepididae. Its generic name derives from their typical location (cloaca), and the typical final hosts which are birds typically associated with water and marsh environments: Anseriformes, Galliformes and Gruiformes. In Poland, the presence of C. megalops has been observed so far in 16 species of ducks from the Baltic coast, the Mazurian Lake District, Wielkopolsko-Kujawska Lowland, Mazovian Lowland, and Podlasie Lowland. In Western Pomerania, quantitative structure analyses were only carried out on Anas platyrhynchos, and therefore the aim of this study was the detailed analysis of environmental populations of C. megalops in wild ducks. The examined tapeworms were isolated from the digestive tract of 1005 wild ducks representing 17 species belonging to three different eco-tribes: Anatini (n=225), Aythyini (n=413) and Mergini (n=367), from northwestern Poland. During the study 187 C. megalops were found in 89 birds (8.8% of examined ducks) belonging to 7 species: Anas crecca (common teal), A. querquedula (garganey), A. platyrhynchos (mallard) (Anatini); Aythya ferina (pochard), A. fuligula (tufted duck), A. marila (greater scaup) (Aythyini) and Bucephala clangula (goldeneye) (Mergini). The results show the differences in the quantitative structure of C. megalops among the examined species of ducks. The highest prevalence was found in mallard (18.6%) and the lowest in greater scaup (3.2%). The highest mean intensity was observed in greater scaup (4.0), and the lowest in garganey and common teal (1.0). Relative density was at a similar level in the tested birds. Based on the ratio of dominance, it was found that C. megalops is a rare species in the cestodofauna in the examined birds

Helminthofauna of the goosander Mergus merganser L.,1758 from the north-western Poland

The goosander, Mergus merganser, is a rare in Poland water bird (Anseriformes: Mergini). It eats fish and small invertebrates. The purpose of this study was a preliminary parasitological examination of the digestive tract of the goosander wintering on the Szczecin Lagoon. The research material were the parasites recovered from digestive tracts of 6 birds (two males and four females), which died during feeding in fishing nets in winter 2001. The birds were subject to standard parasitological examinations using commonly adopted methods. The trematodes and the cestodes found were preserved in 70% ethyl alcohol and subsequently stained using iron carmine (Cestoda) and borax alcohol carmine (Digenea) and then they were closed in Canada balsam. Nematodes were kept in 70% alcohol and cleared with 80% lactic acid or lactophenol. The parasite assemblages were analysed through calculating prevalence, intensity of infection, relative density and domination index. Also, the topic structure of the parasite assemblages or their habitat preferences in a host animal digestive tract were determined. The presently reported study detected a total of 1596 parasitic worms: digeneans (1086), tapeworms (410) and nematodes (100). Acanthocephalans were not found. Even though only a few goosanders were examined, the results show a high species richness of parasite assemblages consisting of 22 species, representing 21 genera. The following were deemed as definite dominants (superdominants): Diplostomum mergi Dubois, 1932; D. pusillum (Dubois, 1928); Microsomacanthus abortiva (von Linstow, 1904) and Schistocephalus solidus (Müller, 1776). Helminths were found in all birds with their great relative density and intensity of occurrence (266 parasites on average). As expected, the parasite assemblages were characterized by considerable topical specificity, probably resulting from the feeding preferences of the worms. The majority of helminths, including predominant part of flatworms, were found in duodenum and jejunum of ducks. Nematodes, on the other hand, colonized mainly the gizzard and proventriculus