Document 15mJEVperJMG6E5Bxrrvjq82Z

Hubert B. Dihlgren Scuch DaHe. ca Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit Soutm Dakota State University Brookings, South Dakota 57006 . EFFECTS OF POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS ON PHEASANT REPRODUCTION, BEHAVIOR, AND SURVIVAL Robort B. Dahlgren, South Dakota Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit*-, Brookings, South Dakota Raymond L. Linder, South Dakota Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit 1, Brookings, South Dakota Abstract: Cock pheasants (Phaalanuc colchicus) were given single capsules weekly containing either 0 or 25 mg polychlorinated biphenyls (Aroclor 125A) for 17 weeks in the spring of 1970. Hen pheasants mated to these cock groups were given single capsules weekly containing 0, 12.5, or 50 reg PCB. Among groups receiving PCB, egg production was depressed significantly (P<0.05) and the number of eggs which were pipped but not hatched was Increased significantly (P<0.05). Even though weekly weight changes of hens, fertility and hatchablllty of egga, mortality of adults, and eggshell thickness did not appear to be affected by PCB, total reproductive success was depressed. Behavior, on a visual cliff, of chicks hatched from hens given 50 mg weekly was significantly different (P<0.01); more of them jumped to the visually deep side or made no choice of sides. Mortality of chicks from hatching to 6 weeks of age was significantly greater (?<0.01) in the offspring of hens receiving 50 mg PCB weekly, and surviving chicks of this group were significantly lighter (P<0.05) in weight than other groups at 6 weeks of age. Supported jointly by the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, South Dakota State University and The Wildlife Management Institute. HONS 071186 dahlgren - Linder Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) have been detected in wildlife In Europe (Jensen 1966, Holden and Marsden 1967, Holmes et al. 1967, Jensen et al* 1969, Koeman et al. 1969) and In the United States (Rlsebrough et al. 1968, Anderson et al. 1969, Bagley et al. 1970, Rlsebrough 1970). This chlorinated hydrocarbon was found as a residue in tissues of both sea birds and land-dwelling species. The induction of sterdid enzymes in the liver by PCB has been demonstrated in both laboratory rats (Street et al. 1969) and in pigeons (Rlsebrough et al. 1968),. and since the capacity of PCB to induce these ensymes Is as potent as or more potent than DDT, they have been Implicated In eggshell thinning. Sax (1963) indicated that the liver of man could be Injured by PCB; liver damage has been shown for guinea pigs, laboratory rats and domestic rabbits by Miller (1944). McCune at al. (1962) and Flick et al. (1965) found that PCB fed to young chickens produced edema and pathological changes in internal organs. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effects of PCB on reproduction, survival and behavior of pheasants. We are grateful to W. L. Tucker, Statistician, Agricultural Experiment Station, South Dakota State University, for statistical advice. This study was conducted using funds supplisd by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife. '* MCNS 071107 Dahlgren - Linder METHODS We used Aroclor 1254 supplied by the Monsanto Co., St. Louis, Missouri. Hens were purchased in the winter of 1970 from the South Dakota Pheasant Co., Canton, and cocks were raised by us from birds previously obtained from the same source. Two groups of five cocks each were given weekly either a 00 size gelatin capaule containing corn oil or one containing corn oil in 9:1 dilution with 25 mg PCB. Each cock group was mated with three groups of five hens each given weekly a single corn oil placebo capsule, 12.5 mg PCB, or 50 mg PCB.' Hena and cocke were maintained in separate cages. Cocks were dosed for 17 weeks from February 13 to June 5 and hens from February 20 to June 12. General care, diet, and maintenance wes the same as that described for a dleldrin experiment by Baxter et al. (1969), except that hens in this study were given a tablespoonful of oyster shells in their food cups once each week. Eggs were gathered from March 7 to June 19 and set weekly in a forced draft incubator. Within 36 hours of hatching, chicks were taken from the Incubator, placed directly on a visual cliff (Tallarlco and Farrell 1964), and given 5 minutes to jump to the visually deep or shallow side. Chicks from this study and those hatched from a concurrent dleldrin reproduction study were placed together in brooders until they were 6 weeks of age, at which time each bird was weighed to the nearest gram. . MOMS 071188 Dahlgren - Linder Adults wars weighed weekly to the nearest gram. Eggshells of hatched eggs from all 15 weekly egg groups were measured, without the membrane, to the nearest 0.01 mm UBing a micrometer at three points around the midline perpendicular to the long'axis, as described by Dahlgran and Linder (1970). Unhatched eggs from weekly egg groups 8-15 were broken, dried for 24 hours, and eggshella Including the membrane were measured. Fertility of unhatched eggs was based on a visual Inspection for evldenca of embryonic development. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Effects of PCB on Condition and Reproduction Only 2 hens died among the 30 hens and 10 cocks under study; both of the hens were receiving 50 mg PCB weekly. Analysis of weekly changes of weight of cocks and hens tested by analysis of variance showed no effect (r>0.05) from the administration of PCB. Flick et al. (1965), who fed 200 and 400 ppm and McCune et al. (1962), who fed at a dietary level of 100-800 ppm, found that the growth of chicks of the domestic chicken was retarded by Aroclor 1242. The averages of eggs laid per hen per day (Table 1) among hen treatment groupa were significantly different. Using an orthogonal test, rate of egg production among hens given 12.5 mg PCB weekly was not different (P>0.05) than the control group, but the 50 mg group was different (PcO.Ol) from the other groups. MONS 071189 Dahlgren - Linder ~3 M. A. Haegele at the Denver Wildlife Research Center (personal communication) found that a single oral dose of 500 mg/kg of Aroclor 1254 given to Japanese quail (Coturnlx coturnix) reduced egg production about 50 percent for 7 days post-treatment, but egg production was near normal 8-9 days after treatment. The differences among treatment groups in egg fertility were significant (P<0.05); however, a significant (P^O.Ol) cock-hen interaction showed these results to be of no biological meaning. Hatchability was highest in control groups and lowest In groups in which hens had received 50 mg PCB, but the differences tested by chi square wars not significant (P>0.05). Significant differences (P<0.05) in the numbers of eggs which were pipped but not hatched were found between groups. Apparently the administration of PCB adversely affected the viability of the embryo at the time of hatching. McLaughlin et al. (1963) Injected both 10 and 25 mg of Aroclor 1242 into chicken eggs and found only 0-5 percent hatchability, growth retardation, edema, and beak deformities in embryos. Ho significant differences (P>0.05) in eggshell thickness using analysis of variance were noted among treatment groups (Table 2). Eggshells from hatched eggs without membranes laid by control hens averaged 0.25 mm t 0.02 standard deviation, and those from all hen groups receiving PCB averaged 0.23 - 0.02, Eggshells from unhatched eggs averaged 0.32 mm t 0.02 for control hene and 0.31 mm i 0.02 for hens receiving PCB. Dahlgren and Linder (1970) found the eggshell thickness of pheasants to be unaffected by M0NS Q7119Q Dshlgren - Linder rt*- weekly administration of 17 capsules containing 6 mg dleldrin, a chlorinated hydrocarbon as ie the PCB compound. Effects on Chick Behavior When chicks were placed on a visual cliff for up to S minutes, significant differences (P<0.01) among treatment groups using chi-square analysis were found in their behavior (Table 3). Among offspring of hens on SO mg PCB weekly, 7 jumped to the visually deep side, 11 jumped to the shallow side, and 11 made no choice in the allotted time. This was in sharp contrast to the behavior of all other groups combined, where IS jumped deep, 132 shallow and 39 made no choice. Similar behavior changes in pheasant chicks hatched from parents given dleldrin were reported by Baxter et al. (1969). Effects on Chick Weight and Survival The weights of chicks at 6 weeks of age (Table 4) were tested by analysis of variance. There were no significant differences due to the PCB level given to cocks and no significant cock-hen interactions (P>0.05). However, chicks hatched from hens given 50 mg PCB were significantly lighter in weight (P<0.05) than those hatched from control hens and hens given 12.5 mg. Chick survival was determined for treatment groups during the first 6 weeks of age while chicks were kept in brooders (Table 4). The survival of chicks was not related to whether cock parents received PCB, but chi-square analysis showed that significantly more (P<0.01) deaths occurred among chicks hatched from hens receiving 50 mg PCB. No difference (P>0.05) was found between mortality of chicks hatched from control hens and those hatched from hens given 12.5 mg PCB. MGNS 071191 Dahlgren Linder Apparently 50 mg PCB given weekly to breeding hens were enough to cauae e decrease In the weight of their chicks at 6 weeks of age and to causa an Increase in chick mortality between hatching and 6 weeks of age. Administration of PCB decreased egg production and caused an Increase in the number of eggs which were pipped but not hatched among treated groups Behavioral changes on a visual cliff of newly-hatched chicks were also effected by PCB. However, fertility and hatchabillty of eggs, eggshell thickness, and weekly weights and survival of adult pheasants given PCB were unaffected. MOHiS C71192 Dahlgren - Linder LITERATURE CITED Anderson, D.W., J. J. Hickey, R. W. Rlsebrough, D. F. Hughes, and R. E. Christensen. Significance of chlorinated hydrocarbon residues to breeding pelicans and cormorants. Can. Field Nat. 83(2):91-112. Baglay, G. E., W. L. Reichel, and E. Cromartle. 1970. Identification of polychlorinated biphenyls in two bald eagles by combined gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. J. Assoc. Off. Analytical Chem. 53(2):251-261. Baxter, W. L., R. L. Linder, and R. B. Dahlgren. 1969. Dieldrln effects in two generations of penned hen pheasants. J. Wildl. Mgmt. 33(1)196-102. Dahlgren, R. B., and R. L. Linder. 1970. Eggshell thickness in pheasants given dieldrln. J. Wildl. Mgmt. 34(1):226--228. Flick, D. F., R. G. O'Dell,.and Virginia A. Childs. 1965. Studies of the chick edema disease 3. Similarity of symptoms produced by feeding chlorinated biphenyl. Poultry Scl. 44(6):1460-1465. Holden, A. V., and K. Marsden. 1967. Organochlorlne pesticides in seals and porpoises. Mature 216(5122):1274--1276 Holmes, D. C., J. II. Simmons, and J. O'G. Tatton. 1967. Chlorinated hydrocarbons in British wildlife. Nature 216(5112):227--229. Koeman, J. H., M. C. Ten Noever De Brauv, and R. H. De Vos. 1969. Chlorinated biphenyls in fish, mussels and birds from the River Rhine and the Netherlands coastal area. Nature 221(5186):1126-1128, Jensen, S. 1966. Report of a new chemical hazard. New Scientist 32(525):612. Jensen, S., A. G. Johnele, M. Olsson, and G. Otterllnd. 1969. DDT and PCB in marine animals from Swedish waters. Nature 224(5216):247-250. McCune, E. L., J. E. Savage, and B. L. O'Dell. 1962. Hydropericardium and ascites in chicks fed a chlorinated hydrocarbon. Poultry Scl. 41(l):295-299. McLaughlin, J., Jr., J-P Marllac, M. Jacqueline Verrett, Mary K, Mutchlar, and 0. G. Fltzhugh. 1963. The Injection of chemicals into the yolk sac of fertile egga prior to incubation as a toxicity test. Toxicol, and Appl. Pharmacol. 5(6):760-771. Miller, J. W. 1944. Pathologic changes in animals exposed to a commercial chlorinated diphenyl. Pub. Hlth. Rep* 59(33):1085-1093. HONS 071193 Dahlgren * Under Rieebrough, R. 1970. More letters in the wind. Environment 12(l):16-27. Rlsebrough, R. W., P. Relche, D. B. Peakall, S. G. Herman, and M. N. Klrven. 1968. Polychlorinated biphenyls in the global ecosystem. Nature 220(5172):1098-1102, Sax, N. Irving. 1963. Dangerous properties of industrial materials, 2nd Ed. Reinhold Publ. Co., N.Y. 1343 pp. Street, J. C., F. M. Urry, D. J.Wagstaff, and A. D. Blau. 1969. Comparative effects of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorlne pesticides in induction of hepatic microsomal enzymes. 158th Am. Chem. Soc. National Meeting. Abstracts of Papers, PEST 17. Tallerico, R. B., and W. M. Farrell. 1964. Studies of visual depth perception: an effect of early experience on chicks on the visual cliff. J. Comp, and Physiol. Psychol. 57(1):94-96. HONS 071194 Dahl|ta - Linder Table 1 Reproductive statistics fro control pheasants and those given PCI. Treatment Group No. Eggs Per Ben Per Day No. Eggs Set in Incubator Fertile Etes No. Percent Fertile Eggs Hatched No. Percent Fertile Eggs Pipped But Not Hatched No. Percent 0-0* 0-12.5 0-50 25-0 25-12.5 25-50 . 0.621 0.459 0.292 0.335 0.362 0.198 277 101 36 74 73 6 6 220 128 58 87 68 29 23 136 50 37 32 64 ' 8 16 168 91 54 73 80 9 10 179 71 40 50 70 18 25 98 63 64 41 65 10 16 * The first number is the weekly PCB level given to cocks, the second that for hens. o HONS 0 7 1 1 9 5 Dihlgren * Linder Table 2. Measurements of eggshells laid by control pheasants and those given PCB. Treatment Group 0-0* 0-12.5 0-50 25-0 25-12.5 25-50 Weekly Eirfl Groups 1-7 No. Hatched Average Thickness Ekks Without Membrane (ran) 41 0.25 42 0.24 19 0.24 30 0.27 17 0.23 35 0.23 Weekly Esg Groups 8-15 No. Hatched Average Thickness No. Eggs Without Membrane (mm) Unhatched Eggs Average Thickness With Membrane (ran) 30 0.24 63. 0.32 45 0.23 28 0.31 12 0.24 37 0.31 41 0.27 27 0.33 30 0.23 28 0.31 5 0.24 13 0.30 8 The first nuaber is the weekly PCB level In ag given to cocks. the secood that for hens. k Unhatcbed eggs were measured only from weekly egg groups 8-15. X iS> J Dahlgren - Linder Table 3. Behavior on che visual cliff of chicks hatched from control pheasants and those given PCB. Treatment Group No. Which Jumped to Visually Deep Side No. Which Jumped No. Not Jumping to Visually Shallow Within S Minutes Side 0-0* 0-12.5 0-50 25-0 25-12.5 25-50 35 A2 8 65 33 15 22 7 56 * The first number la the weekly PCB level In mg given to cocks, the second that for hens. MONS 071197 Oahlgren - Linder Table 4. Weights end survival of offspring from control pheasants and thoae given PCB, 1970, TrtatmanC Group 0-0* 0-12.5 0-50 25-0 25-12.5 25-50 Weight At. 6 Weeks (g) No, of Chicks to Brooder No. of Chicks Alive After 6 Weeks Percent Survival 396 73 49 67 378 84 49 58 303 29 3 10 389 72 50 69 403 50 30 60 344 40 9 22 * The first number is the weekly PCB level in mg given to cocks, the second that for hens. 1 MONS 07U98