Submission Type
Poster
Abstract
Air pollution has been suggested to be a major driver of decline in native bird populations. Understanding how air pollution affects avian physiology and how air pollution exposure may be reduced may help develop effective conservation solutions. Here we tested whether elevated air pollution exposure was associated with increased physiological stress response in free-living urban American robins, and whether urban vegetation mitigated this effect. Specifically, we asked whether the concentration of the stress-related glucocorticoid hormone corticosterone was predicted by exposure to two metrics of air pollution: nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ultrafine particulates (UFPs); and two metrics of green space: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and leaf area index (LAI). Corticosterone levels in robins were positively correlated with NO2 but not UFP pollution. Urban green space did not explain variation in corticosterone levels. Our study suggests that exposure to air pollution may result in elevated physiological stress in wild birds, which may result in negative health and fitness consequences. In future studies we will test how green space and air pollution relate to other metrics of fitness in urban birds to better understand the role of air pollution and urban greening in the ecology of native avifauna.
Included in
Air pollution is associated with increased stress in urban songbirds
Air pollution has been suggested to be a major driver of decline in native bird populations. Understanding how air pollution affects avian physiology and how air pollution exposure may be reduced may help develop effective conservation solutions. Here we tested whether elevated air pollution exposure was associated with increased physiological stress response in free-living urban American robins, and whether urban vegetation mitigated this effect. Specifically, we asked whether the concentration of the stress-related glucocorticoid hormone corticosterone was predicted by exposure to two metrics of air pollution: nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ultrafine particulates (UFPs); and two metrics of green space: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and leaf area index (LAI). Corticosterone levels in robins were positively correlated with NO2 but not UFP pollution. Urban green space did not explain variation in corticosterone levels. Our study suggests that exposure to air pollution may result in elevated physiological stress in wild birds, which may result in negative health and fitness consequences. In future studies we will test how green space and air pollution relate to other metrics of fitness in urban birds to better understand the role of air pollution and urban greening in the ecology of native avifauna.
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Jay Turner, Washington University in St. Louis
Aruni Bhatnagar, University of Louisville
Ray Yeager, University of Louisville
Mikus Abolins-Abols, University of Louisville