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Pigeon odor varies with experimental exposure to trace metal pollution

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Abstract

Trace metals are chemical pollutants that have well-known noxious effects on wildlife and that are current major environmental issues in urban habitats. Previous studies have demonstrated their negative (e.g. lead) or positive (e.g. zinc) effects on body condition, immunity and reproductive success. Because of their effects on condition, trace metals are likely to influence the production of condition-dependent ornaments. The last decade has revealed that bird odors, like mammal odors, can convey information on individual quality and might be used as secondary sexual ornaments. Here, we used solid-phase microextraction headspace sampling with gas chromatography—mass spectrometry to investigate whether plumage scent varied with experimental supplementation in lead and/or zinc in feral pigeons. Zinc supplementation (alone or in combination with lead) changed the proportion of several volatiles, including an increase in the proportion of hydroxy-esters. The production of these esters, that most likely originate from preen gland secretions, may be costly and might thus be reduced by stress induced by zinc deficiency. Although lead is known to negatively impact pigeon condition, it did not statistically affect feather scent, despite most of the volatiles that increased with zinc exposure tended to be decreased in lead-supplemented pigeons. Further studies should evaluate the functions of plumage volatiles to predict how trace metals can impact bird fitness.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the “Mairie de Paris” (Thomas Charachon) for allowing the capture of birds and the Centre de Recherche en Ecologie Experimentale et Predictive (CEREEP) which provided logistic support for the field work of this study. We are very thankful to T. Gayet, S. Pollet, S. Hasnaoui, F. Lorente, S. Perret and B. Decenciere for their help in field work.

Funding

This work was financed by grants from the local government (Ile-de-France: Sustainable Development Network R2DS, No. 2012–11 to JG), and from the “Agence Nationale de la Recherche” (No. ANR-13-PDOC-0002 to SL).

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Author notes

  1. Marion Chatelain

    Present address: Wild Urban Evolution and Ecology Lab, Center of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2C, Warsaw, 02-097, Poland

  2. Anaïs Pessato

    Present address: Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, Victoria, 3217, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Evolution & Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174 (CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, ENFA), 118 route de Narbonne, Toulouse, 31062, France

    Sarah Leclaire

  2. Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), UMR 5175, CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, 1919 route de Mende, Montpellier, 34293, France

    Sarah Leclaire, Anaïs Pessato & Bruno Buatois

  3. Sorbonne Université, UPEC, Paris 7, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Institut d’Ecologie et des Sciences de l’Environnement de Paris, 75005, Paris, France

    Sarah Leclaire, Marion Chatelain, Adrien Frantz & Julien Gasparini

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  1. Sarah Leclaire
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Correspondence to Sarah Leclaire.

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All experiments were carried out in strict accordance with the recommendations of the “European Convention for the Protection of vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and Other Scientific Purposes” and were conducted under the authorizations of the “Ministère de l’éducation nationale, de l’enseignement supérieur et de la recherche” (authorization N_00093.02) and the “Direction Departementale des Services Veterinaires de Seine-et-Marne” (authorization N_ 77-05).

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Leclaire, S., Chatelain, M., Pessato, A. et al. Pigeon odor varies with experimental exposure to trace metal pollution. Ecotoxicology 28, 76–85 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-018-2001-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-018-2001-x

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