Effects of chronic lead ingestion on reproductive characteristics of ringed turtle doves Streptopelia risoria and on tissue lead concentrations of adults and their progeny

Ronald J. Kendall, Patrick F. Scanlon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

Ringed turtle doves Streptopelia risoria received 0 or 100 μg ml-1 lead in their drinking water for two weeks prior to pairing and throughout a breeding cycle. Lead treatment did not increase the time required to produce eggs, did not disrupt egg production, and disruptions in fertility of eggs were not detected. Testes weights were lower (p < 0·05) in lead treated birds where spermatozoan numbers tended to be lower. Bone lead was higher (p < 0·05) in doves ingesting lead, and females had more than ten times the bone lead concentrations of males. Lead was transmitted from adults to juveniles via the egg and probably by feeding young with crop milk. Progeny of lead-treated parents had higher (p < 0·05) lead concentrations in bones, livers and primary feathers than progeny of controls. Packed cell volumes and body weight gains of juveniles were not disturbed by lead treatment of parents.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)203-213
Number of pages11
JournalEnvironmental Pollution. Series A, Ecological and Biological
Volume26
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1981

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