Rebecka L. Brasso

Weber State University

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Michael J. Polito

Louisiana State University

Steven D. Emslie

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Andrea Raya Rey

National University of Tierra del Fuego

Daniel A. Cristol

William & Mary

Klemens Pütz

Kantonsschule Enge

Ulises Balza

Austral University

William P. Patterson

University of Saskatchewan

Samanta Dodino

National University of Tierra del Fuego

Stephen R. Midway

Louisiana State University

Luciana Riccialdelli

Austral University

Cooperative Institutions

United States Geological Survey

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

La Rochelle Université

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

United States Fish and Wildlife Service

Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé

Louisiana State University

William & Mary

Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés

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Relationship between laying sequence and mercury concentration in tree swallow eggs

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (2010)

Rebecka L. Brasso Marwa K. Abdel Latif Daniel A. Cristol

Abstract When female birds lay eggs, some of their body burden of mercury is eliminated into each egg, potentially leading to declining mercury across the clutch. However, there was no decline in mercury with laying sequence in clutches of tree swallow ( Tachycineta bicolor ) eggs at a mercury‐contaminated site, presumably due to daily replenishment of mercury in females during laying. Sampling just one egg from the nest provided an accurate measure of clutch mercury contamination. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010;29:1155–1159. © 2010 SETAC

Mercury

Avian clutch size

10.1002/etc.144

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Citations (34)

An improved, simple nest-box trap

Journal of Field Ornithology (2008)

Scott L. Friedman Rebecka L. Brasso Anne M. Condon

ABSTRACT The success of ornithological studies often hinges on a researcher's ability to capture individuals quickly and efficiently. Sometimes it is necessary to capture the same individual multiple times, as is the case in many metabolic, ecotoxicological, and immunocompetence studies. Several methods of capturing cavity-nesting birds at their nest boxes have been described. However, these methods proved inefficient when attempting to catch wary individuals that had already been captured previously. Here we describe a simple and inexpensive method for capturing cavity-nesting birds using a square plate of sheet metal (5.8 × 5.8 × 0.2 cm), a drinking straw, a piece of duct tape, and a monofilament line. This method has the advantages of allowing selective capture of one, but not both members of a pair and being nearly invisible to trap-shy birds. El éxito de estudios ornitológicos está atado, muchas veces, a la habilidad del investigador para atrapar aves de forma rápida y eficiente. En ocasiones es necesario capturar el mismo individuo multiples veces, como es en el caso de estudios metabólicos, ecotoxicológicos o de inmunocompetencia. Se han descrito varios métodos para atrapar aves que anidan en cajas. Sin embargo, estos métodos han provado ser ineficientes cuando se intenta capturar aves que han sido alertadas por haberse capturado anteriormente. Describimos un método, simple y de bajo costo, para capturar aves que anidan en cajas, utilizando una plancha cuadrada de metal (5.8 × 5.8 × 0.2 cm), un sorbeto y un pedazo de cinta adhesiva plástica (duck tape) y un monofilamento. Este método tiene ventajas, y permite la captura selectiva de uno de los miembros de la pareja. El mismo es virtualmente invisible para las aves.

Ornithology

10.1111/j.1557-9263.2008.00150.x

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Citations (25)

Mercury and stable isotopes portray colony-specific foraging grounds in southern rockhopper penguins over the Patagonian Shelf

Marine Pollution Bulletin (2022)

Nicolás A. Lois Ulises Balza Rebecka L. Brasso Samanta Dodino Klemens Pütz

Mercury

Plastic pollution

δ15N

Isotope Analysis

10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114137

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Citations (2)

The highest mercury concentrations ever reported in a South American bird, the Striated Caracara (Phalcoboenus australis)

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) (2021)

Ulises Balza Rebecka L. Brasso Nicolás A. Lois Klemens Pütz Andrea Raya Rey

Mercury

10.5281/zenodo.6925085

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Citations (0)

Mozartite, CaMn(OH)SiO 4 , a new mineral species from the Cerchiara Mine, northern Apennines, Italy

The Canadian Mineralogist (1993)

Rebecka L. Brasso Gabriella Lucchetti̇L. Zefiro A. Palenzona

Research Article| June 01, 1993 Mozartite, CaMn(OH)SiO 4 , a new mineral species from the Cerchiara Mine, northern Apennines, Italy R. Brasso; R. Brasso Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra dell'Università, Corso Europa 26, I-16132 Genova Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar G. Lucchetti; G. Lucchetti Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra dell'Università, Corso Europa 26, I-16132 Genova Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar L. Zefiro; L. Zefiro Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra dell'Università, Corso Europa 26, I-16132 Genova Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar A. Palenzona A. Palenzona Istituto di Chimica Fisica dell'Università, Corso Europa 26, I-16132 Genova Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information R. Brasso Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra dell'Università, Corso Europa 26, I-16132 Genova Italy G. Lucchetti Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra dell'Università, Corso Europa 26, I-16132 Genova Italy L. Zefiro Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra dell'Università, Corso Europa 26, I-16132 Genova Italy A. Palenzona Istituto di Chimica Fisica dell'Università, Corso Europa 26, I-16132 Genova Italy Publisher: Mineralogical Association of Canada First Online: 24 Jul 2019 Online Issn: 1499-1276 Print Issn: 0008-4476 © 1993 Mineralogical Association of Canada The Canadian Mineralogist (1993) 31 (2): 331–336. https://doi.org/10.3749/1499-1276-31.2.331 Article history First Online: 24 Jul 2019 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation R. Brasso, G. Lucchetti, L. Zefiro, A. Palenzona; Mozartite, CaMn(OH)SiO 4 , a new mineral species from the Cerchiara Mine, northern Apennines, Italy. The Canadian Mineralogist 1993;; 31 (2): 331–336. doi: https://doi.org/10.3749/1499-1276-31.2.331 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyThe Canadian Mineralogist Search Advanced Search This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

10.3749/1499-1276-31.2.331

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Citations (6)

Levels of Mercury in Feathers of Clapper Rails (Rallus crepitans) over 45 Years in Coastal Salt Marshes of New Hanover County, North Carolina

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (2016)

Auriel M. V. Fournier Kyle James Welsh Michael J. Polito Steven D. Emslie Rebecka L. Brasso

Salt marsh

Mercury

10.1007/s00128-016-1870-z

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Citations (4)

Songbird annual productivity declines with increasing soil lead contamination around nests

Ornithological Applications (2024)

Frank R. Thompson Thomas W. Bonnot Rebecka L. Brasso Melissa C. Roach Kathy M. Hixson

Abstract Songbirds incidentally ingest soil contaminated with lead and several species in the Southeast Missouri Lead Mining District have a negative relationship between soil lead concentration and reproduction. We used an individual-based model (IBM) to simulate nesting processes throughout the breeding season to estimate annual productivity for 5 songbirds in relation to soil-lead concentration. We modeled daily nest survival and number fledged in relation to soil lead and incorporated these relationships into the IBM using a Bayesian approach that fully captured parameter uncertainty and process variation. The proportion of the posterior distribution for the effect of soil lead on daily nest survival was mostly negative for Pipilo erythrophthalmus (Eastern Towhee), Passerina cyanea (Indigo Bunting), Cardinalis cardinalis (Northern Cardinal), Sialia sialis (Eastern Bluebird; f = 0.972, 0.990, 0.741, 0.581, respectively), and slightly positive for Spizella pusilla (Field Sparrow; f = 0.680). The proportion of the posterior distribution for the effect of soil lead on the number fledged from successful nests was mostly negative for S. pusilla, P. erythrophthalmus, and C. cardinalis (f = 0.867, 0.585, 0.508, respectively) and positive for P. cyanea and S. sialis (f = 0.773, 0.744). Simulated annual productivity decreased by 0.04–1.47 young/female/year among species across the range of soil lead concentrations, with the greatest declines for P. erythrophthalmus and P. cyanea. The probability of fledging one or more young changed from 51% to 15% for P. erythrophthalmus, 57% to 23% for P. cyanea, 60% to 48% for C. cardinalis, 94% to 84% for S. sialis, and 57% to 64% for S. pusilla as soil-lead concentration around a nest increased from 20 to 4,000 ppm. Most nest failures were the result of predation; therefore, we suggest lead may have affected birds’ behavior at the nest, or affected nest site quality, which resulted in higher nest predation.

Fledge

10.1093/ornithapp/duae021

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Citations (1)

Unique pattern of molt leads to low intraindividual variation in feather mercury concentrations in penguins

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (2013)

Rebecka L. Brasso Bridgette E. Drummond Stuart R. Borrett André Chiaradia Michael J. Polito

The authors hypothesized that the catastrophic annual molt of penguins (Sphenisciformes) would lead to reduced intraindividual variation of mercury concentrations in body feathers. While mean mercury concentrations varied significantly among 8 penguin species, intraindividual variability did not differ among species and was 3 times lower than values observed in other seabirds. The findings of the present study suggest that a single body feather collected at random per individual can be adequate to estimate mercury exposure at the population level in penguins.

Mercury

MERCURY EXPOSURE

10.1002/etc.2303

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Citations (32)

Synthesis of Maternal Transfer of Mercury in Birds: Implications for Altered Toxicity Risk

Environmental Science & Technology (2019)

Joshua T. Ackerman Mark P. Herzog David C. Evers Daniel A. Cristol Kevin P. Kenow

Maternal transfer is a predominant route of methylmercury (MeHg) exposure to offspring. We reviewed and synthesized published and unpublished data on maternal transfer of MeHg in birds. Using paired samples of females' blood (n = 564) and their eggs (n = 1814) from 26 bird species in 6 taxonomic orders, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate whether maternal transfer of MeHg to eggs differed among species and caused differential toxicity risk to embryos. Total mercury (THg) concentrations in eggs increased with maternal blood THg concentrations; however, the proportion of THg transferred from females to their eggs differed among bird taxa and with maternal THg exposure. Specifically, a smaller proportion of maternal THg was transferred to eggs with increasing female THg concentrations. Additionally, the proportion of THg that was transferred to eggs at the same maternal blood THg concentration differed among taxonomic orders, with waterfowl (Anseriformes) transferring up to 382% more THg into their eggs than songbirds (Passeriformes). We provide equations to predict THg concentrations in eggs using female blood THg concentrations, and vice versa, which may help translate toxicity benchmarks across tissues and life stages. Our results indicate that toxicity risk of MeHg can vary among bird taxa due to differences in maternal transfer of MeHg to offspring.

Methylmercury

Mercury

10.1021/acs.est.9b06119

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Citations (47)

Chronic mercury exposure in Late Neolithic/Chalcolithic populations in Portugal from the cultural use of cinnabar

Scientific Reports (2015)

Steven D. Emslie Rebecka L. Brasso William P. Patterson António Carlos Valera Ashley McKenzie

Abstract Cinnabar is a natural mercury sulfide (HgS) mineral of volcanic or hydrothermal origin that is found worldwide. It has been mined prehistorically and historically in China, Japan, Europe and the Americas to extract metallic mercury (Hg 0 ) for use in metallurgy, as a medicinal, a preservative and as a red pigment for body paint and ceramics. Processing cinnabar via combustion releases Hg 0 vapor that can be toxic if inhaled. Mercury from cinnabar can also be absorbed through the gut and skin, where it can accumulate in organs and bone. Here, we report moderate to high levels of total mercury (THg) in human bone from three Late Neolithic/Chalcolithic (5400–4100 B.P.) sites in southern Portugal that were likely caused by cultural use of cinnabar. We use light stable isotope and Hg stable isotope tracking to test three hypotheses on the origin of mercury in this prehistoric human bone. We traced Hg in two individuals to cinnabar deposits near Almadén, Spain and conclude that use of this mineral likely caused mild to severe mercury poisoning in the prehistoric population. Our methods have applications to bioarchaeological investigations worldwide and for tracking trade routes and mobility of prehistoric populations where cinnabar use is documented.

Cinnabar

Mercury

Chalcolithic

δ34S

10.1038/srep14679

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Citations (69)