Journal Article

Highly contaminated river otters (Lontra canadensis) are effective biomonitors of environmental pollutant exposure

Thomas, Philippe J, Klutsch, Cornelya, Boyd, Daryle T, Wainstein, Michelle, Koontz, Fred, Harding, Louisa B, Miller, Bobbi, O'Neill, Sandra M, Ylitalo, Gina M

2022

Overview

River otters (Lontra canadensis) are apex predators that bioaccumulate contaminants via their diet, potentially serving as biomonitors of watershed health. They reside throughout the Green-Duwamish River, WA (USA), a watershed encompassing an extreme urbanization gradient, including a US Superfund site slated for a 17-year remediation. The objectives of this study were to document baseline contaminant levels in river otters, assess otters’ utility as top trophic-level biomonitors of contaminant exposure, and evaluate the potential for health impacts on this species. We measured a suite of contaminants of concern, lipid content, nitrogen stable isotopes (δ15N), and microsatellite DNA markers in 69 otter scat samples collected from twelve sites. Landcover characteristics were used to group sampling sites into industrial (Superfund site), suburban, and rural development zones. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ether flame-retardants (PBDEs), dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) increased significantly with increasing urbanization, and were best predicted by models that included development zone, suggesting that river otters are effective biomonitors, as defined in this study. Diet also played an important role, with lipid content, δ15N or both included in all best models. We recommend river otter scat be included in evaluating restoration efforts in this Superfund site, and as a potentially useful monitoring tool wherever otters are found. We also report ΣPCB and ΣPAH exposures among the highest published for wild river otters, with almost 70% of samples in the Superfund site exceeding established levels of concern.

• Publisher: Springer Nature,Springer International Publishing,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Aquatic mammals / Aromatic compounds / Aromatic hydrocarbons / Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution / Bioaccumulation / Biomonitors / Contaminants / Diet / Diphenyl ether / DNA / Earth and Environmental Science / Ecology / Ecotoxicology / Environment / Environmental Management / Environmental monitoring / Environmental science / Evaluation / Exposure / feces / Flame retardants / Freshwater mammals / Indicator organisms / indicator species / Isotopes / land cover / lipid content / Lipids / Lontra / Lontra canadensis / Lutrinae / Metabolites / microsatellite repeats / Microsatellites / Monitoring/Environmental Analysis / nitrogen / PCB / Pollutants / Pollution abatement / Polybrominated diphenyl ethers / Polychlorinated biphenyls / Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons / Predators / Remediation / Restoration / Rivers / Rural development / Stable isotopes / Suburban areas / Superfund / Trichloroethane / trophic levels / Urbanization / Water pollution / Watersheds / Wild and scenic rivers