INFLUENCE OF FEEDING HABITS ON ORGANOCHLORINE CONTAMINANT ACCUMULATION IN WATERFOWL ON THE GREAT LAKES

Abstract

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are an important component of benthic communities in the Great Lakes and are exploited by a host of predators, including waterfowl. In this study, we analyze diet content and stable isotope and organochlorine contaminant patterns in Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis), Greater Scaup (Aythya marila), Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola), Redhead (Aythya americana), Canvasback (Aythya valisineria), and Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) collected from three sites (Fighting Island, western Lake Erie, Big Creek) in the lower Great Lakes. Lesser and Greater Scaup from Fighting Island were classified as either zebra mussel (≥67% of diet) or macrophyte (≥85% of diet) consumers. Bufflehead, Canvasback, Mallard, and Redhead consumed mainly (≥89%) macrophyte at Fighting Island. Zebra mussel was the principal food of Lesser Scaup (>99%), Greater Scaup (97%), and Bufflehead (72%) in western Lake Erie. Stable isotope analysis revealed enrichment of δ15N in Lesser Scaup (≥2.24‰), Greater Scaup (≥1.28‰), and Bufflehead (≥0.63‰) that exploited mussels relative to conspecifics with macrophyte diets and relative to mussel prey. Representative contaminants of low (hexachlorobenzene [HCB]), moderate (PCB [polychlorinated biphenyl] 153), and high (PCB 180) hydrophobicity were examined in waterfowl. Lipid-normalized concentrations of PCBs 153 and 180 were significantly higher in scaup and Bufflehead that consumed Dreissena than in individuals that ate mainly macrophytes. Among taxa that consumed primarily Dreissena concentrations of PCBs 153 and 180 were significantly higher in individuals from Lake Erie than in those Fighting Island. Principal components analysis revealed broad differences in contaminant patterns of waterfowl based principally on diet. Results from this study illustrate that Dreissena has become a primary food source of some waterfowl in the lower Great Lakes and serves as an effective conduit for transfer of persistent organic contaminants to higher trophic levels.