Lead exposure and its relationship with fecal cortisol levels in black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra).

Autor: Alvarez-Velazquez MF; Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. (INECOL), Xalapa, México., González-Jáuregui M; Centro de Estudios de Desarrollo Sustentable y Aprovechamiento de la Vida Silvestre (CEDESU), Universidad Autónoma de Campeche (UACam), Campeche, México., Miranda SA; Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. (INECOL), Xalapa, México., Rosano-Ortega G; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla, Puebla, México., Chapman CA; Biology Department, Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, Canada.; School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.; Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, China., Serio-Silva JC; Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. (INECOL), Xalapa, México.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: American journal of primatology [Am J Primatol] 2024 Apr; Vol. 86 (4), pp. e23600. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jan 23.
DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23600
Abstrakt: Efficiently detecting early environmental threats to wildlife is vital for conservation. Beyond obvious dangers like habitat loss or deforestation, our study focuses on one of the most hazardous toxic metals for wildlife: lead (Pb). Pb is a widespread, cumulative, and insidious environmental pollutant that can trigger a wide range of physiological, biochemical, and behavioral disorders. In fact, Pb can cause permanent dysfunction of the major stress system, the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. We analyzed Pb and cortisol concentrations in fecal samples from Alouatta pigra in southern Mexico. Fecal samples were collected across six sites categorized as free-ranging (n = 65; conserved and disturbed) and from captive animals (n = 58). Additionally, we collected soil samples (n = 35). We found that Pb was present in 28% of fecal samples and 83% of soil samples. There was a positive relation between fecal and soil Pb levels, and fecal Pb concentration was negatively associated with cortisol levels. However, the claim of Pb being a direct interference with HPA axis requires further investigation. Given our findings, assessing wildlife exposure can be a valuable tool for understanding potential Pb exposure levels in the environment and its possible implications for human health. It can also serve as an early warning system of these consequences.
(© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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