University of SaskatchewanHARVEST
  • Login
  • Submit Your Work
  • About
    • About HARVEST
    • Guidelines
    • Browse
      • All of HARVEST
      • Communities & Collections
      • By Issue Date
      • Authors
      • Titles
      • Subjects
      • This Collection
      • By Issue Date
      • Authors
      • Titles
      • Subjects
    • My Account
      • Login
      JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
      View Item 
      • HARVEST
      • Electronic Theses and Dissertations
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      • View Item
      • HARVEST
      • Electronic Theses and Dissertations
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      • View Item

      Bioavailablity and toxicity of lead shot to small mammals and soil invertebrates from Canadian prairie shooting ranges

      Thumbnail
      View/Open
      Palasz_Filip_Andrzej_2004_sec.pdf (5.593Mb)
      Date
      2004-09
      Author
      Palasz, Filip Andrzej
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Level
      Masters
      Metadata
      Show full item record
      Abstract
      Environmental contamination by lead (Pb) from shot pellets is a common cause of poisoning in waterfowl, raptors, passerines, and other wildlife. In Canada and the United States, Pb shot has been banned for waterfowl hunting, but its continued use on shooting ranges contributes tonnes of Pb shot each year into the environment. This study assessed the uptake and toxicity of Pb shot in soil invertebrates, and native small mammals from three Canadian prairie trap and skeet shooting ranges. Information about recreational shooting in the Canadian prairie provinces was obtained by distributing a questionnaire during the fall of 2000 to all identified gun clubs in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The survey return rate was 22%. Three trap and skeet shooting ranges located in Eastend Saskatchewan, Provost Alberta, and Vegreville Alberta were selected as study sites, based on results of the questionnaire. Field research was conducted at the chosen study sites during the summer of 2001. The sublethal effects of Pb on 𝐸𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑓𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑑𝑎 were evaluated in the laboratory using freshly spiked soil and soil collected from the trap and skeet shooting ranges in the fall of 2002. Earthworm lysosomal neutral red retention time (NRRT) was reduced in soil spiked with Pb acetate in a concentration-dependent manner (𝑝 < 0.001), and was negatively correlated with earthworm body burdens (𝑟 = -0.80,𝑝<0.001). After exposure to soil from the three trap and skeet shooting ranges, earthworm growth and fecundity measurements did not differ significantly between any of the skeet ranges and their reference sites. However, NRRT was significantly reduced in all three ranges compared with their reference sites (𝑝 < 0.05). Lysosomal NRRT was negatively correlated with Ca((N0₃)β‚‚-extractable Pb (𝑟 = -0.80,p < 0.001) and soil total Pb (𝑟 = -0.73,𝑝 < 0.001), and with earthworm Pb tissue levels (𝑟 = -0.67,𝑝 < 0.002). Lead shot density was high in surface soil at all three sites, however soil total Pb (after removal of Pb pellets) and Ca(N0₃)β‚‚-extractable Pb levels were remarkably low and ultimately determined the results for all biological endpoints measured. Small mammal (ground squirrels and deer mice) tissue Pb concentrations measured at all shooting ranges and reference sites fell within the range reflective of background exposure for both species and all tissue types (blood, liver, kidney, femur) measured. Blood Pb concentrations fell below the threshold associated with inhibition of the enzyme 8-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), and no correlation between blood Pb and ALAD activity was found.
      Degree
      Master of Science (M.Sc.)
      Department
      Graduate Studies and Research
      Program
      Toxicology
      Supervisor
      Wickstrom, Mark
      Committee
      Blakley, Barry; bollinger, Trent; Cattet, Marc
      Copyright Date
      September 2004
      URI
      http://hdl.handle.net/10388/5554
      Collections
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      University of Saskatchewan

      University Library

      The University of Saskatchewan's main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.

      © University of Saskatchewan
      Contact Us | Disclaimer | Privacy