Breeding biology of Tree Swallows and House Wrens in a gradient of gamma radiation

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Ecology; (United States)

OSTI ID:6529919

Zach, R; Mayoh, K R

In a gradient of gamma radiation from 38.7 mC kg/sup -1/.d/sup -1/ to background levels of 0.05 ..mu..C. kg/sup -1/ . d/sup -1/ to background levels of 0.05 ..mu..C . kg/sup -1/ . d/sup -1/, Tree Swallows (Iridoprocne bicolor) and House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) avoided nesting in areas of high radiation. Nest boxes selected by swallows and wrens had a mean exposure rate of only 9.3 and 6.6 ..mu..C . kg/sup -1/ . d/sup -1/, respectively. Lateral and canopy vegetation indices and nest hole height and direction could not explain the observed pattern of box selection. Of the boxes with low exposure rates, swallows selected those with little vegetation cover, whereas wrens chose boxes and heavy cover. It appears that the birds responded to radiation levels as low as 100 times background, but it is not clear whether they actually detected radiation or simply responded to secondary clues. The number of swallows and wrens fledged per box was unrelated to radiation exposure. The same was true for number of eggs, hatching success, fledging success, incubation time, and nestling time. Breeding success was reduced because of infertile eggs, eggs with dead embryos, cracked eggs, predation, adverse weather, abandonment, and parasites. The logistic model was ideally suited for describing gains in mass in nestling swallows and wrens. Growth of nestlings was not related to radiation exposure as indicated by the growth rate constant, asymptotic mass, and the proportion of variation explained by the logistic model. Breeding and growth performance were similar in studies not involving experimental radiation.

• Research Organization: Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Pinawa, Manitoba
• OSTI ID: 6529919
• Journal Information: Ecology; (United States), Journal Name: Ecology; (United States) Vol. 63:6; ISSN ECOLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560152* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Animals
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ANIMAL BREEDING
ANIMALS
BEHAVIOR
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BIRDS
CESIUM 137
CESIUM ISOTOPES
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
DATA
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
DOSEMETERS
DOSES
EGGS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GAMMA RADIATION
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
LITHIUM FLUORIDES
LITHIUM HALIDES
LUMINESCENT DOSEMETERS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
THERMOLUMINESCENT DOSEMETERS
VERTEBRATES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES