Meeting Abstract

P3.25  Sunday, Jan. 6  GST Levels in Terrestrial Birds Show No Evidence of Contamination From Natural Gas Drilling BARTLOW, C.*; LAMOREAUX, N.; STANTON, R.; PARIKH, N.; PERO, A.; RAUSCHMEIER, K.; HOFFMAN, T.; MARX, J.; PATEL, S.; SCEIA, K.; BIGGERS, W.J.; STRATFORD, J.; Wilkes University; Wilkes University; Wilkes University; Wilkes University; Wilkes University; Wilkes University; Wilkes University; Wilkes University; Wilkes University; Wilkes University; Wilkes University; Wilkes University william.biggers@wilkes.edu

In 2011 and 2012, we captured nearly 500 birds of 20 species along streams in watersheds with and without active gas drilling. Glutathione s-transferase (GST) enzyme activity in animal tissues has been demonstrated to serve as a good indicator of oxidative stress as a result of exposure to environmental toxins. GST levels were not influenced by sex (Wilcoxon sign rank test, W = 38, p = 0.89) or mass (Spearman rank correlation, correlation = 0.38, df = 15, p = 0.14). Watershed type did not influence GST levels when all species were pooled together (Wilcoxon signed rank test, W=62, p = 0.52). When species that were unlikely involved in the stream food web were excluded, there was no effect of watershed type (Wilcoxon signed rank test, W=20, p=0.82). Our study focused on five species most likely to be exposed to any contaminants if present: common yellowthroats Geothypis trichas , grey catbirds Dumetella carolinensis, red-eyed vireos Vireo olivaceus , song sparrows Melospiza melodia, and tree swallows Tachycineta bicolor. What we have found thus far is primarly based upon data collected during 2011 and spring of 2012. At the present time we are continuing to analyze data that has been collected in the summer of 2012.