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Accession Number 5001853

Title Toxicity of lead-contaminated sediments to juvenile waterfowl, including estimation of

sediment consumption by waterfowl

Project Description As the result of many decades of mining and smelting along the Coeur dAlene River in Idaho,

waterfowl have been dying from lead poisoning since the early 1900s. This study is part of a

Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) for the Department of Interior, designed to

evaluate the effects of sediment ingestion on growth, survival, histopathology, behavior, and

potential bioindicators of exposure in pertinent species of juvenile waterfowl, mallards (Anas

platyrhynchos) and goslings (Branta canadensis). The objectives of this study are to (1) determine

whether ingestion of Coeur dAlene River sediments is harmful to juvenile waterfowl (mallard

ducklings and goslings), (2) estimate the consumption of sediment by waterfowl and several

passerine species on the Coeur dAlene River and their exposure to lead, and (3) relate the above

to field exposures of waterfowl in the Coeur dAlene area to better interpret field data at given

residue levels for lead and needs for appropriate restoration.

Keywords blood, histopathology, juvenile waterfowl, lead, nrda,

Principal David J Hoffman, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center: david_hoffman@usgs.gov; Gary H

Investigators Heinz, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center: gary_heinz@usgs.gov; W. N Beyer, USGS

Patuxent Wildlife Research Center: nelson_beyer@usgs.gov; Louis Sileo, National Wildlife Health

Research Center: louis_sileo@usgs.gov;

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