Case Study 3 - Migratory birds

Food chain exposure and related effects across spatial scales in a migratory bird

Institutions: WUR

CS Coordinators: Nico van den Brink, Aafke Saarlos

  • Objectives / Hypothesis

Assess the environmental quality of different locations along the flyway of black-tailed godwit covering its exposure to various chemicals at stopover sites and the effects on the immune system and behavior.

  • Case study description

CS3 focuses on a population of 200 radio-tagged black-tailed godwit birds and aims to understand the impact of pollutants on the studied bird species by assessing exposure levels, potential effects on behaviour, and immune system through biomarker analysis, as well as monitoring changes in biodiversity at stopover sites.

This CS involves an assessment of multiple pollutant residues found in the birds' diet (food items, rice), and in their environment (soil). The most abundant pollutants at each location will be prioritised for analysis due to sample volume limitations.

Case Study Goal

• Exposure assessment

  • Multiple pollutant residues in food items and environmental samples (soil, rice)

  • Body residues in godwits (blood, feathers, preen oil) → only the most abundant pollutants at each site (sample volume limitation)

• Effect assessment - Biomarkers depending on pollutant MoA → focus on behaviour and immune system via oxidative stress

• Biodiversity monitoring - Prey availability (insects, soil arthropods) + prey preference (faecal DNA) at stopover sites

  • Species

black-tailed godwit case study

  • Involved stakeholders

  1. University of Groningen, BirdEyes (NGO) → information holders

  2. Farmers

  3. Industry

  4. Agronomists, practitioners, landscape architects

  5. Nature conservationists

  6. Nature conservation and other authorities

  • Locations

Description: Across the EU

  • Along the godwit’s East Atlantic Flyway migratory route (different habitats at different places, including grassland, estuaries or rice fields).