Transfer of selenium from prey to predators in a simulated terrestrial food chain
William A. Hopkinsa,*, Brandon P. Stauba, Jennifer
A. Baionnoa, Brian P. Jacksona, Larry G. Talentb
aWildlife Ecotoxicology and Physiological Ecology Program,
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Drawer E, Aiken,
SC 29801, USA
bDepartment of Zoology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater,
OK 74078, USA
Received 28 May 2004; accepted 10 September 2004
Partitioning of selenium among tissues differs between male and female
lizards.
Abstract
Little is known about the accumulation and effects of selenium in reptiles.
We developed a simplified laboratory food chain where we fed commercial
feed laden with seleno-D,L-methionine (30 ~µg/g dry mass) to crickets
(Acheta domestica) for 5-7 d. Se-enriched crickets (~15 ~µg/g
Se [dry mass]) were fed to juvenile male and female lizards (Sceloporus
occidentalis) for 98 d while conspecifics were fed uncontaminated
crickets. Lizards fed contaminated prey accumulated Se concentrations
ranging from 9.3 (in female carcass) to 14.1 (in female gonad) µg/g
compared to < 1.5 µg/g in tissues of controls. Female gonad concentrations
approached the highest of thresholds for reproductive toxicity in oviparous
vertebrates. However, we observed no consistent effect of dietary treatment
on sublethal parameters or survival. Our simplified food chain proved
to be an ecologically relevant method of exposing lizards to Se, and forms
the foundation for future studies on maternal transfer and teratogenicity
of Se.
Keywords: Selenium; Reptiles; Lizards; Trophic transfer; Food
web
SREL Reprint #2811
Hopkins, W. A., B. P. Staub, J. A. Baionno, B. P. Jackson and L. G. Talent. 2005. Transfer of selenium from prey to predators in a simulated terrestrial food chain. Environmental Pollution 134:447-456.
