| Patuxent Science Meeting 2006 Poster Abstract |
| | Terrestrial vertebrate contaminant exposure and effects data for Mid- |
| | Atlantic National Park Service lands |
| | Ackerson BK, Rattner BA, McKernan MA |
| | The USGS Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends project determines the effects of |
| | contaminants on the lands and biota under the Department of the Interior's protection. As part |
| | of this program the Contaminant Exposure and Effects --Terrestrial Vertebrates (CEE-TV) |
| | database (www.pwrc.usgs.gov/contaminants-online) was created in 1996 to compile |
| | ecotoxicological information and to help identify taxonomical, temporal and spatial data gaps in |
| | the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific Coasts, Hawaii, Alaska and the Great Lakes Region. Previous |
| | analyses of CEE-TV records revealed that 60 of 126 National Park Service (NPS) units in these |
| | regions lacked recent (since 1990) contaminant exposure and effects data for terrestrial |
| | vertebrates. In 2005, we complied pollutant data for air, water, soil and biota from databases |
| | and internet sources, and by staff interviews, at 23 National Park Service (NPS) units. A metric |
| | was derived describing the quality and quantity of data for each park, and in combination with |
| | known contaminant threats, the need for ecotoxicological study was identified and ranked. Over |
| | half of NP units were near Toxic Release Inventory sites discharging persistent pollutants, and |
| | fish consumption advisories were in effect at or near 22 of the units. Pesticide and herbicide |
| | use was found to be minimal, with the exception of those units with agricultural leases. Only 70 |
| | reports were found that describe terrestrial vertebrate environmental contaminant data at or near |
| | the units. Of the >75,000 compounds in commerce, empirical exposure data were limited to |
| | merely 58 halogenated compounds, insecticides, rodenticides, metals, and some contemporary |
| | compounds. Further ecotoxicological monitoring and research is warranted at several units |
| | including Shenandoah NP, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal |
| | National Historical Park, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Hopewell Furnace National |
| | Historic Site, Monacacy National Battlefield, and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. The |
| | types of investigations vary according to the wildlife species present and potential contaminant |
| | threats, but should focus on contemporary use pesticides and herbicides, polychlorinated |
| | biphenyls, mercury, lead, and perhaps antibiotics, flame retardants, pharmaceuticals, and |
| | surfactants. Other management recommendations include inclusion of screening level |
| | contaminant risk assessments into the NPS Vital Signs Program, development of protocols for |
| | toxicological analysis of seemingly affected wildlife, alternative methods and compounds for |
| | pest management, and use of non-toxic fishing tackle by visitors. |
| | Friday, September 22, 2006 |