Bioaccumulation of Potential Harmful Elements in Fossorial Water Voles Inhabiting Non-Polluted Crops

Although the health risks associated with exposure to potentially harmful elements (PHEs) are well documented, there is still limited research on their accumulation at trace concentrations in small mammals inhabiting agricultural ecosystems. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of...

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Autores: Somoano, Aitor|||0000-0002-6055-4334, Adalid, Roser, Ventura Queija, Jacinto|||0000-0001-7527-1532, Muñoz Muñoz, Francesc|||0000-0003-2084-0368, Fuentes, Màrius V.|||0000-0002-9508-6390, Menéndez-Miranda, Mario, Miñarro, Marcos|||0000-0002-5851-6873
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:324638
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/324638
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.3390/toxics13121083
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Arvicola scherman
Body condition
cadmium (Cd)
lead (Pb)
mercury (Hg)
Non-polluted habitats
selenium (Se)
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
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spelling Bioaccumulation of Potential Harmful Elements in Fossorial Water Voles Inhabiting Non-Polluted CropsSomoano, Aitor|||0000-0002-6055-4334Adalid, RoserVentura Queija, Jacinto|||0000-0001-7527-1532Muñoz Muñoz, Francesc|||0000-0003-2084-0368Fuentes, Màrius V.|||0000-0002-9508-6390Menéndez-Miranda, MarioMiñarro, Marcos|||0000-0002-5851-6873Arvicola schermanBody conditioncadmium (Cd)lead (Pb)mercury (Hg)Non-polluted habitatsselenium (Se)SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-beingAlthough the health risks associated with exposure to potentially harmful elements (PHEs) are well documented, there is still limited research on their accumulation at trace concentrations in small mammals inhabiting agricultural ecosystems. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of PHE accumulation in fossorial water voles (Arvicola scherman) from two low-input apple orchards (Nava and Oles) located in Asturias, northwestern Spain, demonstrating its value as a potential bioindicator of trace element inputs. We quantified the concentrations of three toxic metals (Pb, Cd, and Hg) and selenium (Se), an element with concentration-dependent toxicity, in kidney, liver, and muscle tissues. We also determined inter-population differences and associations with body condition. Overall, element concentrations generally reflected the natural content of the local soils, except for Cd in the kidney, which exceeded soil levels, highlighting its strong affinity for this organ. Significant differences in Pb, Cd, and Se accumulation were found among tissues, with the kidney showing the highest levels, underscoring the importance of organ-specific monitoring. The observed positive correlations between body condition and Se and Cd in kidney tissue, and Cd in liver tissue, particularly in the Nava population, suggest that individual health status modulates exposure and accumulation dynamics. Higher PHE burdens were found in Oles specimens, pointing to a potential threshold effect where higher contamination may begin to impair physiological condition. In contrast, Hg showed a negative relationship with body condition, suggesting possible adverse effects even in these low-input systems. These findings highlight the importance of carefully interpreting physiological biomarkers within an ecological context and demonstrate the potential for trace elements to propagate through the food web, with possible cascading effects on predator health and key ecosystem services, such as natural pest control. Future research should extend to more contaminated sites and adopt an integrative framework combining biomonitoring, dietary ecology, and stress physiology to better assess the ecological risks posed by trace elements in agroecosystems. 22025-01-0120252025-01-01Articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501VoRhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85info:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttps://ddd.uab.cat/record/324638https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.3390/toxics13121083reponame:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UABinstname:Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaInglésengGeneralitat de Catalunya https://doi.org/10.13039/501100002809 2014/SGR-1241open accesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:ddd.uab.cat:3246382026-06-06T12:50:31Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Bioaccumulation of Potential Harmful Elements in Fossorial Water Voles Inhabiting Non-Polluted Crops
title Bioaccumulation of Potential Harmful Elements in Fossorial Water Voles Inhabiting Non-Polluted Crops
spellingShingle Bioaccumulation of Potential Harmful Elements in Fossorial Water Voles Inhabiting Non-Polluted Crops
Somoano, Aitor|||0000-0002-6055-4334
Arvicola scherman
Body condition
cadmium (Cd)
lead (Pb)
mercury (Hg)
Non-polluted habitats
selenium (Se)
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
title_short Bioaccumulation of Potential Harmful Elements in Fossorial Water Voles Inhabiting Non-Polluted Crops
title_full Bioaccumulation of Potential Harmful Elements in Fossorial Water Voles Inhabiting Non-Polluted Crops
title_fullStr Bioaccumulation of Potential Harmful Elements in Fossorial Water Voles Inhabiting Non-Polluted Crops
title_full_unstemmed Bioaccumulation of Potential Harmful Elements in Fossorial Water Voles Inhabiting Non-Polluted Crops
title_sort Bioaccumulation of Potential Harmful Elements in Fossorial Water Voles Inhabiting Non-Polluted Crops
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Somoano, Aitor|||0000-0002-6055-4334
Adalid, Roser
Ventura Queija, Jacinto|||0000-0001-7527-1532
Muñoz Muñoz, Francesc|||0000-0003-2084-0368
Fuentes, Màrius V.|||0000-0002-9508-6390
Menéndez-Miranda, Mario
Miñarro, Marcos|||0000-0002-5851-6873
author Somoano, Aitor|||0000-0002-6055-4334
author_facet Somoano, Aitor|||0000-0002-6055-4334
Adalid, Roser
Ventura Queija, Jacinto|||0000-0001-7527-1532
Muñoz Muñoz, Francesc|||0000-0003-2084-0368
Fuentes, Màrius V.|||0000-0002-9508-6390
Menéndez-Miranda, Mario
Miñarro, Marcos|||0000-0002-5851-6873
author_role author
author2 Adalid, Roser
Ventura Queija, Jacinto|||0000-0001-7527-1532
Muñoz Muñoz, Francesc|||0000-0003-2084-0368
Fuentes, Màrius V.|||0000-0002-9508-6390
Menéndez-Miranda, Mario
Miñarro, Marcos|||0000-0002-5851-6873
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Arvicola scherman
Body condition
cadmium (Cd)
lead (Pb)
mercury (Hg)
Non-polluted habitats
selenium (Se)
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
topic Arvicola scherman
Body condition
cadmium (Cd)
lead (Pb)
mercury (Hg)
Non-polluted habitats
selenium (Se)
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
description Although the health risks associated with exposure to potentially harmful elements (PHEs) are well documented, there is still limited research on their accumulation at trace concentrations in small mammals inhabiting agricultural ecosystems. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of PHE accumulation in fossorial water voles (Arvicola scherman) from two low-input apple orchards (Nava and Oles) located in Asturias, northwestern Spain, demonstrating its value as a potential bioindicator of trace element inputs. We quantified the concentrations of three toxic metals (Pb, Cd, and Hg) and selenium (Se), an element with concentration-dependent toxicity, in kidney, liver, and muscle tissues. We also determined inter-population differences and associations with body condition. Overall, element concentrations generally reflected the natural content of the local soils, except for Cd in the kidney, which exceeded soil levels, highlighting its strong affinity for this organ. Significant differences in Pb, Cd, and Se accumulation were found among tissues, with the kidney showing the highest levels, underscoring the importance of organ-specific monitoring. The observed positive correlations between body condition and Se and Cd in kidney tissue, and Cd in liver tissue, particularly in the Nava population, suggest that individual health status modulates exposure and accumulation dynamics. Higher PHE burdens were found in Oles specimens, pointing to a potential threshold effect where higher contamination may begin to impair physiological condition. In contrast, Hg showed a negative relationship with body condition, suggesting possible adverse effects even in these low-input systems. These findings highlight the importance of carefully interpreting physiological biomarkers within an ecological context and demonstrate the potential for trace elements to propagate through the food web, with possible cascading effects on predator health and key ecosystem services, such as natural pest control. Future research should extend to more contaminated sites and adopt an integrative framework combining biomonitoring, dietary ecology, and stress physiology to better assess the ecological risks posed by trace elements in agroecosystems.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2
2025-01-01
2025
2025-01-01
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
VoR
http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
dc.type.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://ddd.uab.cat/record/324638
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.3390/toxics13121083
url https://ddd.uab.cat/record/324638
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.3390/toxics13121083
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
eng
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Generalitat de Catalunya https://doi.org/10.13039/501100002809 2014/SGR-1241
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.rights.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
instname:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
instname_str Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
reponame_str Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
collection Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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