ABSTRACT
Intense agricultural activity in recent years has resulted in a greater use of pesticides in order to improve productivity. However, these pesticides may contain some pollutant component in their composition. Once present in the environment and/or in excess, they can cause damage to the local flora and fauna. The aim of this study was to evaluate the interference of pesticides in the reproductive aspects of male and female specimens collected in two distinct sampling sites and propose a methodology to investigate pesticide effects associated with the reproduction at a macroscopic level for reptile specimens from zoological collection. The results showed that males located in the area with the use of agricultural pesticides had a lower testicle volume compared with the ones located in the area that did not use pesticides. However, no difference was found regarding the volume of eggs compared at the same stage and the average clutch size of each population. Therefore, the present study indicates the analyzed pesticides might influence the reproduction of the studied males. Despite no evident alterations in egg volume and quantity in the area with pesticide use, our findings suggest further studies on the structure and composition of eggshell and yolk in order to assess the effects of pesticides on their viability.
Subject(s)
Lizards , Pesticides , Animals , Brazil , Eggs , Female , Male , ReproductionABSTRACT
Assessment of marine debris ingestion by sea turtles is important, especially to ensure their survival. From January to December 2011, 23 specimens of five species of sea turtles were found dead or dying after being rehabilitated, along the coast of the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To detect the presence of marine debris in the digestive tract of these turtles, we conducted a postmortem examination from the esophagus until the distal portion of the large intestine for each specimen. Of the total number of turtles, 39% had ingested marine debris such as soft plastic, hard plastic, metal, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle caps, human hair, tampons, and latex condoms. Five of the seven sea turtles species are found along the Brazilian coast, where they feed and breed. A large number of animals are exposed to various kinds of threats, including debris ingestion.
Subject(s)
Environmental Exposure/analysis , Turtles , Water Pollutants/analysis , Animals , Autopsy , Brazil , Eating , Environmental Exposure/adverse effects , Feminine Hygiene Products , Gastrointestinal Contents/chemistry , Gastrointestinal Tract/chemistry , Hair , Humans , Metals/analysis , Plastics/analysis , Polyethylene Terephthalates/analysisABSTRACT
Chelonia mydas is distributed in several regions of the world and they are common in coastal regions and around islands. Between August 2008 and July 2009, 20 specimens of C. mydas were found dead on the beaches of Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil. The stomachs were removed and anthropogenic wastes were separated according their malleability and color. Of those animals, nine had ingested marine debris. Soft plastic was the most frequent among the samples and the majority of fragments was white or colorless and was between zero and five cm. Many studies have shown a high incidence of eating waste for some species of sea turtles. The record of ingestion of mostly transparent and white anthropogenic wastes in this study strengthens the hypothesis that these animals mistake them for jellyfish. Although the intake of anthropogenic waste causes impact on the lives of sea turtles, such studies are still scarce in Brazil.
