Papers by Nellie Tsipoura
Urban Ecosystems, Jul 4, 2012
This study investigated the impacts of urban wetlands and their adjacent residential environments... more This study investigated the impacts of urban wetlands and their adjacent residential environments on the transmission dynamics of West Nile virus (WNV) within the state of New Jersey (USA). A working hypothesis was that urban wetlands decrease the local prevalence of WNV through the dilution effect from increased bird diversity, and through relative reductions in the numbers of competent avian host and mosquito species commonly associated with WNV. Surveys of mosquito and bird communities were undertaken at six urban wetlands and their adjacent residential environments over two seasons (2009, 2010). The community compositions of both avian and mosquito species differed significantly across habitats, and over relatively short geographical distances. Residential areas contained significantly higher proportions of WNVcompetent mosquito species (31.25±5.3 %; e.g. Culex pipiens and Culex restuans), and WNV
Seasonal Patterns in Daily Flight Distance and Space Use by Great Egrets (Ardea alba)
Waterbirds, Sep 1, 2021
Abstract. In an effort to quantify the value of wetland habitats, GPS technology was used to docu... more Abstract. In an effort to quantify the value of wetland habitats, GPS technology was used to document the movement patterns of 16 Great Egrets (Ardea alba) in North America. Patterns in daily flight distances and utilization distributions (UD; estimates of area occupied on the ground) were documented throughout the annual cycle. Maximum Daily Displacement (MDD), the farthest distance occupied by a bird from colony/roost (central place) in 24 hr was greatest (4.3 ± 0.1 km) during breeding season and lowest (3.3 ± 0.1) during post-breeding season. As birds visited multiple foraging sites and made multiple round trips to central places, this Total Daily Distance (TDD) was also measured. It increased from a mean of about 12 km during the incubation phase to about 35 km at the time of fledging. Average TDD was greatest during breeding season (14.2 ± 0.3 km) and lowest during winter (11.0 ± 0.2 km). The utilization distribution increased from 128 (± 21.3) ha during breeding season to 179 (±32.6) ha during winter. Birds that foraged at tidal sites used 183.3 (± 22.2) ha, twice as much area as birds that foraged strictly in freshwater sites (89.6 ± 21.3 ha).
Experimental oiling of sanderlings (<i>Calidris alba</i>): Behavior and weight changes
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Jun 1, 1998
We applied fresh and weathered oil from the Anitra oil spill to the belly feathers of experimenta... more We applied fresh and weathered oil from the Anitra oil spill to the belly feathers of experimental sanderlings (Calidris alba) to simulate 20% plumage oiling, whereas controls were stroked with clean swabs only. We tested the null hypotheses that there were no differences in behavior following oiling and that there were no differences in weight gain or loss in control and experimental birds. Control sanderlings showed no differences in behavior before and after oiling, but oiled birds spent significantly less time resting and more time bathing and preening. Significant differences in weight and behavior were observed between the control and oiled birds. Following oiling, the sanderlings preened vigorously, spreading the oil so that they appeared to have oiling rates of 30%. Thereafter, the percentage of their plumage that was oiled decreased steadily over the next 2 weeks, but the birds never appeared completely free of oil.
Seasonal Patterns in Daily Flight Distance and Space Use by Great Egrets (Ardea alba)
Waterbirds
Abstract. In an effort to quantify the value of wetland habitats, GPS technology was used to docu... more Abstract. In an effort to quantify the value of wetland habitats, GPS technology was used to document the movement patterns of 16 Great Egrets (Ardea alba) in North America. Patterns in daily flight distances and utilization distributions (UD; estimates of area occupied on the ground) were documented throughout the annual cycle. Maximum Daily Displacement (MDD), the farthest distance occupied by a bird from colony/roost (central place) in 24 hr was greatest (4.3 ± 0.1 km) during breeding season and lowest (3.3 ± 0.1) during post-breeding season. As birds visited multiple foraging sites and made multiple round trips to central places, this Total Daily Distance (TDD) was also measured. It increased from a mean of about 12 km during the incubation phase to about 35 km at the time of fledging. Average TDD was greatest during breeding season (14.2 ± 0.3 km) and lowest during winter (11.0 ± 0.2 km). The utilization distribution increased from 128 (± 21.3) ha during breeding season to 179 (±32.6) ha during winter. Birds that foraged at tidal sites used 183.3 (± 22.2) ha, twice as much area as birds that foraged strictly in freshwater sites (89.6 ± 21.3 ha).
Environmental Research, 2019
Highlights * Shorebirds are useful sentinels because of their worldwide distribution. * Metals le... more Highlights * Shorebirds are useful sentinels because of their worldwide distribution. * Metals levels were examined in sandpiper blood from Brazil, Suriname and New Jersey. * Mercury levels were lowest in New Jersey compared to the other sites. * Selenium levels were higher in Brazil (order of magnitude higher) than the other sites. * Except for selenium, levels were below any known toxic levels for birds.
Ecophysiological and hormonal aspects of wintering and migration in shorebirds /
ABSTRACT
Oral presentation: Diversity of plants, birds, and mosquitoes in urban wetland patches: do correlations among diversity components affect potential dilution of disease for West Nile Virus?
Zoonotic diseases may be affected by the diversity of host and/or vectors of a disease agent, as ... more Zoonotic diseases may be affected by the diversity of host and/or vectors of a disease agent, as species are differentially able to both host and transmit the causative agent. These differential abilities can dilute the risk of disease. However, it is not clear how the diversity of different community components interact to affect disease risk. We hypothesized that the West Nile virus may show such sensitivity to diversity, because the host (birds) and the vector (mosquitoes) can have high diversity that might affect transmission. We further hypothesized that wetland plant community may be the overall controlling factor of biodiversity dilution effects for this disease, as the plant community structure affects the diversity of both hosts and vectors. We quantified plant, bird and mosquito diversity in four urban wetland patches, including two large (>100 ha) and two small (<12 ha) in New Jersey during the breeding and fall migration seasons, using point-based census methods. B...
MOVED TO THURS, PS 171 - Diversity of plants, birds, and mosquitoes in urban wetland patches: Do correlations among diversity components affect potential dilution of disease risk for West Nile Virus?
Background/Question/Methods Zoonotic diseases may be affected by the diversity of host and/or vec... more Background/Question/Methods Zoonotic diseases may be affected by the diversity of host and/or vectors of a disease agent, as species are differentially able to both host and transmit the causative agent. These differential abilities can dilute the risk of disease. However, it is not clear how the diversity of different community components interact to affect disease risk. We hypothesized that the West Nile virus may show such sensitivity to diversity, because the host (birds) and the vector (mosquitoes) can have high diversity that might affect transmission. We further hypothesized that the plant community diversity in wetland patches may be the overall controlling factor of biodiversity dilution effects for this disease, as the plant community provides the environmental structure that in turn is thought to have strong effects on the diversity of both hosts and vector. We quantified plant, bird and mosquito diversity in four urban wetland patches, including two large (>100 ha) an...
Urban Ecosystems, 2012
This study investigated the impacts of urban wetlands and their adjacent residential environments... more This study investigated the impacts of urban wetlands and their adjacent residential environments on the transmission dynamics of West Nile virus (WNV) within the state of New Jersey (USA). A working hypothesis was that urban wetlands decrease the local prevalence of WNV through the dilution effect from increased bird diversity, and through relative reductions in the numbers of competent avian host and mosquito species commonly associated with WNV. Surveys of mosquito and bird communities were undertaken at six urban wetlands and their adjacent residential environments over two seasons (2009, 2010). The community compositions of both avian and mosquito species differed significantly across habitats, and over relatively short geographical distances. Residential areas contained significantly higher proportions of WNVcompetent mosquito species (31.25±5.3 %; e.g. Culex pipiens and Culex restuans), and WNV
Understanding temporal changes in contaminant levels in coastal environments requires comparing l... more Understanding temporal changes in contaminant levels in coastal environments requires comparing levels of contaminants from the same species from different time periods, particularly if species are declining. Several species of shorebirds migrating through Delaware Bay have declined from the 1980s to the present. To evaluate some contaminants as cause for the declines, we examine levels of mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, chromium and selenium in feathers of red knot (Calidris canutus, N = 46 individuals), semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla, N = 70) and sanderling (Calidris alba, N = 32) migrating through
Toxics, 2019
Understanding the relationship between heavy metal and selenium levels in biota and their foods i... more Understanding the relationship between heavy metal and selenium levels in biota and their foods is important, but often difficult to determine because animals eat a variety of organisms. Yet such information is critical to managing species populations, ecological integrity, and risk to receptors (including humans) from consumption of certain prey. We examine levels of cadmium, lead, mercury, and selenium in biota from Delaware Bay (New Jersey, USA) to begin construction of a “springtime” food web that focuses on shorebirds. Horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) eggs are one of the key components at the base of the food web, and crab spawning in spring provides a food resource supporting a massive stopover of shorebirds. Fish and other biota also forage on the crab eggs, and a complex food web leads directly to top-level predators such as bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) and striped bass (Morone saxatilis), both of which are consumed by egrets, eagles, ospreys (Pandion haliaetus), and hu...
Toxics, Jan 9, 2018
It is essential to understand contaminant exposure and to compare levels of contaminants in organ... more It is essential to understand contaminant exposure and to compare levels of contaminants in organisms at different ages to determine if there is bioaccumulation, and to compare levels encountered in different geographical areas. In this paper, we report levels of mercury, lead, cadmium, cobalt, arsenic and selenium in the blood of semipalmated sandpipers () wintering in Suriname as a function of age, and compare them to blood levels in northbound migrants at a stopover in Delaware Bay, New Jersey. We found (1) young birds had higher levels of cadmium, cobalt, and lead than adults (after second year birds); (2) there were no age-related differences for arsenic, mercury and selenium; (3) only four of the possible 16 inter-metal correlations were significant, at the 0.05 level; (4) the highest correlation was between cadmium and lead (Kendall tau = 0.37); and (5) the adult sandpipers had significantly higher levels of cadmium, mercury and selenium in Suriname than in New Jersey, while ...
Toxics, 2017
Understanding the relationship between metal level in predators and their prey is an important is... more Understanding the relationship between metal level in predators and their prey is an important issue, and is usually difficult to determine because animals eat a variety of organisms. However, shorebirds that stop over during spring migration along Delaware Bay (New Jersey) stay for only 2-3 weeks, and eat mainly horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) eggs. In this paper, we examine the relationship between metal levels in horseshoe crab eggs, and blood and feather levels of metals in red knot (Calidris canutus rufa; n = 30), sanderling (Calidris alba; n = 20) and semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla; n = 38) from Delaware Bay. There is a rich literature on metal levels in feathers. For all three species, the levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury in blood were highly correlated with the levels of metals in the eggs of horseshoe crab (17 pooled samples). This indicates that the levels in the blood of these shorebirds quickly reflect levels in their prey (horseshoe crab eggs), while metals in the feathers were not correlated with the levels in eggs. Semipalmated sandpipers had the lowest levels of arsenic in blood and the highest levels of arsenic in feathers, compared to the other species. At Delaware Bay, semipalmated sandpipers have a diet higher in marsh invertebrates than the other species, which may account for the differences. The levels of cadmium and chromium in blood were significantly higher in knots than other species; knots only ate horseshoe crab eggs. For all of the metals except arsenic, the ratio of levels in blood/feathers was similar among species. For arsenic, the ratio of levels in blood/feathers were significantly lower in semipalmated sandpipers than in the other species, by an order of magnitude.
Environmental monitoring and assessment, 2017
Stakeholder contributions to conservation projects often occur during the problem formulation sta... more Stakeholder contributions to conservation projects often occur during the problem formulation stage, yet the role of stakeholders throughout the process is seldom considered. We examine the diversity of state and federal agencies, conservation organizations, other non-governmental organizations, environmental justice communities, consultants, industry, and the general public in the conservation of red knot (Calidris canutus rufa) and black skimmer (Rynchops niger) in New Jersey. We suggest that (1) governmental agencies provide the legal, regulatory, and management framework, but it is often the universities, conservation organizations, consultants, and the public that conduct the research and perform activities that lead to increased research and conservation efforts; (2) departments within agencies may have conflicting mandates, making it difficult to resolve differences in actions; (3) there is often conflict among and within state agencies and conservation organizations about ro...
Urban Ecosystems, 2016
Hurricane Sandy resulted in massive destruction of many coastal ecological and human communities ... more Hurricane Sandy resulted in massive destruction of many coastal ecological and human communities in the Northeastern United States in 2012. Beach-nesting and migrating birds are vulnerable to loss of essential habitat as a result of storms. In this paper we report the perceptions of beach users about avian use of the beaches, conservation measures to protect birds, and recent restoration efforts at Stone Harbor Point (New Jersey) to provide beach habitat for birds. Nearly all the visitors to the beach were Caucasian (N = 555), and reported their activity as walking (93 %), birding (19 %), biking (7 %), and lounging, boating, fishing or photographing (5 % or less for each). Visitors mainly came to this beach because of aesthetics, exercise, and vacation or to visit friends. Subjects rated protecting endangered species and the environment, restoring the beach, and designating off-limit areas to protect birds the highest. They rated conservation measures for birds the highest, and allowing dogs on the beach and providing more opportunities for jogging the lowest. The results suggest that protecting endangered species and habitat for nesting birds is a slightly higher goal than restoring dunes and marshes for flood control, which provides evidence for public support of restoration projects that protect both ecological and human communities. Providing more space for their own recreational activities was rated much lower, again supporting community good over personal uses. This information supports the restoration efforts following Sandy, and the importance of restoration projects that integrate ecological and human health goals in urban environments.
Long-Term Management of Contaminated Sites
________________________________________________________________ The desire to ensure both human ... more ________________________________________________________________ The desire to ensure both human and ecological health on contaminated lands is an important public policy issue. The task of remediation, restoration and long-term stewardship on these lands is particularly daunting for agencies that hold numerous, large tracts of land, such as the Department of Energy and Department of Defense. In this paper we discuss methods to integrate ecological resources, ecosystem services, risk, and the transition to long-term stewardship on Department of Energy lands as a case study. While determinations of future land use clearly lie with DOE, we suggest there are three types of information required about ecological resources before decisions can be made about remediation, transitions, and long-term stewardship: 1) what ecological resources and ecosystem functions (such as productivity) are present on site, and what is their spatial pattern, 2) what ecosystem services do these resources provide to people, and 3) what are the risks from the interactions between people and these ecosystems. With this information, managers can address how these ecological resources and services can be protected and monitored during and following remediation, and to provide early warning of potential degradation to the ecological resources themselves. This identification and assessment phase is critical to provide a baseline not only for decisions about remediation and future land use, but for adaptive management and long-term stewardship. It is also critical to evaluate the relative value of on-site ecosystems and to determine whether some lightly contaminated buffer lands should be relegated to federal ownership "in perpetuity" as environmental parks. While evaluating ecological resources and processes (for example, productivity, element cycling) can be very complex, we suggest that a few key measures can be useful, including species diversity of key groups (e.g. birds, mammals), number of invasive species, habitat diversity, and unique species 2 assemblages or habitats. Ecosystem services can be evaluated by a number of traditional measures (clean water, soil standards), as well as evaluating perceptions of suitable land uses and land use rates (number of days of exposure by engaging in recreational activities such as hunting, camping, etc). Once the ecological resources and ecosystem services are evaluated, then decisions about future land use, preservation or conservation, or protection of ecological resources within a designated land use can be implemented. Long-term stewardship requires both ecosystem protection in terms of the biological resources and their functioning, as well as biomonitoring to ensure that there is minimal radiological or chemical risk and to inform future management.
The Journal of Experimental Zoology, 1999
Large numbers of shorebirds stop over at Delaware Bay during spring migration and undergo major m... more Large numbers of shorebirds stop over at Delaware Bay during spring migration and undergo major mass increases within a two-to three-week period. We studied plasma levels of corticosterone and growth hormone in three species of migrants that use this site, sanderlings, Calidris alba, semipalmated plovers, Charadrius semipalmatus, and semipalmated sandpipers, Calidris pusilla. Semipalmated sandpipers were also studied at a fall migration stopover in Manomet, Massachusetts. These two hormones were chosen because they modulate the physiological processes of lipogenesis/lipolysis and promote increased feeding in birds. The stress response was not suppressed in the shorebirds studied, and plasma levels of corticosterone were elevated compared to other studies. We believe that the high levels of corticosterone relate to the rapid fat deposition that takes place at this stopover site. There was a significant negative correlation between plasma growth hormone and body mass, indicating the lipolytic effects of the growth hormone. Because the lighter birds are recent arrivals to Delaware Bay they may have elevated plasma growth because of fat breakdown during flight to this stopover site. High levels of growth hormone may also result in protein synthesis, replenishing tissues broken down during the previous migratory bout.
Environmental monitoring and assessment, 2014
The health of horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) eggs is important not only to maintain horsesho... more The health of horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) eggs is important not only to maintain horseshoe crab populations, but because they are a resource for higher trophic levels, such as fish and shorebirds. We examined the concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury, and selenium in the eggs of horseshoe crabs from Delaware Bay (between New Jersey and Delaware, USA) in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, and 2012 to determine if there were significant temporal changes and if levels appear to pose a health risk to the crabs themselves, or to predators that consume them. All metal levels declined in horseshoe crab eggs between 1994 and 2012, although the declines were much less consistent for lead and chromium than that for mercury and cadmium. Levels of contaminants found in these eggs are well below those known to cause adverse effects in the crabs themselves or to organisms that consume them, such as migrating shorebirds.
Toxics, 2015
Understanding temporal changes in contaminant levels in coastal environments requires comparing l... more Understanding temporal changes in contaminant levels in coastal environments requires comparing levels of contaminants from the same species from different time periods, particularly if species are declining. Several species of shorebirds migrating through Delaware Bay have declined from the 1980s to the present. To evaluate some contaminants as cause for the declines, we examine levels of mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, chromium and selenium in feathers of red knot (Calidris canutus, N = 46 individuals), semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla, N = 70) and sanderling (Calidris alba, N = 32) migrating through
Environmental Research, 2014
There is an abundance of field data on levels of metals for feathers in a variety of birds, but r... more There is an abundance of field data on levels of metals for feathers in a variety of birds, but relatively few data for tissues, especially for migrant species from one location. In this paper we examine the levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury and selenium in muscle, liver, brain, fat and breast feathers from migrant semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) collected from Delaware Bay, New Jersey. Our primary objectives were to (1) examine variation as a function of tissue, (2) determine the relationship of metal levels among tissues, and (3) determine the selenium:mercury molar ratio in different tissues since selenium is thought to protect against mercury toxicity. We were also interested in whether the large physiological changes that occur while shorebirds are on Delaware Bay (e.g. large weight gains in 2-3 weeks) affected metal levels, especially in the brain. There were significant differences among tissues for all metals. The brain had the lowest levels of arsenic and cadmium, and was tied for the lowest levels of all other metals except lead and selenium. Correlations among metals in tissues were varied, with mercury levels being positively correlated for muscle and brain, and for liver and breast feathers. Weights vary among individuals at the Delaware Bay stopover, as they arrive light, and gain weight prior to migration north. Bird weight and levels of arsenic, cadmium, and selenium in the brain were negatively correlated, while they were positively correlated for lead. There was no positive correlation for mercury in the brain as a function of body weight. The selenium:mercury molar ratio varied significantly among tissues, with brain (ratio of 141) and fat having the highest ratios, and liver and breast feathers having the lowest. In all cases, the ratio was above 21, suggesting the potential for amelioration of mercury toxicity.
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Papers by Nellie Tsipoura