Warning on nine pollutants and their effects on avian communities

Abstract

Anthropogenic pollution is increasingly pervasive throughout all ecosystems worldwide. In recent years, negative consequences on many taxa, such as birds, have been observed. We reviewed the impacts of some of the most common anthropogenic pollutants on birds, including light, noise, polluted air, heavy metals, radioactive compounds, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, oil, and plastic pollution. We conducted a bibliometric analysis on scientific publications between 2000 and 2020. We found 1872 publications for the nine categories of pollutants. We described the wide range of impacts, from direct mortality to sublethal effects, including fitness reduction. Interactions between these pollutants exist, and they can exceed the effects of the pollutants by themselves. Despite this, interactions between pollutants are still understudied and require more targeted research efforts. Threats to avian species and anthropic pollutants are still increasing over time, making mitigation measures a high priority for the preservation of these species. This review can be used as a baseline for conservationists and decision-makers to understand the various scopes of the threats that bird species are facing.

Keywords

• Environmental contamination
• Bird decline
• Pollutant interactions
• Agriculture
• Urban environment