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Acute toxicity of four anticholinesterase insecticides to American kestrels, eastern screech‐owls and Northern Bobwhites
Author(s) -
Wiemeyer Stanley N.,
Sparling Donald W.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620100905
Subject(s) - colinus , fenthion , pesticide , monocrotophos , cholinesterase , toxicity , acute toxicity , toxicology , organophosphate , sigmodon hispidus , biology , zoology , medicine , ecology , pharmacology , quail , malathion
American kestrels ( Falco sparverius ), eastern screech‐owls ( Otus asio ), and northern bobwhites ( Colinus virginianus ) were given single acute oral doses of four widely diverse anticholinesterase pesticides: EPN, fenthion, carbofuran, and monocrotophos. LD50s, based on birds that died within 5 d of dosage, were computed for each chemical in each species. Sex differences in the sensitivity of northern bobwhites in reproductive condition were examined. American kestrels were highly sensitive to all chemicals tested (LD50s 0.6–4.0 mg/kg). Eastern screech‐owls were highly tolerant to EPN (LD50 274 mg/kg) but sensitive to the remaining chemicals (LD50s 1.5–3.9 mg/kg). Northern bobwhites were highly sensitive to monocrotophos (LD50 0.8 mg/kg) and less sensitive to the remaining chemicals (LD50s 4.6–31 mg/kg). Female bobwhites (LD50 3.1 mg/kg) were more sensitive to fenthion than males (LD50 7.0 mg/kg). Mean percent depression of brain cholinesterase (ChE) of birds that died on the day of dosing exceeded 65% for all chemicals in all species. The response of one species to a given pesticide should not be used to predict the sensitivity of other species to the same pesticide. The need for research on several topics is discussed.