Erythrocyte micronucleus cytome assay of 17 wild bird species from the central Monte desert, Argentina

Abstract

Birds have the potential to be considered valuablebioindicators of the quality of ecosystems and the environmentalimpact of pollutants. The aims of this study were todetermine the micronuclei frequency and other nuclear abnormalitiesin erythrocytes by analyzing a wild bird communityfrom central Monte desert (Argentina) and to clarify if therewere any differences among certain species. Frequencies ofnuclear abnormalities were determined in 73 wild birds belongingto 17 species and two orders (Passeriformes andColumbiformes). A high proportion of individuals, 90.4 and80.9 %, had erythrocytes with micronuclei and nuclear buds,respectively. Notched nuclei, binucleated cells, nuclear tails,and nucleoplasmic bridges were also recorded. Certain speciesappeared to be more informative than others with regard to thepossibility of being used as bioindicators of genetic damage.Saltator aurantiirostris and Columbina picui were the onlyspecies that showed significantly different frequencies of nuclearalterations, in comparison with the other species. Thefrequencies here presented are the first reported for these birdspecies from the orders Passeriformes and Columbiformes.This research supports the notion that the use of these biomarkerscould be effectively applied to evaluate spontaneousor induced genetic instability in wild birds.