OVERVIEW AND METHODS

Early in May there were ten crossing the water

Hidden in plain view are two, maybe three - see if you can find them.

Yep, it's going to be duckling Wood Ducks for the next few days!

OVERVIEW

If you recall, I am developing a model for my research methods because of reading a wide variety of research and critiques of the methods for doing a diet and feeding ecology study. However, I did not discuss the reason for doing the research, its rationale. Throughout much of its range in Southern California and in Washington State the Western pond turtle is largely extinct. Much of this happened as land development, especially urbanization, spread throughout those regions. It is unlikely but possible this is a coincidence. Today the Western pond turtle Washington State gives it total legal protection and has partial protection in both California and Oregon. Because of disagreements in the scientific community and lack of evidence U.S. Fish and Wildlife are unwilling to give it endangered status. This is largely because there is no scientific information on its population size outside of areas where they are essentially missing. In fact, one agency decried the fact there is so little information that it makes it impossible to make an informed decision. Therefore, I chose to do research that avoids the major criticisms of diet and feeding ecology examinations, uncover some of the effects that may help explain their disappearance because of land development, and provide information for policy makers.

Consequently, I am examining the diet of Western pond turtles during the season they most actively feed, May through August. Further, I use activity traps to determine what food resources are available when I trap turtles. Consequently, many of my previous posts depict the various organisms they eat. Finally, I am choosing to tangentially investigate (e.g., as an aside) ways to inform citizens about my research (i.e., this blog). In addition, to see if my methods may be helpful to them, I am communicating by email or in person with city and county agencies making policies that affect the Western pond turtles living in the waterway. My goal in the future is to do similar research and spend more time examining the ecosystem in ways that may foster citizen awareness and policymaker decision making that promotes sustainable use of these resources.

THEN METHODS

After the overview and rationale for a research project, the next most important aspect is the methods I am using. Since my previous posts show some of the results of using activity traps, I will explain I make and use them. Then I will move on to trapping turtles, radio telemetry, and other processes such as gastric lavage and anesthesia.

Further, since this forum informal I will also cover other topics. For example, my current examination of the possible negative effects of RoundUp and its cousin pesticides I am doing for a colleague.

CHEMICALS, THE ECOSYSTEM, AND YOU

The following article excerpts reveal some of the possible negative effects of the pesticide, sometimes because of the interactions between various ingredients in it. The following is an overview that was published on the topic. Later I will publish excerpts from journal articles including the one reported in this article. 

Roundup Revelation: Weed Killer Adjuvants May Boost Toxicity (Bonn, 2005)

                 

 “Although the glyphosate-based herbicide RoundUp is generally thought to be less toxic to the ecosystem than other pesticides, concerns about its effects on human reproduction persist. In a study in Ontario, Canada, exposure of male farmers to glyphosate-based herbicides was associated with an increase in miscarriage and premature birth in farm families. Seeking an explanation for these pregnancy-related problems, researchers at France's Universite de Caen investigated the effects of the full Roundup formulation and glyphosate alone on cultured human placental cells The herbicide, they found, killed the cells at concentrations far below those used in agricultural practice.”

·      “Surprisingly, they also found that Roundup was at least twice as toxic as glyphosate alone. Virtually all previous testing of Roundup for long-term health damage has been done on glyphosate rather than on the full herbicide formulation, of which glyphosate makes up only around 40%. The remainder consists of inactive ingredients including adjuvants, chemicals that are added to improve the performance of the active ingredient. Roundup's main adjuvant is the surfactant polyethoxylated tallowamine, which helps glyphosate penetrate plant cells.”

·      “Polyethoxylated tallowamine is just being investigated but indications are that it has some remarkable toxic effects. Check out pub med and there is a hint. This kind of investigation should be done by any reputable scientist before using this chemical AND this points to the problems with the current system regarding the release of a chemical for use on food crops.”

·      “No one is sure how Roundup interferes with reproduction, so the team also tested whether it, like other pesticides, would disrupt the activity of aromatase (an enzyme that regulates estrogen synthesis) in placental cells. Aromatase activity was measured after 1 hour and 18 hours. The study showed that the effect of Roundup on cell viability increased with time and was obtained with concentrations of the formulation 10 times lower than those recommended for agricultural use. Roundup also disrupted aromatase activity at concentrations 100 times lower than those used in agriculture. The researchers suspect that the adjuvants used in Roundup enhance the bioavailability and/or bioaccumulation of glyphosate. How these findings translate into activity of Roundup in the human body is hard to say. The French researchers point out that serum proteins can bind to chemicals and reduce their availability and therefore their toxicity to cells. Nevertheless, the authors conclude that the demonstrated toxicity of Roundup, even at concentrations below those in agricultural use, could contribute to some reproduction problems.”

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bonn, D. (2005). Roundup Revelation: Weed Killer Adjuvants May Boost Toxicity. Environmental Health Perspectives, 113(61), A404.