Biomonitoring mit Stadttaubeneiern
Nentwich, Kathrin; Paulus, Martin
Umweltwissenschaften und Schadstoff-Forschung 11 (1999), 5, 281 - 287
Abstract
Experiences of biological monitoring with feral pigeons over a 12-year period in the cities of Halle, Leipzig and Saarbrücken, and in rural areas of the Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein, show how to combine the management of feral pigeon populations with scientific questions.
Especially the eggs of feral pigeons are suitable for environmental observation. Their advantage is, to show both concentrations of substances and their effects. In addition, there is almost no alternative in urban ecosystems by the use of other specimens. Requirements on standard operation procedures for sampling and sample treatment are presented. Examples of significant differences in analytical and biometric information between the observed areas and trends over the 12-year monitoring period with the use of pigeon eggs are presented. In specially constructed pigeon houses (pigeonry) with nesting cells, pigeon eggs can permanently be used for long term monitoring studies. At the same time, the possibility for the control and regulation of population health and density is given.