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Conservation Biology
Christopher R. DeSorbo
BS Environmental Science, Minor in Wildlife Management, University of New Hampshire
Past field experiences: a variety of bird-focused monitoring, management, and conservation research efforts, with an emphasis on avian toxicology.
Thesis Research:
Understanding spatial and temporal patterns of mercury exposure in Bald Eagles in the northeast: an evaluation of impacts on reproductive success and use as biomonitors of freshwater aquatic habitats.
Several studies have indicated that piscivorous wildlife such as Bald Eagles and Common Loons in the northeast are exposed to high levels of methylmercury, which is linked to reproductive and behavioral impacts in fish and wildlife. Exposure to mercury through contaminated aquatic foodwebs has been suggested as a possible limitation on the recovery of northeastern eagle populations, which remain below recovery goals. Evaluation of the impacts of mercury on eagle productivity has not yet been possible due to a variety of factors. Interior populations in the northeast may be the only Bald Eagle population in which the relationship between mercury and eagle reproductive success can be assessed, because mercury exposure is variable and confounding contaminants are not as prevalent as in other regions. For my thesis work (2004-2005), I sampled blood and feather tissues from 4-9 week-old eagle nestlings. Samples will be analyzed for mercury and stable isotopes (to provide measures of diet and trophic position), giving insights into spatial and temporal patterns of exposure and risk. Exposure data will be compared to long-term productivity and contaminants data (collected by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and others) to evaluate if a) mercury is limiting the reproductive success of interior eagles and b) mercury is increasing or decreasing within the freshwater eagle prey base in Maine and c) we can improve the effectiveness of using eagles as biomonitors of aquatic ecosystems.
Current Conservation Biology Students
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