ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Snow Vole and Tatra Marmot as Different
Rodent Bioindicators of Lead Pollution
in an Alpine Environment:
A Hibernation Effect
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1
Institute of High Mountain Biology, University of Žilina, Slovakia
2
Administration of the Kysuce Protected Landscape Area, Čadca, Slovakia
Submission date: 2018-03-06
Final revision date: 2018-07-04
Acceptance date: 2018-07-12
Online publication date: 2019-04-28
Publication date: 2019-05-28
Corresponding author
Zuzana Ballová
Institute of High Mountain Biology University of Žilina, Tatranská Javorina 7, 05956 Tatranská Javorina, Slovak Republic
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2019;28(5):3215-3226
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ABSTRACT
We compared the content of lead (Pb) and other trace metals in various bone and tooth tissues
of two alpine rodent species with different behaviours. Hibernating marmots accumulated less Pb than
the non-hibernating and shorter-lived snow voles. It was confirmed that calcium (Ca) is substituted by
Pb in Tatra marmot teeth and skull bones. Ca concentration in marmot bones is likely maintained even
during this inactive period and this mechanism may reduce Pb accumulation in bones of hibernating
marmots. Pb accumulation in bone and tooth tissues may be slightly mitigated by zinc content and also
by increased strontium (Sr) in bones. Trace metals deposited differently in tooth and skull bone tissues
of marmots. Frontal and parietal skull bones contained significantly more Pb than marmot incisors, but
the difference was not significant when comparing skull bones with molars. Molars are static and could
reflect past exposure of heavy metals, whereas incisors renew themselves, and would not.