{"id":{"repo_id":"calgary","oai_identifier":"oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:11023/2053"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/calgary/oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:11023/2053","repository":{"repo_id":"calgary","name":"University of Calgary","base_url":"https://ucalgary.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Passerine Exposure to Metal Contaminants from Oilsands Mining in the Athabasca Region of Northeastern Alberta, Canada","abstract":"I characterized passerine exposure to metals from waste-materials associated with oilsands mining. I measured metal concentrations in whole blood of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), Tennessee warblers (Oreothlypis peregrina), and chipping sparrows (Spizella passerina). Additionally, I measured metal concentrations in kidney, liver, and stomach contents of nestling tree swallows, and monitored tree swallow nest success and nestling growth. I identified insects fed to nestlings to understand the influence of diet on metal accumulation in tissues, and collected insects to assess metal levels in available prey. I found high variability in metal concentrations in blood correlated with small blood sample volume, and suggest that blood may not be suitable for monitoring metal contamination in small birds. I found no evidence that metals were elevated in tissues of passerines near oilsands operations. Nest success and nestling growth were influenced by local environmental conditions and not affected by proximity to mining operations.","abstract_html":"I characterized passerine exposure to metals from waste-materials associated with oilsands mining. I measured metal concentrations in whole blood of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), Tennessee warblers (Oreothlypis peregrina), and chipping sparrows (Spizella passerina). Additionally, I measured metal concentrations in kidney, liver, and stomach contents of nestling tree swallows, and monitored tree swallow nest success and nestling growth. I identified insects fed to nestlings to understand the influence of diet on metal accumulation in tissues, and collected insects to assess metal levels in available prey. I found high variability in metal concentrations in blood correlated with small blood sample volume, and suggest that blood may not be suitable for monitoring metal contamination in small birds. I found no evidence that metals were elevated in tissues of passerines near oilsands operations. Nest success and nestling growth were influenced by local environmental conditions and not affected by proximity to mining operations.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Godwin, Christine"],"institution":"Graduate Studies","degree_name":"Master of Science (MSc)","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Biological Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Barclay, Robert","Smits, Judit"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-02-02","date_published":"2015-02-02","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:30:25Z","subjects":["Toxicology"],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/27264"],"render_values":[{"text":"http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/27264","href":"http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/27264","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/11023/2053","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Barclay, Robert","Smits, Judit"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Godwin, Christine"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2015-02-02T22:52:41Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2015-06-23T07:00:44Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2015-02-02"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Calgary"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["master thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biological Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MSc)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Calgary"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Toxicology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/27264"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/11023/2053"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["I characterized passerine exposure to metals from waste-materials associated with oilsands mining. I measured metal concentrations in whole blood of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), Tennessee warblers (Oreothlypis peregrina), and chipping sparrows (Spizella passerina). Additionally, I measured metal concentrations in kidney, liver, and stomach contents of nestling tree swallows, and monitored tree swallow nest success and nestling growth. I identified insects fed to nestlings to understand the influence of diet on metal accumulation in tissues, and collected insects to assess metal levels in available prey. I found high variability in metal concentrations in blood correlated with small blood sample volume, and suggest that blood may not be suitable for monitoring metal contamination in small birds. I found no evidence that metals were elevated in tissues of passerines near oilsands operations. Nest success and nestling growth were influenced by local environmental conditions and not affected by proximity to mining operations."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Passerine Exposure to Metal Contaminants from Oilsands Mining in the Athabasca Region of Northeastern Alberta, Canada"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Barclay, Robert","Smits, Judit"],"dc:creator":["Godwin, Christine"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2015-02-02T22:52:41Z"],"dc:date.available":["2015-06-23T07:00:44Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2015-02-02"],"dc:description.abstract":["I characterized passerine exposure to metals from waste-materials associated with oilsands mining. I measured metal concentrations in whole blood of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), Tennessee warblers (Oreothlypis peregrina), and chipping sparrows (Spizella passerina). Additionally, I measured metal concentrations in kidney, liver, and stomach contents of nestling tree swallows, and monitored tree swallow nest success and nestling growth. I identified insects fed to nestlings to understand the influence of diet on metal accumulation in tissues, and collected insects to assess metal levels in available prey. I found high variability in metal concentrations in blood correlated with small blood sample volume, and suggest that blood may not be suitable for monitoring metal contamination in small birds. I found no evidence that metals were elevated in tissues of passerines near oilsands operations. Nest success and nestling growth were influenced by local environmental conditions and not affected by proximity to mining operations."],"dc:identifier.doi":["http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/27264"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/11023/2053"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of Calgary"],"dc:rights":["University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission."],"dc:subject":["Toxicology"],"dc:title":["Passerine Exposure to Metal Contaminants from Oilsands Mining in the Athabasca Region of Northeastern Alberta, Canada"],"dc:type":["master thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biological Sciences"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MSc)"],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Calgary"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:30:25Z"}