Availability of Organochlorides and Accumulation in Populations of Tadarida brasiliensis (Free-Tailed Bat) and Eptesicus fuscus (Big Brown Bat)
Organochlorides were historically effective in controlling a wide range of pests. However, organochlorides have proved to present many problems to the health and welfare of other organisms. Due to these problems, especially declines in wildlife populations, organochlorides were restricted in the 1970's and a majority of them were banned in the mid to late 1980's. The effects of organochlorides on bats such as Tadarida brasiliensis and Eptesicus fuscus have been intensively studied. The effects can range from problems with reproduction to mortality. My analysis of populations of T. brasiliensis and E. fuscus showed that organochlorides are still present in the environment, although in trace amounts. A wide range of organochlorides was found in the livers. When T. brasiliensis and E. fuscus were compared using a Wilcoxon signed- rank test, no significant difference in the types of organochlorides was found between the species. Also, a significant difference was found between juvenile and adult T. brasiliensis using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
Organochlorides, Tadarida Brasiliensis, Eptesicus Fuscus, Liver, Wildlife Population, Earth Sciences, Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment, Environmental Sciences
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