Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: South Carolina
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Objectives: The objectives of this research work order are: 1. To support travel for field research related to SEA EAGLE to include but not be limited to collection of blood, tissue, egg and water samples for analysis of the effects of an array of contaminants and heavy metals on contamination in eagles from various locations. This research will build upon ongoing and previous research on the effects of contaminants on eagle health, productivity, and population dynamics and on the use of eagles as biosentinels of ecosystem health in aquatic systems. 2. To support laboratory analysis of contaminant concentrations in samples of blood, tissues, eggs and water collected in association with SEA EAGLE. These analyses will include but not be limited to comparisons of contaminants and heavy metals among species, locations, and across time (i.e., compared with historical data). 3. The data collected and developed in objectives 1 and 2 will contribute to agency-focused reports, presentations at scientific meetings (particularly by students), and briefings of appropriate agency personnel on the findings (i.e., dissemination of material directly to agencies and wildlife managers). Due to the international nature of the research outlined in 1 and 2 above, travels to regional, national, and international scientific meetings will be prioritized to increase dissemination of the results. 4. The graduate student, with assistance from the PIs, will develop and submit one or more manuscripts from this work to appropriate peer-reviewed, scientific journals.