Cluj-Napoca scientists are behind a discovery according to which the earliest evidence for anthropogenic pollution of wildlife in Medieval Europe is in Romania.
"Two researchers announced the publication in Elsevier's prestigious journal Environmental Pollution of a study that provides the earliest evidence of anthropogenic pollution on wildlife in Medieval Europe. The research was conducted by a Franco-Romanian team led by Dr. Marius Robu (the Romanian Academy's 'Emil Racovita' Speleology Institute) and Dr. Jeremy E. Martin (Ecole normale superieure, ENS, Lyon), together with Dr. Ionut-Cornel Mirea, Dr. Daniel Veres ('Emil Racovita' Speleology Institute - Cluj-Napoca branch), Dr. Sebastian Olive, and Philippe Telouk," the Cluj branch of the Romanian Academy said in a release on Wednesday
According to the cited source, the research was carried out by investigating trace elements (Pb, Li, Zn) in the dentition of a brown bear that lived about 1000 years ago in the Romanian Carpathians (south-western region of Mehedinti - Banat), an area historically known for intensive metallurgical activities carried out as early as in medieval times.
"Using trace element maps, background values as well as unnatural high levels of lead (Pb), lithium (Li) and zinc (Zn) were detected in a male brown bear approximately 5-6 years of age. High-resolution elemental transects and histological sections revealed the seasonal extent of the lead intake, which occurred during five recorded summers (when the animal was actively foraging for food). Elevated concentrations of Pb, Li and Zn in the terminal growth lines were interpreted as evidence for the earliest anthropogenic heavy metal pollution in a wild animal," the release states.
The research highlights the impact of early industrial activities on a large terrestrial omnivore, demonstrating that anthropogenic threats to wildlife did not arise solely from hunting or landscape modification in recent decades.
"The results obtained represent the earliest documented evidence of the impact of industrial pollution on wildlife. In addition, the extent of heavy metal pollution in this region proves the existence of steel centers of particular antiquity and importance at European level. The study is the first of its kind to look at the impact of early anthropogenic pollution on Europe's wild mammal fauna. At the same time, it is an example of successful international collaboration, materialized through access to the lab technology available at the Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (CNRS-INSU, France), but also to the high-precision laser of Elemental Scientific Lasers, ENS, Lyon," the release states.
Comentează