Weasel exposure to the anticoagulant rodenticide bromadiolone in agrarian landscapes of southwestern Europe.

Bromadiolone is an anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) commonly used as a plant protection product (PPP) against rodent pests in agricultural lands. ARs can be transferred trophically to predators/scavengers when they consume intoxicated live or dead rodents. ARs exposure in weasels Mustela nivalis, small mustelids specialized on rodent predation, is poorly known in southern Europe. Moreover, in this species there is no information on bioaccumulation of AR diastereomers e.g., cis- and trans-bromadiolone. Trans-bromadiolone is more persistent in the rodent liver and thus, is expected to have a greater probability of trophic transfer to predators. Here, we report on bromadiolone occurrence, total concentrations and diastereomers proportions (trans- and cis-bromadiolone) in weasels from Castilla y León (north-western Spain) collected in 2010-2017, where bromadiolone was irregularly applied to control outbreaks of common voles Microtus arvalis mainly with cereal grain bait distributed by the regional government. We also tested variables possibly associated with bromadiolone occurrence and concentration, such as individual features (e.g., sex), spatio-temporal variables (e.g., year), and exposure risk (e.g., vole outbreaks). Overall bromadiolone occurrence in weasels was 22% (n = 32, arithmetic mean of concentration of bromadiolone positives = 0.072 mg/kg). An individual showed signs of bromadiolone intoxication (i.e., evidence of macroscopic hemorrhages or hyperaemia and hepatic bromadiolone concentration > 0.1 mg/kg). All the exposed weasels (n = 7) showed only trans-bromadiolone diastereomer in liver, whilst a single analyzed bait from those applied in Castilla y León contained trans- and cis-bromadiolone at 65/35%. Bromadiolone occurrence and concentration in weasels varied yearly. Occurrence was higher in 2012 (100% of weasels), when bromadiolone was widely distributed, compared to 2016-2017 (2016: 20%; 2017: 8.33%) when bromadiolone was exceptionally permitted. The highest concentrations happened in 2014 and 2017, both years with vole outbreaks. Our findings indicate that specialist rodent predators could be exposed to bromadiolone in areas and periods with bromadiolone treatments against vole outbreaks.

Seasonal diet-based resistance to anticoagulant rodenticides in the fossorial water vole (Arvicola amphibius).

Anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) resistance has been defined as "a major loss of efficacy due to the presence of a strain of rodent with a heritable and commensurately reduced sensitivity to the anticoagulant". The mechanism that supports this resistance has been identified as based on mutations in the Vkorc1 gene leading to severe resistance in rats and mice. This study evaluates the validity of this definition in the fossorial water vole and explores the possibility of a non-genetic diet-based resistance in a strict herbivorous rodent species. Genetic support was explored by sequencing the Vkorc1 gene and the diet-based resistance was explored by the dosing of vitamins K in liver of voles according to seasons. From a sample of 300 voles, only 2 coding mutations, G71R and S149I, were detected in the Vkorc1 gene in the heterozygous state with low allele frequencies (0.5-1%). These mutations did not modify the sensitivity to AR, suggesting an absence of genetic Vkorc1-based resistance in the water vole. On the contrary, vitamin K1 was shown to be 5 times more abundant in the liver of the water vole compared to rats. This liver concentration was shown to seasonally vary, with a trough in late winter and a peak in late spring/early summer related to the growth profile of grass. This increase in concentration might be responsible for the increased resistance of water voles to AR. This study highlights a non-genetic, diet-related resistance mechanism in rodents to AR. This diet-based resistance might explain the different evolution of the Vkorc1 gene in the fossorial water vole compared to rats and mice.

Do bromadiolone treatments to control grassland water voles (Arvicola scherman) affect small mustelid abundance?

BACKGROUND: The use of pesticides can affect non-target species by causing population declines through indirect intoxication. Small mustelids (SMs; weasels, Mustela nivalis L.; stoats, Mustela erminea L.) consume water voles (WVs, Arvicola scherman S.) and can be exposed to bromadiolone, an anticoagulant rodenticide used in some countries to reduce WV damage to grasslands. Here, we investigated whether bromadiolone affected SM abundance. RESULTS: We monitored SM abundance using footprint tracking tunnels in spring and autumn at ten sites. Among these sites, four were treated with bromadiolone, while six were not treated. We found reduced SM abundance at these four sites from spring to autumn (treated sites, mean ± SE SM abundance change = -1.68 ± 0.42; untreated sites, 0.29 ± 0.25). Using a linear model, we observed that SM abundance decreased as a function of the quantity of bromadiolone applied during the 3 months before the autumn estimate. We found that WV abundance increased at treated sites (linear model, treated sites, mean ± SE WV abundance change = 1.4 ± 0.4; untreated sites, 0.33 ± 0.25). Thus, at treated sites, SM abundance declined despite increased food availability. By analyzing residues in vole livers and SM scats we showed that SMs may be exposed to bromadiolone at the sites where this compound was used. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to document the relationship between SM abundance and bromadiolone usage for small mammal control. Declines in SM abundance were observed at treated sites, where bromadiolone residue was found in SM scats. This correlative approach suggests that bromadiolone treatment may lead to seasonal SM declines and associated WV increases. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.