Variability of the Ionome of Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) and Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) in a Dutch National Park, with Implications for Biomonitoring

Abstract The ionome—an important expression of the physiological state of organisms—is poorly known for mammals. The focus on particular tissues—such as liver, kidney, and bones—in biomonitoring of environmental pollution and potential deficiencies is based on widely held assumptions rather than solid knowledge of full mammalian ionomes. We examined the full ionome of Red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) and Wild boar ( Sus scrofa ), two commonly used mammals for biomonitoring, in a Dutch protected nature reserve (Veluwezoom). We used four individuals per species. We dissected 13 tissues and organs fro... Mehr ...