Contaminant Exposure and Effects - Terrestrial Vertebrates database: Trends and data gaps for Atlantic coast estuaries

In order to examine the condition of biota in Atlantic coast estuaries, "Co ntaminant Exposure and Effects-Terrestrial Vertebrates" database (CEE-TV) h as been compiled through computerized search of published literature, revie w of existing databases, and solicitation of unpublished reports from conse rvation agencies, private groups, and universities. Summary information has been entered into the database, including species, collection date (1965-p resent), site coordinates, estuary name, hydrologic unit code, sample matri x, contaminant concentrations, biomarker and bioindicator responses, and re ference source, utilizing a 98-field character and numeric format. Currentl y, the CEE-TV database contains 3699 geo-referenced records representing 19 0 vertebrate species and > 140,000 individuals residing in estuaries from M aine through Florida. This relational database can be directly queried or i mported into a Geographic Information System to examine spatial patterns, i dentify data gaps and areas of concern, generate hypotheses, and focus ecot oxicological field assessments. Information on birds made up the vast major ity (83%) of the database, with only a modicum of data on amphibians (< 0.1 %). Of the > 75,000 chemical compounds in commerce, only 118 commonly measu red environmental contaminants were quantified in tissues of terrestrial ve rtebrates. There were no CEE-TV data records in 15 of the 67 estuaries loca ted along the Atlantic coast and Florida Gulf coast. The CEE-TV database ha s a number of potential applications including focusing biomonitoring effor ts to generate critically needed ecotoxicological data in the numerous "gap s" along the coast, reducing uncertainty about contaminant risk, identifyin g areas for mitigation, restoration or special management, and ranking ecol ogical conditions of estuaries.