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EFFECTS OF STERIODAL ESTROGEN EXPOSURE ON CUNNER EXTRAPOLATED TO THE POPULATION LEVEL
Citation:
GutjahrGobell, R, G Zaroogian, D B. Horowitz, T R. Gleason, AND L J. Mills. EFFECTS OF STERIODAL ESTROGEN EXPOSURE ON CUNNER EXTRAPOLATED TO THE POPULATION LEVEL. Presented at North Atlantic Chapter of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Mystic, CT, April 24-25, 2003.
Description:
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment may disturb the population growth rate of wildlife by affecting reproductive output and early life survival of organisms. Cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus) inhabit marine areas where sewage treatment and contaminant discharges containing estrogens are likely. Additionally, cunner have proven suitable for conducting laboratory experiments with reproductive endpoints. We developed an age-structured matrix population model using published survival and fecundity estimates. By incorporating response data from laboratory exposures, the model was used to evaluate whether EDCs (17b-estradiol (E2), estrone (E4) and 17a-ethynylestradiol (EE2)) would impact cunner population growth rate ( ). Reproductively active cunner were exposed in three experiments (E2, E4 or EE2) by implanting estrogens subcutaneously in a slow-release matrix. Treatments included control and three nominal concentrations (0.05, 0.5 and 2.5 mg/kg). Egg production was determined daily. Results showed E2 exposure enhanced fecundity over 50% in low and medium treatments, increasing , but impaired fecundity 28% in the high treatment, decreasing . E4 exposure impaired fecundity 28% in the medium and 49% in the high treatments, decreasing . Likewise, EE2 impaired fecundity 25% and 70% in the medium and high EE2 treatments, decreasing . Fecundity was unaffected at the low treatment of E4 and EE2. A matrix modeling approach using laboratory-generated EDC data may be useful to predict the potential effects on growth rate of wild populations.