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COULD ETHINYL ESTRADIOL AFFECT THE POPULATION BIOLOGY OF CUNNER, TAUTOGOLABRUS ADSPERSUS
Citation:
GutjahrGobell, R, T R. Gleason, G Zaroogian, D B. Horowitz, AND L J. Mills. COULD ETHINYL ESTRADIOL AFFECT THE POPULATION BIOLOGY OF CUNNER, TAUTOGOLABRUS ADSPERSUS. Presented at Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, November 11-15, 2001.
Description:
Endocrine disrupting chemicals in the environment may disturb the population dynamics of wildlife by affecting reproductive output and embryonic development of organisms. This study used a population model to evaluate whether ethinyl estradiol (EE2 could affect cunner Tautogolabrus adspersus population growth rate by using data obtained from laboratory experimentation and the literature. The main estrogenic compound of the oral contraceptive EE2 has been detected in United Kingdom and United States rivers receiving sewage treatment effluent. Cunner, a temperate reef fish, inhabit estuarine and marine areas where sewage treatment and contaminant discharges are likely. Additionally, cunner are suitable for conducting experiments with reproductive endpoints. An age-structured matrix population model was developed using survival probabilities and fecundity estimates obtained from the literature. This model was used to evaluate whether EE2 could impact cunner population growth rate by incorporating experimental exposure response data. Reproductively active cunner were exposed in the laboratory by implanting EE2 in a slow-release matrix subcutaneously. Treatments included control (matrix only) and three concentrations of EE2 (0.05, 0.5, and 2.5 mg/kg). Egg productivity was determined daily. Mean egg production was lower in fish exposed to the medium (25%) and high (70%) doses than the control and low dose. Our model showed that a 25% and 70% reduction in fecundity decreased the population growth rate from 1.00 (base model) to 0.96 (medium dose) and 0.82 (high dose). All else being equal, population projections suggested that if these effects were constant over 10 years, a population of 100,000 would decrease to 63,878 at the medium dose (30% reduction) and 12,931 at the high dose (90% reduction). This study provides an example of how to connect studies on endocrine disruption with potential ecological effects.