Laboratory responses to both an organochlorinated pesticide (endrin) and a carbamate pesticide (thiobencarb) were characterized by modification of energy metabolism in individual mysids and these results preceded lower secondary production rates caused by the same compounds. Sublethal exposure of estuarine mysids to concentrations of these pesticides, which initially elevated mysid respiration, eventually inhibited growth and reproductive capacity of isolated mysid populations in the laboratory. Results of these laboratory studies were confirmed in a field study, indicating that physiological measurements of metabolic dysfunction in mysids exposed sublethally to pesticides may be used to predict altered production rates in mysid populations.

Caption title. At head of title: EPA environmental research brief. "Feb. 1986." "EPA/600-M-86-004." Shipping list no.: 86-292-P. Includes bibliographical references (pages 7-8).