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REPRODUCTIVE AND DEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS OF CONTAMINANTS IN OVIPAROUS VERTEBRATES: WORKSHOP SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Citation:
Benson, W H., R. T. Di Giulio, D. E. Tillitt, L S. Birnbaum, P. deFur, J. Gooch, E. M. Mihaich, AND C. Tyler. REPRODUCTIVE AND DEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS OF CONTAMINANTS IN OVIPAROUS VERTEBRATES: WORKSHOP SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS. Pellston Workshop on Reproductive and Developmental Effects of Contaminants in Oviparous Vertebrates, Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, Anaconda, Montana, 13-18 July 1997.
Description:
Oviparous vertebrates generally occupy important niches in aquatic as well as terrestrial systems, and reproductive and developmental effects on these species can be of relatively great ecological significance. Because these organisms have critical windows of development, they may be particularly susceptible to toxic perturbation resulting from episodic exposure to environmental contaminants. In addition, oviparous vertebrates that occupy higher trophic levels may be especially vulnerable to persistent organic chemicals by means of trophic transfer. In the context of oviparous vertebrates, the workshop focused on the processes that control contaminant exposure, basic physiological processes that control reproduction and development, toxicological mechanisms of contaminant exposure, and ecological ramifications. In addition, the workshop included critical discussions of laboratory and field approaches for determining exposure and effect, and the integration of this information into ecological risk assessments focused on reproductive and developmental contaminants. The common theme that surfaced through deliberations that took place at the workshop was that the life-cycle characteristics of oviparous vertebrates were the single most significant factor in defining an organism's vulnerability to the reproductive and developmental effects of contaminants. Morever, the overriding demographic attributes of life-history strategies influence life-cycle characteristics, chemical exposure, and toxicity in a way that impacts factors that are critical to determining the risks associated with chemical exposure. This final chapter integrates the research gaps and recommendations identified during the workshop into a single set of workshop conclusions and recommendations.