Polychlorinated biphenyls are associated with reduced testes weights in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena)
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are highly toxic and persistent aquatic pollutants that are known to bioaccumulate in a variety of marine mammals. They have been associated with reduced recruitment rates and population declines in multiple species. Evidence to date documents effects of PCB exposure...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:9a3e21ac311f4348b00ee2f2ea7cf156 2023-05-15T17:59:06+02:00 Polychlorinated biphenyls are associated with reduced testes weights in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) Rosie S. Williams David J. Curnick Andrew Brownlow Jonathan L. Barber James Barnett Nicholas J. Davison Robert Deaville Mariel ten Doeschate Matthew Perkins Paul D. Jepson Susan Jobling 2021-05-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106303 https://doaj.org/article/9a3e21ac311f4348b00ee2f2ea7cf156 EN eng Elsevier http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020322583 https://doaj.org/toc/0160-4120 0160-4120 doi:10.1016/j.envint.2020.106303 https://doaj.org/article/9a3e21ac311f4348b00ee2f2ea7cf156 Environment International, Vol 150, Iss , Pp 106303- (2021) Phocoena phocoena Polychlorinated biphenyls Testes weights Male reproduction Marine mammals Fertility Environmental sciences GE1-350 article 2021 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106303 2022-12-31T10:48:08Z Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are highly toxic and persistent aquatic pollutants that are known to bioaccumulate in a variety of marine mammals. They have been associated with reduced recruitment rates and population declines in multiple species. Evidence to date documents effects of PCB exposures on female reproduction, but few studies have investigated whether PCB exposure impacts male fertility. Using blubber tissue samples of 99 adult and 168 juvenile UK-stranded harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) collected between 1991 and 2017, here we show that PCBs exposures are associated with reduced testes weights in adults with good body condition. In animals with poor body condition, however, the impact of PCBs on testes weights was reduced, conceivably due to testes weights being limited by nutritional stress. This is the first study to investigate the relationship between PCB contaminant burden and testes weights in cetaceans and represents a substantial advance in our understanding of the relationship between PCB exposures and male reproductive biology in cetaceans. As testes weight is a strong indicator of male fertility in seasonally breeding mammals, we suggest the inclusion of such effects in population level impact assessments involving PCB exposures. Given the re-emergent PCB threat our findings are globally significant, with potentially serious implications for long-lived mammals. We show that more effective PCB controls could have a substantial impact on the reproductive health of coastal cetacean species and that management actions may need to be escalated to ensure adequate protection of the most vulnerable cetacean populations. Article in Journal/Newspaper Phocoena phocoena Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Environment International 150 106303 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Phocoena phocoena Polychlorinated biphenyls Testes weights Male reproduction Marine mammals Fertility Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
spellingShingle |
Phocoena phocoena Polychlorinated biphenyls Testes weights Male reproduction Marine mammals Fertility Environmental sciences GE1-350 Rosie S. Williams David J. Curnick Andrew Brownlow Jonathan L. Barber James Barnett Nicholas J. Davison Robert Deaville Mariel ten Doeschate Matthew Perkins Paul D. Jepson Susan Jobling Polychlorinated biphenyls are associated with reduced testes weights in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) |
topic_facet |
Phocoena phocoena Polychlorinated biphenyls Testes weights Male reproduction Marine mammals Fertility Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
description |
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are highly toxic and persistent aquatic pollutants that are known to bioaccumulate in a variety of marine mammals. They have been associated with reduced recruitment rates and population declines in multiple species. Evidence to date documents effects of PCB exposures on female reproduction, but few studies have investigated whether PCB exposure impacts male fertility. Using blubber tissue samples of 99 adult and 168 juvenile UK-stranded harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) collected between 1991 and 2017, here we show that PCBs exposures are associated with reduced testes weights in adults with good body condition. In animals with poor body condition, however, the impact of PCBs on testes weights was reduced, conceivably due to testes weights being limited by nutritional stress. This is the first study to investigate the relationship between PCB contaminant burden and testes weights in cetaceans and represents a substantial advance in our understanding of the relationship between PCB exposures and male reproductive biology in cetaceans. As testes weight is a strong indicator of male fertility in seasonally breeding mammals, we suggest the inclusion of such effects in population level impact assessments involving PCB exposures. Given the re-emergent PCB threat our findings are globally significant, with potentially serious implications for long-lived mammals. We show that more effective PCB controls could have a substantial impact on the reproductive health of coastal cetacean species and that management actions may need to be escalated to ensure adequate protection of the most vulnerable cetacean populations. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Rosie S. Williams David J. Curnick Andrew Brownlow Jonathan L. Barber James Barnett Nicholas J. Davison Robert Deaville Mariel ten Doeschate Matthew Perkins Paul D. Jepson Susan Jobling |
author_facet |
Rosie S. Williams David J. Curnick Andrew Brownlow Jonathan L. Barber James Barnett Nicholas J. Davison Robert Deaville Mariel ten Doeschate Matthew Perkins Paul D. Jepson Susan Jobling |
author_sort |
Rosie S. Williams |
title |
Polychlorinated biphenyls are associated with reduced testes weights in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) |
title_short |
Polychlorinated biphenyls are associated with reduced testes weights in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) |
title_full |
Polychlorinated biphenyls are associated with reduced testes weights in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) |
title_fullStr |
Polychlorinated biphenyls are associated with reduced testes weights in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Polychlorinated biphenyls are associated with reduced testes weights in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) |
title_sort |
polychlorinated biphenyls are associated with reduced testes weights in harbour porpoises (phocoena phocoena) |
publisher |
Elsevier |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106303 https://doaj.org/article/9a3e21ac311f4348b00ee2f2ea7cf156 |
genre |
Phocoena phocoena |
genre_facet |
Phocoena phocoena |
op_source |
Environment International, Vol 150, Iss , Pp 106303- (2021) |
op_relation |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020322583 https://doaj.org/toc/0160-4120 0160-4120 doi:10.1016/j.envint.2020.106303 https://doaj.org/article/9a3e21ac311f4348b00ee2f2ea7cf156 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106303 |
container_title |
Environment International |
container_volume |
150 |
container_start_page |
106303 |
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1766167858781356032 |