Feminization In Common Terns (Sterna hirundo): Relationship To Persistent Organic Contaminants

The possibility of contaminant related endocrine disruption in common terns from Bird Island, Massachusetts was suggested by the presence of ovarian cortical tissue (ovotestes) in male tern embryos. Our objectives were to document the presence of ovotestes in common terns from Bird Island and Nauset...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Hart, Constance A.
Other Authors: MASSACHUSETTS INST OF TECH CAMBRIDGE
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1998
Subjects:
Biology
*BIRDS
ENVIRONMENTS
THESES
ORGANIC MATERIALS
CONTAMINANTS
EMBRYOS
ISLANDS
MASSACHUSETTS
AQUATIC ANIMALS
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
SEX GLANDS
TERNS
STERNA HIRUNDO
ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS
OVOTESTES
SEA BIRDS
ENDOCRINE DISRUPTION
FEMINIZATION
BIRD ISLAND
Bird Island
Sterna hirundo
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA353565
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA353565
Description
Summary:The possibility of contaminant related endocrine disruption in common terns from Bird Island, Massachusetts was suggested by the presence of ovarian cortical tissue (ovotestes) in male tern embryos. Our objectives were to document the presence of ovotestes in common terns from Bird Island and Nauset, a reference site, and to examine the relationship between environmental contaminants and ovotestes development. Total PCBs and bioassay-derived dioxin equivalents were significantly higher in Bird Island tern embryo yolk sacs than those from Nauset, but were highly variable at both sites. The percentage of male tern embryos with ovotestes at Bird Island (78%) and Nauset (60%) was high and not significantly different. Prepared in cooperation with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

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