Exposure to an androgenic agricultural pollutant does not alter metabolic rate, behaviour, or morphology of tadpoles

Martin, Jake M.; Orford, Jack T.; Melo, Gabriela C.; Tan, Hung; Mason, Rachel T.; Ozeki, Shiho; Wong, Bob B. M.; Alton, Lesley A.

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118870

Cited by 7 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…To test for the impacts of caffeine on metabolic rate, the rate of oxygen consumption was measured in 96 fish (freshwater control: n = 32; low‐caffeine: n = 32; high‐caffeine: n = 32) as a proxy for their routine metabolic rate, using 4‐channel closed‐system respirometry (adapted from Alton et al, 2007; Martin et al, 2022). Experiments were conducted in a dimly lit controlled‐temperature room kept at 19°C, consistent with the room temperature focal individuals were housed in.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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No evidence that the widespread environmental contaminant caffeine alters energy balance or stress responses in fish

Tan,

Brand,

Clarke

et al. 2023

Ethology

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Anthropogenic sources of environmental pollution are ever‐increasing as urban areas expand and more chemical compounds are used in daily life. The stimulant caffeine is one of the most consumed chemical compounds worldwide, and as a result, has been detected as an environmental contaminant in all types of major water sources on all continents. Exposure of wildlife to environmental pollutants can disrupt the energy balance of these organisms, as restoration of homeostasis is prioritised. In turn, energy allocated to other key biological processes such as growth or reproduction may be affected, consequently reducing the overall fitness of an individual. Therefore, we aimed to investigate if long‐term exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of caffeine had any energetic consequences on wildlife. Specifically, we exposed wild eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) to one of three nominal concentrations of caffeine (0, 100 and 10,000 ng/L) and assayed individuals for metabolic rate, general activity, antipredator and foraging behaviour and body size as measures of energy expenditure or energy intake. We found no differences in any measured traits between any of the given exposure treatments, indicating that exposure to caffeine at current environmental levels may not adversely affect the energy balance and fitness of vulnerable freshwater fish.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To test for the impacts of caffeine on metabolic rate, the rate of oxygen consumption was measured in 96 fish (freshwater control: n = 32; low-caffeine: n = 32; high-caffeine: n = 32) as a proxy for their routine metabolic rate, using 4-channel closed-system respirometry (adapted from Alton et al, 2007;Martin et al, 2022).…”

Section: Metabolic Ratementioning

confidence: 99%

No evidence that the widespread environmental contaminant caffeine alters energy balance or stress responses in fish

Tan,

Brand,

Clarke

et al. 2023

Ethology

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“…In addition, this design meant that there was a slight variation in exposure length, with treatment tanks being exposed for 28-31 days (for simplicity, exposure duration is referred to as one month). Importantly, however, tadpole age and the variation in exposure length were balanced equally across treatments, and were included in statistical models to control for any potential effects on morphology or behaviour (Orford et al, 2022;Touchon et al, 2013; see statistical analysis below). Each exposure tank was filled with 18 L of aged carbon-filtered water, and contained 1 cm of natural gravel substrate.…”

Section: Experimental Exposurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…freezing behaviour; s) before and after either the addition of conspecific chemical cues or the simulated predator strike to be calculated for each tadpole. A tadpole was considered to not be moving if velocity dropped below 5 mm s -1 (as previously used in Orford et al, 2022).…”

Section: Behavioural Assaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At high concentrations, exposure to 17β-trenbolone has also been shown to affect amphibian survival, gonadal development, and sex ratios (Haselman et al, 2016;Li et al, 2015;Olmstead et al, 2012;Rozenblut-Kościsty et al, 2019). Recent studies of 17β-trenbolone suggest that, at environmentally realistic concentrations, amphibians may be less vulnerable than fish, with exposure having no effect on behaviour or morphology (Martin et al, 2022;Orford et al, 2022). However, the potential for UV radiation to act synergistically with 17β-trenbolone remains to be investigated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impacts of exposure to UV radiation and an agricultural pollutant on morphology and behaviour of tadpoles (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis)

Orford,

Tan,

Martin

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrate class globally, with many species at risk of extinction. Multiple factors have been implicated in the global decline of amphibian populations, and it has been hypothesised that interactions between these stressors may be responsible for such rapid declines. Increased ultraviolet (UV) radiation as a result of ozone depletion has been identified as one such stressor. Exposure to UV radiation has been shown to have detrimental effects on amphibian survival, development, and behaviour. UV radiation has also been shown to exacerbate the effects of other stressors, such as chemical pollutants. Chemical pollution has been recognised as another major factor contributing to amphibian declines, particularly, endocrine-disrupting chemicals. 17β-trenbolone is a potent anabolic steroid used in the agricultural industry to increase muscle mass in cattle, and has been repeatedly detected in the environment where amphibians live and breed. At high concentrations, 17β-trenbolone exposure has been shown to impact amphibian survival and gonadal development. In the present study, we investigated the effects of one-month exposure to environmentally realistic levels of UV radiation and 17β-trenbolone, both in isolation and in combination, on the morphology and behaviour of spotted marsh frog tadpoles (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis). We found that neither stressor in isolation affected the morphology or behaviour of tadpoles, nor did we find any interactive effects. The results from our 17β-trenbolone treatment are consistent with recent research suggesting that, at environmentally realistic concentrations, tadpoles may be less vulnerable to this pollutant compared to other vertebrate classes (e.g. fish). The absence of UV radiation-induced effects found in this study could be due to species-specific variation in susceptibility to UV radiation, as well as the UV dosage utilised in the present study. We suggest future research incorporates long-term studies using multiple stressors at environmentally realistic levels to accurately identify the threats, and subsequent consequences, that amphibians face in natural conditions.

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Impacts of Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation and an Agricultural Pollutant on Morphology and Behavior of Tadpoles (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis)

Orford,

Tan,

Martin

et al. 2024

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrate class globally. Multiple factors have been implicated in their global decline, and it has been hypothesized that interactions between stressors may be a major cause. Increased ultraviolet (UV) radiation, as a result of ozone depletion, has been identified as one such stressor. Exposure to UV radiation has been shown to have detrimental effects on amphibians and can exacerbate the effects of other stressors, such as chemical pollutants. Chemical pollution has likewise been recognized as a major factor contributing to amphibian declines, particularly, endocrine‐disrupting chemicals. In this regard, 17β‐trenbolone is a potent anabolic steroid used in the agricultural industry to increase muscle mass in cattle and has been repeatedly detected in the environment where amphibians live and breed. At high concentrations, 17β‐trenbolone has been shown to impact amphibian survival and gonadal development. In the present study, we investigated the effects of environmentally realistic UV radiation and 17β‐trenbolone exposure, both in isolation and in combination, on the morphology and behavior of tadpoles (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis). We found that neither stressor in isolation affected tadpoles, nor did we find any interactive effects. The results from our 17β‐trenbolone treatment are consistent with recent research suggesting that, at environmentally realistic concentrations, tadpoles may be less vulnerable to this pollutant compared to other vertebrate classes. The absence of UV radiation–induced effects found in the present study could be due to species‐specific variation in susceptibility, as well as the dosage utilized. We suggest that future research should incorporate long‐term studies with multiple stressors to accurately identify the threats to, and subsequent consequences for, amphibians under natural conditions. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;00:1–12. © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

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Exposure to an androgenic agricultural pollutant does not alter metabolic rate, behaviour, or morphology of tadpoles

Cited by 7 publications

References 61 publications

No evidence that the widespread environmental contaminant caffeine alters energy balance or stress responses in fish

No evidence that the widespread environmental contaminant caffeine alters energy balance or stress responses in fish

Impacts of exposure to UV radiation and an agricultural pollutant on morphology and behaviour of tadpoles (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis)

Impacts of Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation and an Agricultural Pollutant on Morphology and Behavior of Tadpoles (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis)

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