TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of 17α-ethinylestradiol on the plankton in freshwater microcosms-I
T2 - Response of zooplankton and abiotic variables
AU - Schramm, Karl Werner
AU - Jaser, Wolfgang
AU - Welzl, Gerhard
AU - Pfister, Gerd
AU - Wöhler-Moorhoff, Gabriele F.
AU - Hense, Burkhard A.
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding for this research was provided by the GSF—National Research Center for Environment and Health, Neuherberg within the Querschnittsthema (Cross-Section Topic) Ecotoxicology.
PY - 2008/3
Y1 - 2008/3
N2 - We investigated effects of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE) in vertebrate free 230 L still water microcosms. Zooplankton composition and physico-chemical variables were observed during 4 weeks of pre-application, 6 weeks of dosing via controlled release, and a 12 weeks post-treatment period. In the treated microcosms, time-weighted averages of EE concentration ranged between 7 and 220 ng/L during the dosing period, with concentration maxima up to 724 ng/L. EE exposure resulted in a decrease of species numbers and diversity (Shannon-Wiener, Simpson). Abundances of cladocerans, copepods, and, less unambiguously, rotifers declined. Strongest affected groups were the offspring of cladocerans and copepods and, on species level, the cladoceran species Daphnia longispina and Chydorus sphaericus as well as the rotifer species Keratella quadrata and Polyarthra sp. EE apparently affected the phosphate cycle as indicated by increased phosphate concentrations in the water. During post-treatment period, the treated microcosms recovered, but especially the highest treated microcosms did not fully re-approximate to the controls. Whereas EE affected cladocerans and copepods directly, shifts of rotifers may (partly) be caused indirectly, e.g. by competition with crustaceae. Although not providing an absolute proof, the traits of direct and indirect effects on different taxonomic groups and larval stages as well as the time course of the effects indicate that effects primarily resulted from endocrine activity of EE.
AB - We investigated effects of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE) in vertebrate free 230 L still water microcosms. Zooplankton composition and physico-chemical variables were observed during 4 weeks of pre-application, 6 weeks of dosing via controlled release, and a 12 weeks post-treatment period. In the treated microcosms, time-weighted averages of EE concentration ranged between 7 and 220 ng/L during the dosing period, with concentration maxima up to 724 ng/L. EE exposure resulted in a decrease of species numbers and diversity (Shannon-Wiener, Simpson). Abundances of cladocerans, copepods, and, less unambiguously, rotifers declined. Strongest affected groups were the offspring of cladocerans and copepods and, on species level, the cladoceran species Daphnia longispina and Chydorus sphaericus as well as the rotifer species Keratella quadrata and Polyarthra sp. EE apparently affected the phosphate cycle as indicated by increased phosphate concentrations in the water. During post-treatment period, the treated microcosms recovered, but especially the highest treated microcosms did not fully re-approximate to the controls. Whereas EE affected cladocerans and copepods directly, shifts of rotifers may (partly) be caused indirectly, e.g. by competition with crustaceae. Although not providing an absolute proof, the traits of direct and indirect effects on different taxonomic groups and larval stages as well as the time course of the effects indicate that effects primarily resulted from endocrine activity of EE.
KW - 17α-Ethinylestradiol
KW - Aquatic microcosms
KW - Endocrine disruption
KW - Phosphate
KW - Zooplankton
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=39749171923&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2007.01.015
DO - 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2007.01.015
M3 - Article
C2 - 17374547
AN - SCOPUS:39749171923
SN - 0147-6513
VL - 69
SP - 437
EP - 452
JO - Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
JF - Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
IS - 3
ER -