Interspecies differences in biochemical, histopathological, and population responses in four wild fish species exposed to ethynylestradiol added to a whole lake

Efforts to understand the effects of environmental estrogens on fish have shifted away from biochemical indica- tors towards population-level impacts. Ethynylestradiol (EE2) was added to a whole lake at environmentally relevant con- centrations for 3 consecutive years to examine links between vitellogenin (VTG) induction, histopathological impacts, and population decline in four species of fish. VTG induction and histopathological effects in tissues were most severe in fat- head minnow (Pimephales promelas) and pearl dace (Margariscus margarita). VTG was induced to a similar extent in lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) but less so in white sucker (Catostomus commersonii). There were no histopathological effects in tissues of the two latter species. Population decline occurred in fathead minnows in the second year of EE2 addi- tions and there were some indications of population decline in pearl dace during the third year. White suckers were not af- fected but lake trout declined in year 3. Habitat selection probably altered EE2 exposure and the different effects in each species likely also reflect differing sensitivities. It appears that VTG induction is not sufficient to predict effects of xenoes- trogens on fish populations. However, stronger predictions can be made when VTG induction is assessed in conjunction with histopathological evidence of liver, kidney, and gonad tissue damage. Resume´ : Les efforts pour comprendre les effets des estrogenes de l'environnement sur les poissons se concentrent main- tenant sur les impacts au niveau des populations plutot que sur les indicateurs biochimiques. Nous avons ajoutede l'ethy- nylestradiol (EE2) aun lac entier ades concentrations pertinentes au niveau de l'environnement durant 3 annees consecutives afin d'examiner les liens entre l'induction de la vitellogenine (VTG), les impacts histopathologiques et le de ´- clin de la population chez quatre especes de poissons. L'induction de la VTG et les effets histopathologiques dans les tis- sus sont les plus importants chez la tete-de-boule (Pimephales promelas) et le mulet perle ´ (Margariscus margarita). L'induction de VTG est de niveau semblable chez le touladi (Salvelinus namaycush), mais moindre chez le meunier noir (Catastomus commersonii). Il n'y a pas d'effets histopathologiques dans les tissus de ces deux dernieres especes. Un declin demographique s'est produit chez la tete-de-boule durant la seconde annee des additions de EE2 et il y avait des signes de declin demographique chez le mulet perledurant la troisieme annee. Les meuniers noirs n'ont pas eteaffectes, mais les touladis ont diminuela troisieme annee. La selection des habitats modifie probablement l'exposition aEE2 et les effets distincts chez chaque espece refletent aussi vraisemblablement des sensibilites differentes. Il semble que l'induction de VTG ne suffise pas pour predire les effets des xenoestrogenes sur les populations de poissons. Il est, cependant, possible de faire de meilleures predictions lorsque l'induction de VTG est evaluee conjointement avec les signes histopathologiques de dommages dans les tissus du foie, des reins et des gonades. (Traduit par la Redaction)

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