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| Fish on the Pill: Impact of a Pharmaceutical Pollutant on the Behaviour of an Australian Fish |
| Shiho Ozeki1, Rhiannon V. Eastment1, Jack L. Manera1, Raiko Rafeeq1, Anne Peters1, Jake M. Martin1,2, Bob B.M. Wong1. 1Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; 2Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgr�nd, Ume�, Sweden |
For many animals, behavioural changes are often the first response to environmental disruption. Pharmaceutical�pollution, in particular, can have a profound impact on the behaviour�of exposed wildlife. Due to the global increase in medication use, the number of pharmaceutical pollutants in the environment has risen sharply. One wide-spread pharmaceutical of particular concern is 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), the main estrogen in the contraceptive pill. Accordingly, this study examined the impact of a 14-day exposure to EE2 (0, 33, 70 ng/L) on the behaviour of the Australian crested weedfish (Cristiceps australis). After exposure, fish were subject to a refuge-use assay to investigate the impact of EE2 on boldness and anxiety. In addition, morphological characteristics were examined. Our study found no effect of EE2 on weedfish behaviour. However, fish from the high EE2 treatment had a significantly greater scaled mass compared to the low treatment, indicating a dose-specific effect on morphology. Our findings will have repercussions for understanding consequences for species persistence in a polluted world. |