Abstract
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a widely studied group of chemicals that interfere with the endocrinology of organisms. So far, few studies have demonstrated the effect of EDCs on the reproductive behavior of aquatic wildlife. Here we show that sand goby males' (Pomatoschistus minutus) success in mating competition greatly decreases after an exposure for 7 to 24 days to 17a-ethinyl estradiol (EE2, measured concentration 4 ng L- 1). The sand goby exhibits a polygynous mating system with male parental care, in which males compete for nest sites and females. The aim of this study was to test how EE2 exposure affects the ability of males to compete for breeding resources, i.e. nest sites and mates.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 315-321 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Hormones and Behavior |
Volume | 56 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Sept 2009 |
Keywords
- sand goby
- synthetic estrogens
- reproductive behavior
- endocrine disrupting chemical
- EE2