Examining the role of estrogenic activity and ocean temperature on declines of a coastal demersal flatfish population near the municipal wastewater outfall of Orange County, California, USA.
Wastewater treatment plant effluent introduces a mixture of pollutants into marine environments; however, the impacts of chronic sublethal exposures on populations are often unclear. Presence of estrogenic agents in sediments and uptake of these compounds by demersal flatfishes has been reported at the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) wastewater outfall. Furthermore, estrogenic activity has been identified in male flatfish in the area, potentially contributing to observed population declines in the OCSD region. Rising ocean temperatures may further contribute to flatfish declines as relationships between temperature and abundance have been reported in the Southern California Bight. To investigate declines, sex ratios, condition factor, organ health indices, hormones, and vitellogenin were quantified in flatfish collected at OCSD outfall and reference sites. Additionally, historical temperature data was examined for trends with population abundances. Rather than being linked to estrogenic activity, results indicated that population declines were more correlated to increases in ocean temperature.
['Andrzejczyk|Nicolette|N|', 'Sakamoto|Ken|K|', 'Armstrong|Jeff|J|', 'Schlenk|Daniel|D|']
D000818:Animals D002140:California D004967:Estrogens D004970:Estrone D005260:Female D005412:Flatfishes D008297:Male D009792:Oceans and Seas D012623:Seawater D012744:Sex Ratio D013696:Temperature D014819:Vitellogenins D062065:Waste Water D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Demersal flatfish Wastewater Climate change Ecotoxicology Endocrine disruptors Multiple stressors