17α- etinyyliestradiolin vaikutukset hietatokon (Pomatoschistus minutus) lisääntymisjärjestelmään.

In aquatic environments, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that interfere with the endocrinology of males and females form a threat to the maintenance of populations. EDCs are a diverse group of natural and manmade chemicals that already at very low concentrations (at nanogram levels) can have severe effects on reproduction by individuals, e.g. complete sex reversal, feminisation of males, impaired reproduction even resulting in near extinction of populations. With regard to fish, despite the extensive literature on physiological effects of EDCs, very little is known about potential population-level effects. In this thesis, I examined how 17α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2), a synthetic estrogen used in oral contraceptive pills, affects the reproductive behaviour of a marine fish, the sand goby (Pomatoschistus minutus). The aims were fourfold. First, I investigated how exposure to EE2 affects courtship and parental care of sand goby males. Secondly, I looked at effects on the mating system and sexual selection. In the third study, I observed the effects of exposure in a social context where exposed males had to compete with non-exposed males for resources and mates. Finally, I studied the effects of exposure on male-male competition and male aggressive behaviour. This work revealed that EE2 exposure impairs the ability of males to acquire and defend a nest, as well as diminishes the attractiveness of males to females by decreasing their courtship and aggressive behaviour. These effects are harmful for a male whose reproductive success is determined by the ability to compete for limited resources and to attract mates. Furthermore, this thesis showed that selection on male size was relaxed after EE2 exposure and male size had a smaller effect on mating success. These effects can be of a profound nature as they interfere with sexual selection, and may in the long run lead to the loss of traits maintained through sexual selection. The thesis shows that an exposure to environmentally relevant levels of EE2 clearly reduces the chances of individuals to reproduce successfully. Furthermore, it strongly suggests that several types of biomarkers should be used to detect and assess the effects of EDC exposure because severe behavioural effects can sometimes be seen before effects are detectable at the molecular or morphometric level. Behavioural assays should be considered an important complementary tool for the standard ecotoxicological assays because observed behavioural changes have direct and negative effects on fitness, while the connection between changes in molecular expression and fitness may be less obvious.Hormonitoimintoja häiritsevät kemikaalit (endocrine disrupting chemicals, EDC) ovat huolestuttavasti lisääntyneet vesiympäristössä. Ne ovat laaja ryhmä luontaisia tai ihmisen valmistamia yhdisteitä, jotka vaikuttavat eliöihin jo hyvin pieninä pitoisuuksina (ng/L). EDC-yhdisteiden on todettu häiritsevän alkionkehitystä, feminisoivan koiraita, muuttavan yksilöiden lisääntymiskäyttäytymistä ja pahimmillaan aiheuttavan täydellistä katoa eläinpopulaatioissa. Yhdisteiden fysiologisia vaikutuksia on tutkittu laajalti niin akvaattisilla kuin terrestisilläkin lajeilla, mutta populaatiotason vaikutuksia tunnetaan vielä heikosti. Väitöskirjatyöni tavoitteena oli selvittää miten 17α-etinyyliestradioli (EE2), e-pillereissä käytettävä synteettinen estrogeeni, vaikuttaa hietatokon (Pomatoschistus minutus) lisääntymiskäyttäytymiseen. Tutkimus koostuu neljästä osatyöstä, joista ensimmäisessä tutkin miten EE2 vaikuttaa hietatokkokoiraiden kosinta- ja poikastenhoitokäyttäytymiseen. Toisessa työssä selvitin yhdisteen vaikutuksia lisääntymisjärjestelmään ja seksuaalivalintaan. Kolmannessa työssä tutkin altistuksen vaikutuksia sosiaalisessa kontekstissa: altistetut koiraat kilpailivat ei-altistettujen koiraiden kanssa pesäpaikoista ja parittelukumppaneista. Neljännessä työssä selvitin, miten EE2-altistus vaikuttaa koiraiden aggressiivisuuteen ja niiden keskinäiseen kilpailuun. Väitöskirjatyöni osoitti, että EE2-altistus heikentää hietatokkokoiraiden kykyä kilpailla ja puolustaa pesäpaikkojaan sekä heikentää niiden houkuttelevuutta naaraiden keskuudessa. Altistetut koiraat kosivat naaraita vähemmän ja käyttäytyivät vähemmän aggressiivisesti. Tutkimuksessa havaitut käyttäytymismuutokset ovat erityisen vahingollisia koiraille, koska niiden lisääntymismenestys riippuu kyvystä kilpailla rajallisista pesäpaikoista sekä houkutella naaraita pesäänsä. Työssäni kävi myös ilmi, että EE2-altistus vähensi koiraan kokoon kohdistuvaa valintaa ja täten koiraan lisääntymismenestys ei ollutkaan enää niinkään sen koosta riippuvainen. Havaitut vaikutukset ovat erityisen merkityksellisiä, koska ne liittyvät suoraan seksuaalivalintaan ja sen määräämän parinvalinnan suuntaan. Seksuaalivalinnassa tapahtuvista muutoksista voi seurata sen ylläpitämien ominaisuuksien ja käyttäytymismuotojen heikentyminen ja lopulta katoaminen. Väitöskirjatyöni osoitti, että altistuminen vesiympäristöstä mitatuille EE2-pitoisuuksille heikentää merkittävästi yksilön mahdollisuuksia menestyksekkääseen lisääntymiseen. Tulokset havainnollistivat myös, että selvitettäessä EDC-yhdisteiden vaikutuksia tulisi tutkimuksissa käyttää useita altistumisen biologisia vasteindikaattoreita (biomarkkereita), koska vakavia lisääntymiskäyttäytymisen muutoksia voi ilmetä jopa ennen kuin altistumisen vaikutukset ovat mitattavissa molekyylitasolla ja/tai morfologisina muutoksina. Tässä työssä havaituilla käyttäytymismuutoksilla on suoria negatiivisia vaikutuksia yksilön lisääntymismenestykseen, kun taas molekyylitason biomarkkereilla suora populaatiotason yhteys on usein vaikea osoittaa. Käyttäytymistestit ovat siten tärkeä täydentävä työkalu yleisesti käytössä oleviin ekotoksikologisiin testeihin

Antidepressant exposure causes a nonmonotonic reduction in anxiety-related behaviour in female mosquitofish

Worldwide, biologically active pharmaceuticals, such as psychoactive drugs, are routinely detected in aquatic ecosystems. In this regard, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of antidepressant, are of major environmental concern. Through targeted action on evolutionarily conserved physiological pathways, SSRIs could alter ecologically important behaviours in exposed organisms. Here, using two field-realistic dosages (measured concentrations: 18 and 215 ng/L) of the SSRI fluoxetine (Prozac), we examined the effects of exposure on anxiety-related behaviours in wild-caught female mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki. Anxiety-related behaviour was assessed using a light/dark transition test, with the swimming activity of fish recorded under two alternating light conditions, complete darkness and bright light, with the shift in light condition used to induce an anxiety-like response. Fluoxetine exposure resulted in a nonmonotonic decrease in anxiety-related behaviour (i.e. nonlinear with dose), with fish in the low-fluoxetine treatment being less responsive to shifts in light condition compared to unexposed fish. There was no such difference between unexposed and high-exposed fish. Further, we detected a significant interaction between exposure treatment and fish weight on general swimming activity, suggesting the presence of a mass-specific effect of fluoxetine. More broadly, contaminant-induced disruption of animal behaviour—as documented here—could have wide-reaching effects on population-level fitness

The endocrine disruptor 17β-trenbolone alters the relationship between pre- and post-copulatory sexual traits in male mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki)

It is now well-established that reproduction in wildlife can be disrupted by anthropogenic environmental changes, such as chemical pollution. However, very little is known about how these pollutants might affect the interplay between pre- and post-copulatory mechanisms of sexual selection. Here, we investigated the impacts of 21-day exposure of male eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) to a field-realistic level (average measured concentration: 11 ng/L) of the endocrine-disrupting chemical 17β-trenbolone (17β-TB) on pre- and post-copulatory reproductive traits. We examined male reproductive behaviour by testing the time spent near a female behind a partition, as well as the number of copulation attempts made, and the time spent chasing a female in a free-swimming context. Sperm traits were also assayed for all males. We found that exposure of male fish to 17β-TB altered the relationship between key pre- and post-copulatory reproductive traits. Furthermore, 17β-TB-exposed males had, on average, a higher percentage of motile sperm, and performed fewer copulation attempts than unexposed males. However, there was no overall effect of 17β-TB exposure on either the time males spent associating with or chasing females. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the potential for chemical pollutants to affect both pre- and post-copulatory sexual traits, and the interplay between these mechanisms of sexual selection in contaminated wildlife

The endocrine disruptor 17 beta-trenbolone alters the relationship between pre- and post-copulatory sexual traits in male mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki)

It is now well-established that reproduction in wildlife can be disrupted by anthropogenic environmental changes, such as chemical pollution. However, very little is known about how these pollutants might affect the interplay between pre-and post-copulatory mechanisms of sexual selection. Here, we investigated the impacts of 21-day exposure of male eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) to a field-realistic level (average measured concentration: 11 ng/L) of the endocrine-disrupting chemical 17S-trenbolone (17S-TB) on pre-and post-copulatory reproductive traits. We examined male reproductive behaviour by testing the time spent near a female behind a partition, as well as the number of copulation attempts made, and the time spent chasing a female in a free-swimming context. Sperm traits were also assayed for all males. We found that exposure of male fish to 17S-TB altered the relationship between key pre-and post-copulatory reproductive traits. Furthermore, 17S-TB-exposed males had, on average, a higher percentage of motile sperm, and performed fewer copulation attempts than unexposed males. However, there was no overall effect of 17S-TB exposure on either the time males spent associating with or chasing females. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the potential for chemical pollutants to affect both pre-and post-copulatory sexual traits, and the interplay between these mechanisms of sexual selection in contaminated wildlife. (c) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Emerging investigator series: : Use of behavioural endpoints in regulation of chemicals

Interest in behavioural ecotoxicology is growing, partly due to technological and computational advances in recording behaviours but also because of improvements of detection capacity facilitating reporting effects at environmentally relevant concentrations. The peer-reviewed literature now contains studies investigating the effects of chemicals, including pesticides and pharmaceuticals, on migration, dispersal, aggression, sociabilitygrouping, reproduction, feeding and anti-predator behaviours in vertebrates and invertebrates. To understand how behavioural studies could be used in regulatory decision-making we: 1) assessed the legal obstacles to using behavioural endpoints in EU chemicals regulation; 2) analysed the known cases of use of behavioural endpoints in EU chemicals regulation; and 3) provided examples of behavioural endpoints of relevance for population level effects. We conclude that the only legal obstacle to the use of behavioural endpoints in EU chemicals regulation is whether an endpoint is considered to be relevant at the population level or not. We also conclude that ecotoxicity studies investigating behavioural endpoints are occasionally used in the EU chemicals regulation, and underscore that behavioural endpoints can be relevant at the population level. To improve the current use of behavioural studies in regulatory decision-making contribution from all relevant stakeholders is required. We have the following recommendations: 1) researchers should conduct robust, well-designed and transparent studies that emphasize the relevance of the study for regulation of chemicals; 2) editors and scientific journals should promote detailed, reliable and clearly reported studies; 3) regulatory agencies and the chemical industry need to embrace new behavioural endpoints of relevance at the population level

Frontiers in quantifying wildlife behavioural responses to chemical pollution

Animal behaviour is remarkably sensitive to disruption by chemical pollution, with widespread implications for ecological and evolutionary processes in contaminated wildlife populations. However, conventional approaches applied to study the impacts of chemical pollutants on wildlife behaviour seldom address the complexity of natural environments in which contamination occurs. The aim of this review is to guide the rapidly developing field of behavioural ecotoxicology towards increased environmental realism, ecological complexity, and mechanistic understanding. We identify research areas in ecology that to date have been largely overlooked within behavioural ecotoxicology but which promise to yield valuable insights, including within- and among-individual variation, social networks and collective behaviour, and multi-stressor interactions. Further, we feature methodological and technological innovations that enable the collection of data on pollutant-induced behavioural changes at an unprecedented resolution and scale in the laboratory and the field. In an era of rapid environmental change, there is an urgent need to advance our understanding of the real-world impacts of chemical pollution on wildlife behaviour. This review therefore provides a roadmap of the major outstanding questions in behavioural ecotoxicology and highlights the need for increased cross-talk with other disciplines in order to find the answers

Direct and indirect effects of chemical contaminants on the behaviour, ecology and evolution of wildlife

Chemical contaminants (e.g. metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals) are changing ecosystems via effects on wildlife. Indeed, recent work explicitly performed under environmentally realistic conditions reveals that chemical contaminants can have both direct and indirect effects at multiple levels of organization by influencing animal behaviour. Altered behaviour reflects multiple physiological changes and links individual- to population-level processes, thereby representing a sensitive tool for holistically assessing impacts of environmentally relevant contaminant concentrations. Here, we show that even if direct effects of contaminants on behavioural responses are reasonably well documented, there are significant knowledge gaps in understanding both the plasticity (i.e. individual variation) and evolution of contaminant-induced behavioural changes. We explore implications of multi-level processes by developing a conceptual framework that integrates direct and indirect effects on behaviour under environmentally realistic contexts. Our framework illustrates how sublethal behavioural effects of contaminants can be both negative and positive, varying dynamically within the same individuals and populations. This is because linkages within communities will act indirectly to alter and even magnify contaminant-induced effects. Given the increasing pressure on wildlife and ecosystems from chemical pollution, we argue there is a need to incorporate existing knowledge in ecology and evolution to improve ecological hazard and risk assessments

Lasten ja perheiden palvelujen tuottaminen yhteistyössä järjestöjen ja seurakuntien kanssa : toimivat rakenteet ja sopimuskäytännöt

Tämä työpaperi on osa Lapsi- ja perhepalveluiden muutosohjelman (LAPE) toimeenpanon tukea. Lapsi- ja perhepalveluiden muutosohjelmassa tavoitteena on palveluiden painopisteen siirtäminen kaikille yhteisiin ja ennaltaehkäiseviin palveluihin sekä varhaiseen tukeen ja hoitoon. Uudistuksen lähtökohtana ovat lapsen oikeudet, perheiden monimuotoisuus, lapsi- ja perhelähtöisyys sekä voimavarojen vahvistaminen. Työ-paperissa kuvataan järjestötyön merkittävää ja monipuolista osuutta lasten, nuorten ja lapsiperheiden hyvinvoinnin ja terveyden edistämisessä. Lisäksi tarkastellaan kuntien, kuntayhtymien, järjestöjen ja seura-kuntien keskinäisiä toiminta- ja sopimuskäytäntöjä. Tarkastelu on rajattu lapsille, nuorille ja lapsiperheille palveluita, tukea ja toimintaa tuottaviin sosiaali- ja terveysjärjestöihin sekä evankelisluterilaisiin seurakuntiin

Towards Sustainable Environmental Quality : Priority Research Questions for the Australasian Region of Oceania

Environmental challenges persist across the world, including the Australasian region of Oceania, where biodiversity hotspots and unique ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef are common. These systems are routinely affected by multiple stressors from anthropogenic activities, and increasingly influenced by global megatrends (e.g., the food-energy-water nexus, demographic transitions to cities) and climate change. Here we report priority research questions from the Global Horizon Scanning Project, which aimed to identify, prioritize, and advance environmental quality research needs from an Australasian perspective, within a global context. We employed a transparent and inclusive process of soliciting key questions from Australasian members of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Following submission of 78 questions, 20 priority research questions were identified during an expert workshop in Nelson, New Zealand. These research questions covered a range of issues of global relevance, including research needed to more closely integrate ecotoxicology and ecology for the protection of ecosystems, increase flexibility for prioritizing chemical substances currently in commerce, understand the impacts of complex mixtures and multiple stressors, and define environmental quality and ecosystem integrity of temporary waters. Some questions have specific relevance to Australasia, particularly the uncertainties associated with using toxicity data from exotic species to protect unique indigenous species. Several related priority questions deal with the theme of how widely international ecotoxicological data and databases can be applied to regional ecosystems. Other timely questions, which focus on improving predictive chemistry and toxicology tools and techniques, will be important to answer several of the priority questions identified here. Another important question raised was how to protect local cultural and social values and maintain indigenous engagement during problem formulation and identification of ecosystem protection goals. Addressing these questions will be challenging, but doing so promises to advance environmental sustainability in Oceania and globally