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Effects of pond water, sediment, and sediment extracts from minnesota and vermont, USA, on early development and metamorphosis of xenopus
Author(s) -
Fort Douglas J.,
Propst Timothy L.,
Stover Enos L.,
Helgen Judy C.,
Levey Rick B.,
Gallagher Kathryn,
Burkhart James G.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620181027
Subject(s) - xenopus , bioassay , biology , amphibian , metamorphosis , resorption , zoology , toxicology , ecology , larva , endocrinology , genetics , gene
In recent studies, a high incidence of amphibian mortality and malformation has been reported in the field, suggesting that toxic and/or bioactive agents are present in the environment of the affected amphibians. This study provides evidence for this hypothesis, because it applies to several affected ponds in Minnesota and Vermont, USA. Three developmental bioassays were carried out on samples from three reference and three test sites in Minnesota and one reference and three test sites, in Vermont. The bioassays utilized Xenopus as a model system, measuring altered developmental patterns during the first 4 d of development (frog embryo teratogenesis assay‐ Xenopus [FETAX]), hind—limb development over a 30‐d period, and tail length resorption over a 14‐d period. Strong correlations were observed among the results for all three in vitro bioassays, as well as between adverse developmental effects in vitro and in the field.