LINKING GENOTOXIC RESPONSES AND REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN ECOTOXICOLOGY

The potential of genotoxicity biomarkers as predictors of detrimental environmental effects, such as altered reproductive success of wild or ganisms, must be rigorously determined. Recent research to evaluate re lationships between genotoxic responses and indicators of reproductive success in model animals is described from an ecotoxicological perspe ctive. Genotoxicity can be correlated with reproductive effects such a s gamete loss due to cell death; embryonic mortality; and heritable mu tations in a range of model animals including polychaete worms, nemato des, sea urchins, amphibians, and fish. In preliminary studies, the po lychaete worm, Neanthes arenaceodentata, and the nematode, Caenorhabdi tis elegans, have also shown the potential for cumulative DNA damage i n gametes. If DNA repair capacity is limited in gametes, then selected life history traits such as long and synchronous periods of gametogen esis may confer vulnerability to genotoxic substances in chronic expos ures. Recommendations for future research include strategic developmen t of animal models that can be used to elucidate multiple mechanisms o f effect (multiend point) at varying levels of biological organization (multilevel).