Effect of the endocrine disrupter nonylphenol on the marine copepod Tisbe battagliai

The marine copepod Tisbe battagliai was exposed to the endocrine disrupter nonylphenol (31-500 mu g l(-1)) in two life-table experiments. Data on fecu ndity, longevity, and rate of development were used to calculate the popula tion growth rate (r(m)) for exposed and unexposed cohorts of copepods. The highest concentrations tested (125 and 500 mu g l(-1) nonylphenol) were acu tely lethal to the nauplii. When the copepods were exposed to 62 mu g l(-1) nonylphenol, only 6% survived to maturity. The surviving copepods, however , produced enough F1 and F2 offspring to increase the size of the populatio n compared to the P-generation. There were no statistically significant eff ects on any life table parameter for T. battagliai at 31 mu g l(-1) nonylph enol, although r(m) was reduced in one of the experiments mainly due to red uced survival to maturity. There was no statistically significant change in the percentage of female in neither the P (parent) nor the F1 (offspring) generation exposed to 31 mu g l(-1) NP compared to the controls. (C) 1999 E lsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.