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Ballestero E, Bolaños F, Ruepert C, Jiménez R, Bonilla F, Sasa M. Immunological and physiological responses to predation risk and sublethal concentrations of chlorothalonil and β-endosulfan in Lithobates taylori (Anura: Ranidae) tadpoles. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 275:107071. [PMID: 39236548 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.107071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2024] [Revised: 08/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
Pesticide exposure and its interaction with other natural stressors can play a role in amphibian population declines because disruptions in stress hormone regulatory mechanisms may inhibit immune responses during metamorphosis. Here, we determined the interactive effects of predation risk and sublethal concentration of two pesticides on immunological and physiological responses in tadpoles of the tropical frog Lithobates taylori. Using mesocosms, we used chronic exposure to three levels of chlorothalonil and β-endosulfan in the presence or absence of Odonate larvae. Our results show that β-endosulfan in high concentrations reduced the weight of the tadpoles and increased the neutrophil count and corticosterone (CORT) levels. Larval development was accelerated by high concentrations of chlorothalonil. Also, this pesticide in low and high concentrations increases the absolute values of lymphocytes. Tadpoles exposed to chlorothalonil increased the numbers of monocytes (in low concentrations), and lymphocytes (in high and low concentrations). The interactions of the low concentrations of both pesticides with and without the predator's presence also increased the number of lymphocytes. A combination of pesticides increases the number of lymphocytes in the blood due to synergistic cytotoxicity. This study proves that β- endosulfan elevates circulating CORT and thus generates physiological stress in tadpoles. Given that both pesticides are widely used within the distribution of L. taylori in Costa Rica, it is likely that tadpoles' development and immune function are altered by pesticide use. In combination with stressors such as emerging diseases and altered precipitation regimes, widespread agrochemical uses likely caused this species enigmatic decline in recent decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick Ballestero
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 2060, Costa Rica; Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 2060, Costa Rica.
| | - Federico Bolaños
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Clemens Ruepert
- Instituto Regional de Estudios en Sustancias Tóxicas, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 3000, Costa Rica
| | - Randall Jiménez
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany
| | - Fabian Bonilla
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Mahmood Sasa
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 2060, Costa Rica; Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 2060, Costa Rica
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Kafula YA, Mataba GR, Mwaijengo GN, Moyo F, Munishi LK, Vanschoenwinkel B, Brendonck L, Thoré ESJ. Fish predation affects invertebrate community structure of tropical temporary ponds, with downstream effects on phytoplankton that are obscured by pesticide pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 346:123592. [PMID: 38395132 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Aquatic biota of tropical temporary ponds typically experience a wide range of stressors that can drive the structure and dynamics of natural communities. Particularly in regions with intense agricultural activity, aquatic biota may not only experience predation pressure but also stress from pesticides that inadvertently enter the ponds. We increasingly understand how these different sources of stress affect classic model taxa under controlled laboratory conditions, but how predators and pesticides may jointly affect pond invertebrate communities is still unclear, particularly for tropical systems. Here, we conducted an outdoor mesocosm experiment to study how fish predation combined with exposure to an environmentally relevant concentration of the commonly used insecticide cypermethrin (0.8 ng/L) affects the structure of invertebrate communities, and its potential effects on leaf litter decomposition and invertebrate grazing efficiency as measures of ecosystem functioning. A total of seven invertebrate taxa were recorded in the mesocosm communities. Fish predation effectively lowered the number of invertebrate taxa, with fish mesocosms being dominated by high densities of rotifers, associated with lower phytoplankton levels, but only when communities were not simultaneously exposed to cypermethrin. In contrast, cypermethrin exposure did not affect invertebrate community structure, and neither fish predation nor cypermethrin exposure affected our measures of ecosystem functioning. These findings suggest that predation by killifish can strongly affect invertebrate community structure of tropical temporary ponds, and that downstream effects on phytoplankton biomass can be mediated by exposure to cypermethrin. More broadly, we contend that a deeper understanding of (tropical) temporary pond ecology is necessary to effectively manage these increasingly polluted systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuph A Kafula
- Department of Aquatic Sciences, College of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries, Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere University of Agriculture and Technology, P. O Box 976, Musoma, Tanzania.
| | - Gordian R Mataba
- Department of Sustainable Agriculture, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, School of Life Sciences and Bio-Engineering, Nelson Mandela - African Institution of Science and Technology, P. O Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Grite N Mwaijengo
- Department of Sustainable Agriculture, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, School of Life Sciences and Bio-Engineering, Nelson Mandela - African Institution of Science and Technology, P. O Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Francis Moyo
- Department of Water, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), P. O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Linus K Munishi
- Department of Water, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), P. O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Bram Vanschoenwinkel
- Community Ecology Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Centre for Environmental Management, University of the Free State, P. O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9300 South Africa
| | - Luc Brendonck
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Global Change and Sustainable Development, KU Leuven, Ch. Deberiotstraat 32, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences, and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Eli S J Thoré
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Global Change and Sustainable Development, KU Leuven, Ch. Deberiotstraat 32, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden; TRANSfarm - Science, Engineering, & Technology Group, KU Leuven, Lovenjoel, Belgium
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3
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Sánchez-Domene D, da Silva FR, Provete DB, Navarro-Lozano A, Acayaba RD, Montagner CC, Rossa-Feres DDC, López-Iborra GM, Almeida EA. Combined effects of landscape composition and agrochemicals on frog communities amid sugarcane-dominated agroecosystems. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2781. [PMID: 36398791 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Global demand for crops will continue increasing over the next few decades to cover both food and biofuel needs. This demand will put further pressure to expand arable land and replace natural habitats. However, we are only beginning to understand the combined effects of agrochemicals and land-use change on tropical freshwater biodiversity. In this study, we analyzed how pond-dwelling anuran larvae responded to pond characteristics, landscape composition, and agrochemical contamination in a sugarcane-dominated agroecosystem in Brazil. Then we used an information theoretical approach with generalized linear models to relate species richness and abundance to predictor variables. The variation in tadpole abundance was associated with both agrochemical concentration (e.g., ametryn, diuron, and malathion) and landscape variables (e.g., percentage of forest, percentage of agriculture, and distance to closest forest). The relationship between species abundance and agrochemicals was species-specific. For example, the abundances of Scinax fuscovarius and Physalaemus nattereri were negatively associated with ametryn, and Dendropsophus nanus was negatively associated with tebuthiuron, whereas that of Leptodactylus fuscus was positively associated with malathion. Conversely, species richness was associated with distance to forest fragments and aquatic vegetation heterogeneity, but not agrochemicals. Although we were unable to assign a specific mechanism to the variation in tadpole abundance based on field observations, the lower abundance of three species in ponds with high concentrations of agrochemicals suggest they negatively impact some frog species inhabiting agroecosystems. We recommend conserving ponds near forest fragments, with abundant stratified vegetation, and far from agrochemical runoffs to safeguard more sensitive pond-breeding species.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Sánchez-Domene
- Instituto de Pesquisa em Bioenergia, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Fernando R da Silva
- Laboratório de Ecologia Teórica: Integrando Tempo, Biologia e Espaço (LET.IT.BE), Departamento de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de São Carlos - UFSCAr, Sorocaba, Brazil
| | - Diogo B Provete
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Alba Navarro-Lozano
- Laboratório de Ecologia Teórica, Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, Brazil
| | - Raphael D Acayaba
- Laboratório de Química Ambiental, Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP, Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", Campinas, Brazil
| | - Cassiana C Montagner
- Laboratório de Química Ambiental, Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP, Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", Campinas, Brazil
| | - Denise de C Rossa-Feres
- Laboratório de Ecologia Teórica, Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, Brazil
| | - Germán M López-Iborra
- Departamento de Ecologia/IMEM Ramon Margalef, Universidad de Alicante, Campus de San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
| | - Eduardo A Almeida
- Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Blumenau, Brazil
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Curtis AN, Bidart MG. Increased Temperature Influenced Growth and Development of Lithobates pipiens Tadpoles Exposed to Leachates of the Invasive Plant European Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and a Triclopyr Herbicide. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:2547-2558. [PMID: 34143893 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Multiple factors including habitat loss, pollutants, invasive species, and disease have contributed to the global decline of amphibians, and further declines can be expected as a result of climate change. Warming temperatures may allow for range expansion of invasive plants, and because herbicides are the primary method to control invasive plants, chemical use may increase. A laboratory experiment was performed to examine the individual and combined effects of leachates from the invasive plant European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica, L.) and a triclopyr herbicide (Renovate® 3; 0.21 mg/L), which is commonly used to manage R. cathartica, on northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens, Schreber) tadpoles at 2 temperature regimes (20 and 25 °C). We measured tadpole growth weekly and body and intestine morphology at the conclusion of the experiment after 8 wk. In the presence of R. cathartica leachates, tadpole growth increased at 25 °C, but only during the first 3 to 4 wk of the experiment. From week 5 until the end of the experiment, tadpoles were significantly smaller at 25 °C compared with 20 °C, but had more developed limb buds at the end of the experiment (except in the triclopyr treatment). Triclopyr had minimal effects on tadpole growth at the low dose used in this study. These results encourage further examination of potential effects of global climate changes in combination with other environmental factors that may impact amphibian populations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2547-2558. © 2021 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda N Curtis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, USA
| | - Maria Gabriela Bidart
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, USA
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Leggett S, Borrelli J, Jones DK, Relyea R. The Combined Effects of Road Salt and Biotic Stressors on Amphibian Sex Ratios. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:231-235. [PMID: 33090538 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic systems worldwide are threatened by the anthropogenic use of synthetic chemicals, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and road de-icers. Exposure to contaminants can alter the behavior, morphology, and physiology of organisms if it occurs during sensitive life stages. For instance, past studies have documented feminization of male amphibians following herbicide exposure and skewed sex ratios among amphibian populations exposed to road salt. However, many of these studies lack the complexities found within natural environments, such as competition with conspecifics or threat of predation, which are also known to influence development. Thus, it is important to understand how anthropogenic and natural stressors interact to alter animal sex ratios. Given the growing concern of secondary salinization of freshwater systems, we exposed larval wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) to either road salt (sodium chloride [NaCl]) or an alternative salt mixture (NaCl, magnesium chloride [MgCl2 ], and potassium chloride [KCl]) at 3 concentrations (200, 600, and 1000 mg Cl- /L) crossed with 3 biotic stressors (no-stressor control, competition, or predator cues) to examine their potentially interactive effects on sex. Exposure to biotic stressors and NaCl did not influence wood frog sex ratios. In contrast, tadpole exposure to the intermediate salt mixture concentration significantly reduced the proportion of female frogs. Future studies are needed to determine whether such changes in sex are widespread among sensitive species with complex life cycles, and to assess the consequences of sex ratio changes on long-term population dynamics. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:231-235. © 2020 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagan Leggett
- Department of Biological Sciences, Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, USA
| | - Jonathan Borrelli
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Devin K Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Rick Relyea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, USA
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Gutierrez MF, Molina FR, Frau D, Mayora G, Battauz Y. Interactive effects of fish predation and sublethal insecticide concentrations on freshwater zooplankton communities. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2020; 196:110497. [PMID: 32247956 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.110497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Stresses imposed by insecticides and predators are possibly the most rigorous filters to which aquatic organisms are exposed in rivers and lakes associated with agricultural lands. However, their interactive effects on zooplankton communities are still unclear. This study elucidated the zooplankton community response to fish predation, the insecticide chlorpyrifos (CLP), and a combination of both factors, using a 30-day mesocosm experiment. The zooplankton assemblage was influenced by fish presence prior to CLP toxicity. Fish predation reduced microcrustacean density leading to a community dominated by microzooplankton (i.e.: rotifers and copepod nauplii). CLP decreased the species richness in treatments with and without fish, yielding an increase in the abundance of bdelloid rotifers, in the genera Lepadella and Trichocerca. The zooplankton:phytoplankton (<20 μm) ratio decreased substantially when the two stressors, fish predation and insecticide toxicity, were combined. Although CLP dissipated relatively rapidly in the aqueous phase and accumulated in sediment and fish tissue, zooplankton richness was unable to recover. A possible explanation for this could be the inhibitory effect of CLP on resting stage hatchings in the sediment. Therefore, the combined effects of fish predation and CLP might influence zooplankton richness, leading to an assemblage dominated by rotifers that appeared to be resistant to both factors, with a limited capability to control phytoplankton growth. Thus, the effects of natural and anthropogenic stressors should be considered together when assessing community dynamics in aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Florencia Gutierrez
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (CONICET-UNL), Ciudad Universitaria, 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina; Escuela Superior de Sanidad "Dr. Ramón Carrillo" (FBCB-UNL), Ciudad Universitaria, 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - Florencia Rojas Molina
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (CONICET-UNL), Ciudad Universitaria, 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina; Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias (FHUC-UNL), Ciudad Universitaria, 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Diego Frau
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (CONICET-UNL), Ciudad Universitaria, 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Gisela Mayora
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (CONICET-UNL), Ciudad Universitaria, 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Yamila Battauz
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (CONICET-UNL), Ciudad Universitaria, 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina; Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, 3100, Entre Ríos, Argentina
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Huang X, Feng S, Zhu G, Zheng W, Shao C, Zhou N, Meng Q. Removal of organic herbicides from aqueous solution by ionic liquid modified chitosan/metal-organic framework composite. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 149:882-892. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.01.165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Allgeier S, Friedrich A, Brühl CA. Mosquito control based on Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) interrupts artificial wetland food chains. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 686:1173-1184. [PMID: 31412513 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Revised: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The biocide Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) has become the most commonly used larvicide to control mosquitoes in seasonal wetlands. Although Bti is considered non-toxic to most aquatic organisms, the non-biting chironomids show high susceptibilities towards Bti. As chironomids are a key element in wetland food webs, major declines in their abundance could lead to indirect effects that may be passed through aquatic and terrestrial food chains. We conducted two mesocosm experiments to address this hypothesis by assessing direct and indirect effects of Bti-modified availability of macroinvertebrate and zooplankton food resources on the predatory larvae of palmate and smooth newts (Urodelans: Lissotriton helveticus, Lissotriton vulgaris). We examined newt survival rates and dietary composition by means of stable isotope (δ15N and δ13C) analysis in the presence of Bti treatment and a predator (Odonata: Aeshna cyanea). We assessed palmate newts' body size at and time to metamorphosis while developing in Bti treated mesocosms. Chironomid larvae were the most severely affected aquatic invertebrates in all Bti treated food chains and experienced abundance reductions by 50 to 87%. Moreover, stable isotope analysis revealed that chironomids were preferred over other invertebrates and comprised the major part in newts' diet (56%) regardless of their availability. The dragonfly A. cyanea decreased survival of newt larvae by 27% in Bti treated mesocosms showing affected chironomid abundances. Increasing intraguild predation is most likely favored by the Bti-induced reduction of alternative prey such as chironomid larvae. The decreased food availability after Bti treatment led to slightly smaller L. helveticus metamorphs while their developmental time was not affected. Our findings highlight the crucial role of chironomids in the food webs of freshwater ecosystems. We are also emphasizing the importance of reconsidering human-induced indirect effects of mosquito control on valuable wetland ecosystems particularly in the context of worldwide amphibian and insect declines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Allgeier
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany.
| | - Anna Friedrich
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Carsten A Brühl
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
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Gabor CR, Perkins HR, Heitmann AT, Forsburg ZR, Aspbury AS. Roundup™ With Corticosterone Functions as an Infodisruptor to Antipredator Response in Tadpoles. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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