Reproductive Deficits in Male Freshwater Turtle Chrysemys picta from Cape Cod, Massachusetts1

Abstract

Contaminated groundwater plumes have formed on the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR), a Superfund site on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, as a result of chemical waste disposal. The plumes are of concern to the local people who rely on groundwater as a drinking water source. We used the freshwater turtle as a sentinel species to monitor the reproductive effects of exposure and, by inference, the potential for impact on human health. Our observations of male Chrysemys picta field-trapped from Moody Pond (an impacted site) and Washburn Pond (a reference site) on Cape Cod extended and supported prior observations of reproductive deficits. Morphometric comparison of precloacal length (PCL), which is a sexually dimorphic trait in the turtle, showed that Moody Pond males had a significantly longer PCL than Washburn Pond males. Moody Pond turtles showed reduced testicular weight, which was associated with significantly smaller seminiferous tubule diameter. Epididymal sperm counts were also markedly reduced in Moody Pond animals compared to Washburn Pond animals. Testicular histology and gonial proliferation, as determined by PCNA, were similar in both male populations, while the Moody Pond males had significantly higher germ cell apoptosis than the animals in Washburn Pond. These results suggest that a low-level mixture of xenobiotic contaminants impairs the reproductive functions of turtles exposed to the impacted site but not to the reference site environment.

Estrogen-Induced Developmental Disorders of the Rat Penis Involve Both Estrogen Receptor (ESR)- and Androgen Receptor (AR)-Mediated Pathways1

“…Alligators from Lake Apopka, FL, which is contaminated with industrial estrogenic chemicals, have smaller phalluses [10,11]. Turtles from Moody Pond, MA, exposed to xenobiotic contaminants have impaired reproductive functions [12]. Thus, perinatal exposure to estrogens has permanent, even transgenerational, deleterious effects on the development of reproductive organs in both humans and wildlife; however, mechanisms underlying these reproductive disorders are not well understood.…”

Histomorphological changes in testes of broad‐snouted caimans (Caiman latirostris) associated with in ovo exposure to endocrine‐disrupting chemicals

“…END also causes a reduction in hatchling fractional weight (Beldomenico et al, ), thus, impaired growth could be expected. Besides, in turtles and alligators, exposure to EDCs modifies body morphometric variables (de Solla et al, ; Kitana et al, ; Moore et al, ). Unlike that reported in turtles and alligators (de Solla et al, ; Kitana et al, ; Moore et al, ), we found no differences in caiman biometric parameters after experimental exposure to EDCs.…”

“…Besides, in turtles and alligators, exposure to EDCs modifies body morphometric variables (de Solla et al, ; Kitana et al, ; Moore et al, ). Unlike that reported in turtles and alligators (de Solla et al, ; Kitana et al, ; Moore et al, ), we found no differences in caiman biometric parameters after experimental exposure to EDCs. In turtles, exposure to several contaminants has been found to affect precloacal length in adult males of Chrysemys picta (Kitana et al, ) and Chelydra serpentina (de Solla et al, ).…”

“…These changes included a decrease in 90‐day‐old caimans exposed to END and an increase in Juv caimans exposed to BPA. In turtles, Kitana et al () found no differences in germ cell proliferation in adult males of C. picta when comparing turtles collected from a reference site with those from a contaminated site. In C. latirostris , we have previously reported increased proliferative activity in testes of neonatal caimans after in ovo exposure to END (2 and 20 ppm) (Rey et al, ).…”

Embryos as targets of endocrine disrupting contaminants in wildlife

“…Populations of female painted turtles ( Chrysemys picta ) living near the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR), a Superfund site contaminated with heavy metals in Cape Cod, MA, showed reduced plasma concentrations of 17β‐estradiol and vitellogenin as compared to females from a reference site (Rie et al, 2005). Although plasma testosterone in Male turtles was similar to that of reference males, they had reduced testicular weights and sperm counts, smaller seminiferous tubule diameters, and increased germ cell apoptosis (Kitana et al, 2007). Later studies showed that cadmium concentrations in eggs from C. picta were significantly higher than from reference animals (Kitana and Callard, 2008).…”