Predicting global killer whale population collapse from PCB pollution

Jean-Pierre Desforges; Ailsa Hall; Bernie McConnell; Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid; Jonathan L Barber; Andrew Brownlow; Sylvain De Guise; Igor Eulaers; Paul D Jepson; Robert J Letcher; Milton Levin; Peter S Ross; Filipa Samarra; Gísli Víkingson; Christian Sonne; Rune Dietz

doi:10.1126/science.aat1953

Predicting global killer whale population collapse from PCB pollution

Jean-Pierre Desforges, Ailsa Hall, Bernie McConnell, Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid, Jonathan L Barber, Andrew Brownlow, Sylvain De Guise, Igor Eulaers, Paul D Jepson, Robert J Letcher, Milton Levin, Peter S Ross, Filipa Samarra, Gísli Víkingson, Christian Sonne, Rune Dietz

Research output: Contribution to journal › Report/ Case Report › peer-review

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Abstract

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are among the most highly polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated mammals in the world, raising concern about the health consequences of current PCB exposures. Using an individual-based model framework and globally available data on PCB concentrations in killer whale tissues, we show that PCB-mediated effects on reproduction and immune function threaten the long-term viability of >50% of the world's killer whale populations. PCB-mediated effects over the coming 100 years predicted that killer whale populations near industrialized regions, and those feeding at high trophic levels regardless of location, are at high risk of population collapse. Despite a near-global ban of PCBs more than 30 years ago, the world's killer whales illustrate the troubling persistence of this chemical class.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1373-1376
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	361
Issue number	6409
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aat1953
Publication status	Print publication - 28 Sept 2018

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Animals
Endangered Species
Extinction, Biological
Immunity/drug effects
Polychlorinated Biphenyls/toxicity
Population
Reproduction/drug effects
Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity
Whale, Killer/immunology

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predicting global killer whaleAccepted author manuscript, 445 KBLicence: CC BY-NC

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Desforges, J.-P., Hall, A., McConnell, B., Rosing-Asvid, A., Barber, J. L., Brownlow, A., De Guise, S., Eulaers, I., Jepson, P. D., Letcher, R. J., Levin, M., Ross, P. S., Samarra, F., Víkingson, G., Sonne, C., & Dietz, R. (2018). Predicting global killer whale population collapse from PCB pollution. Science, 361(6409), 1373-1376. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aat1953

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abstract = "Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are among the most highly polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated mammals in the world, raising concern about the health consequences of current PCB exposures. Using an individual-based model framework and globally available data on PCB concentrations in killer whale tissues, we show that PCB-mediated effects on reproduction and immune function threaten the long-term viability of >50% of the world's killer whale populations. PCB-mediated effects over the coming 100 years predicted that killer whale populations near industrialized regions, and those feeding at high trophic levels regardless of location, are at high risk of population collapse. Despite a near-global ban of PCBs more than 30 years ago, the world's killer whales illustrate the troubling persistence of this chemical class.",

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doi = "10.1126/science.aat1953",

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AU - Desforges, Jean-Pierre

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AU - Barber, Jonathan L

AU - Brownlow, Andrew

AU - De Guise, Sylvain

AU - Eulaers, Igor

AU - Jepson, Paul D

AU - Letcher, Robert J

AU - Levin, Milton

AU - Ross, Peter S

AU - Samarra, Filipa

AU - Víkingson, Gísli

AU - Sonne, Christian

AU - Dietz, Rune

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N2 - Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are among the most highly polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated mammals in the world, raising concern about the health consequences of current PCB exposures. Using an individual-based model framework and globally available data on PCB concentrations in killer whale tissues, we show that PCB-mediated effects on reproduction and immune function threaten the long-term viability of >50% of the world's killer whale populations. PCB-mediated effects over the coming 100 years predicted that killer whale populations near industrialized regions, and those feeding at high trophic levels regardless of location, are at high risk of population collapse. Despite a near-global ban of PCBs more than 30 years ago, the world's killer whales illustrate the troubling persistence of this chemical class.

AB - Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are among the most highly polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated mammals in the world, raising concern about the health consequences of current PCB exposures. Using an individual-based model framework and globally available data on PCB concentrations in killer whale tissues, we show that PCB-mediated effects on reproduction and immune function threaten the long-term viability of >50% of the world's killer whale populations. PCB-mediated effects over the coming 100 years predicted that killer whale populations near industrialized regions, and those feeding at high trophic levels regardless of location, are at high risk of population collapse. Despite a near-global ban of PCBs more than 30 years ago, the world's killer whales illustrate the troubling persistence of this chemical class.

KW - Animals

KW - Endangered Species

KW - Extinction, Biological

KW - Immunity/drug effects

KW - Polychlorinated Biphenyls/toxicity

KW - Population

KW - Reproduction/drug effects

KW - Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity

KW - Whale, Killer/immunology

U2 - 10.1126/science.aat1953

DO - 10.1126/science.aat1953

M3 - Report/ Case Report

C2 - 30262502

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 361

SP - 1373

EP - 1376

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6409

ER -

Predicting global killer whale population collapse from PCB pollution

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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