Contamination of aquatic ecosystems by pharmaceuticals is a growing threat worldwide. The antidepressant fluoxetine is one such pharmaceutical that is frequently detected in aquatic ecosystems, and has been found to alter the behaviour and physiology of exposed wildlife. Few studies, however, have investigated potential combined effects on behaviour and metabolic rate. In addition, exposures are often short in duration and rarely conducted under ecologically relevant conditions. Here, we examined the impacts of long-term fluoxetine exposure on boldness (exploration, activity, and antipredator behaviour), metabolic rate, and morphology in male guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Specifically, fish were exposed for 8 months (corresponding to approximately two overlapping generations) in semi-natural mesocosms to one of three treatments: an unexposed control (0 ng L−1), or low or high fluoxetine (mean measured concentrations: 30 ng L−1 and 292 ng L−1, respectively). Following exposure, we quantified male exploratory behaviour and activity in a novel environment (maze arena) and antipredator behaviour in the presence or absence of a live predator (spangled perch, Leiopotherapon unicolor), as well as metabolic rate and morphology (mass, standard length, and scaled mass index). Fluoxetine exposure did not significantly alter boldness, metabolic rate, mass, or standard length. However, fluoxetine exposure did alter body condition, whereby fish in the high treatment had a higher scaled mass index than control fish. Our results, considered alongside previous work, underscore the importance of exposure duration in mediating the effects of fluoxetine on fitness-related traits. Continued research under extended exposure periods (i.e., spanning multiple generations) is essential if we are to accurately predict the ecological impacts of fluoxetine on exposed wildlife, and their underlying mechanism(s).

中文翻译：

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长期氟西汀暴露对雄性孔雀鱼 （Poecilia reticulata） 形态的影响，但对行为或代谢率没有影响


药物对水生生态系统的污染是世界范围内日益严重的威胁。抗抑郁药氟西汀就是这样一种药物，经常在水生生态系统中检测到，并已发现可以改变暴露野生动物的行为和生理机能。然而，很少有研究调查对行为和代谢率的潜在综合影响。此外，暴露的持续时间通常很短，很少在生态相关条件下进行。在这里，我们研究了长期暴露氟西汀对雄性孔雀鱼 （Poecilia reticulata） 的胆量（探索、活动和反捕食者行为）、代谢率和形态的影响。具体来说，在半自然中宇宙中，鱼暴露于以下三种处理之一 8 个月（对应于大约两代重叠）：未暴露的对照 （0 ng L-1），或低或高氟西汀（平均测量浓度：分别为 30 ng L-1 和 292 ng L-1）。暴露后，我们量化了雄性在新环境（迷宫竞技场）中的探索行为和活动，以及在存在或不存在活捕食者（亮片鲈鱼、Leiopotherapon unicolor）以及代谢率和形态（质量、标准长度和鳞片质量指数）的情况下的反捕食者行为。氟西汀暴露不会显着改变粗度、代谢率、质量或标准长度。然而，氟西汀暴露确实改变了身体状况，因此高处理的鱼比对照鱼具有更高的标度质量指数。我们的结果与以前的工作一起考虑，强调了暴露持续时间在介导氟西汀对健身相关性状的影响中的重要性。在较长的暴露期（即，跨越多代）如果我们要准确预测氟西汀对暴露野生动物的生态影响及其潜在机制，就至关重要。