[OANNES Foro] Predicting global killer whale population collapse from PCB pollution

[Mario Cabrejos]

Science  28 Sep 2018:
Vol. 361, Issue 6409, pp. 1373-1376
DOI: 10.1126/science.aat1953


 


Predicting global killer whale population collapse from PCB pollution


1.    Jean-Pierre Desforges
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-1> 1,
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#corresp-1> *, Ailsa Hall
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-2> 2,
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#corresp-1> *, Bernie McConnell
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-2> 2, Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-3> 3, Jonathan L. Barber
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-4> 4, Andrew Brownlow
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-5> 5, Sylvain De Guise
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-6> 6,
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-7> 7, Igor Eulaers
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-1> 1, Paul D. Jepson
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-8> 8, Robert J. Letcher
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-9> 9, Milton Levin
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-6> 6, Peter S. Ross
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-10> 10, Filipa Samarra
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-11> 11, Gísli Víkingson
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-11> 11, Christian Sonne
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-1> 1, Rune Dietz
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#aff-1> 1,
<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373?utm_campaign=toc_sci-ma
g_2018-09-27&et_rid=34815706&et_cid=2395711#corresp-1> *

 


PCB—still a problem


Until they were recognized as highly toxic and carcinogenic, polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) were once used widely. Their production was banned in the
United States in 1978, though they are still produced globally and persist
in the environment. Persistent organic compounds, like PCBs, magnify across
trophic levels, and thus apex predators are particularly susceptible to
their ill effects. Desforges et al. looked at the continuing impact of PCBs
on one of the largest marine predators, the killer whale. Using globally
available data, the authors found high concentrations of PCBs within killer
whale tissues. These are likely to precipitate declines across killer whale
populations, particularly those that feed at high trophic levels and are the
closest to industrialized areas.

Science, this issue p.
<http://science.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aat1953> 1373

 


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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