| Abstract: | This comprehensive review examines the extensive literature on wild rodents and lagomorphs as biomonitors of environmental contamination. This chapter covers studies dealing with exposure and effects of environmental contaminants on rodent and lagomorph species, including pesticides (organochlorines, organophosphorus and carbamate compounds, herbicides, plant growth regulators, fungicides, and rodenticides), other organic chemicals, metals, radionuclides, and other miscellaneous contaminants. Many research needs become evident when reviewing ecotoxicological data for rodents and lagomorphs, the most striking being the paucity of information on rodent families other than Muridae (mice and rats). While our ability to qualitatively extrapolate effects observed in laboratory studies to field situations is good for a variety of contaminants, quantitative predictions of dose-response relationships are poor because inter-specific variation and differences in exposure patterns between laboratory and wild species to toxicants are for the most part unknown. More sophisticated comparative toxicity studies need to be undertaken that build on previous work in order to develop a database of information, to account for and model differences in exposure pathways, to document interactions among multiple stressors, to generate data establishing thresholds, critical concentrations, and diagnostic guidelines, and even to develop physiologically-based toxicokinetic models. Such efforts may enhance our ability to predict effects on wild populations, including threatened and endangered species. |
| Genre: | Book chapter |
| ProdID: | 5211098 |
| Citation Author: | Sheffield, S.R.; Sawicka-Kapusta, K.; Cohen, J.B.; Rattner, B.A. |
| Citation Contributing Office: | Patuxent Wildlife Research Center |
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| Citation Editor: | Shore, Richard F.; Rattner, Barnett A. (editors) |
| Citation End Page: | 314 |
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| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Ecotoxicology of Wild Mammals |
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| Citation Phsyical Description: | xxi, 730 |
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| Citation Publisher: | John Wiley & Sons |
| Citation Series: | Ecological & Environmental Toxicology Series. |
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| Citation Search Results Text: | Rodentia and lagomorpha; 2001; Book chapter; Ecotoxicology of Wild Mammals; Sheffield, S.R.; Sawicka-Kapusta, K.; Cohen, J.B.; Rattner, B.A. |
| Citation Start Page: | 215 |
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| Citation Year: | 2001 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Rodentia and lagomorpha; 2001; Book chapter; Ecotoxicology of Wild Mammals; Sheffield, S.R.; Sawicka-Kapusta, K.; Cohen, J.B.; Rattner, B.A. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| Date Other: | Tue, 9 Jun 2009 09:23 -0500 |
| Publisher: | John Wiley & Sons |
