In an experimental field study, populations of gray-tailed voles
(Microtus canicaudus) were exposed to a commercial formulation of
vinclozolin, a fungicide effective for disease control on ornamental plants,
turf grasses, and fruits and vegetables. Vinclozolin has been shown in
laboratory experiments to behave as an androgen antagonist, impairing
the reproductive development in males of several species of mammals
when exposed in utero. However, when applied to grassland habitat
containing populations of gray-tailed voles, no biologically significant
impairment was observed in reproductive development of male voles
whose mothers were exposed to the treatment while the young were in
utero. Reproductive organs were sufficiently developed to result in high
reproductive rates and juvenile recruitment in the field with no effects on
population growth or demography. Under the conditions of this study,
one standard application of Curalan[copyright] fungicide had no measurable
reproductive or demographic consequences on gray-tailed voles.
However, the results suggest that higher application rates or several successive applications may have negative impacts on reproductive
development and demography of wild vole populations. / Graduation date: 1999
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/33561 |
| Date | 16 June 1998 |
| Creators | Caslin, Tracie M. |
| Contributors | Wolff, Jerry O. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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