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Pharmaceuticals May Disrupt Natural Chemical Information Flows and Species Interactions in Aquatic Systems: Ideas and Perspectives on a Hidden Global Change

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Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

Part of the book series: Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology ((RECT,volume 238))

Abstract

Pharmaceuticals consumption by humans and animals is increasing substantially, leading to unprecedented levels of these compounds in aquatic environments worldwide. Recent findings that concentrations reach levels that can directly have negative effects on organisms are important per se, but also sound an alarm for other potentially more pervasive effects that arise from the interconnected nature of ecological communities. Aquatic organisms use chemical cues to navigate numerous challenges, including the location of mates and food, and the avoidance of natural enemies. Low concentrations of pharmaceuticals can disrupt this “smellscape” of information leading to maladaptive responses. Furthermore, direct effects of pharmaceuticals on the traits and abundance of one species can cascade through a community, indirectly affecting other species. We review mechanisms by which pharmaceuticals in surface waters can disrupt natural chemical information flows and species interactions. Pharmaceuticals form a new class of chemical threats, which could have far-reaching implications for ecosystem functioning and conservation management.

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Acknowledgements

We want to thank Wim van der Putten and two anonymous reviewers for constructive comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript. This is publication 5932 of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands

    Ellen Van Donk, Scott Peacor, Katharina Grosser, Lisette N. De Senerpont Domis & Miquel Lürling

  2. Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands

    Ellen Van Donk

  3. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Scott Peacor

  4. German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Katharina Grosser

  5. Aquatic Ecology & Water Quality Management Group, Dept. Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands

    Lisette N. De Senerpont Domis & Miquel Lürling

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  1. Ellen Van Donk
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  2. Scott Peacor
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  3. Katharina Grosser
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  4. Lisette N. De Senerpont Domis
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  5. Miquel Lürling
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Correspondence to Ellen Van Donk .

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  1. Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Pim de Voogt

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Van Donk, E., Peacor, S., Grosser, K., De Senerpont Domis, L.N., Lürling, M. (2016). Pharmaceuticals May Disrupt Natural Chemical Information Flows and Species Interactions in Aquatic Systems: Ideas and Perspectives on a Hidden Global Change. In: de Voogt, P. (eds) Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, vol 238. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/398_2015_5002

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