Predicting global killer whale population collapse from PCB pollution

Jean-Pierre Desforges; Ailsa Hall; Bernie McConnell; Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid; Jonathan L. Barber; Andrew Brownlow; Sylvain De Guise; Igor Eulaers; Paul D. Jepson; Robert J. Letcher; Milton Levin; Peter S. Ross; Filipa Samarra; Gísli Vikingson; Christian Sonne; Rune Dietz

doi:10.1126/science.aat1953

Predicting global killer whale population collapse from PCB pollution

Jean-Pierre Desforges, Ailsa Hall, Bernie McConnell, Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid, Jonathan L. Barber, Andrew Brownlow, Sylvain De Guise, Igor Eulaers, Paul D. Jepson, Robert J. Letcher, Milton Levin, Peter S. Ross, Filipa Samarra, Gísli Vikingson, Christian Sonne, Rune Dietz

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

253 Citations (Scopus)

10 Downloads (Pure)

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1373-1376
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	361
Issue number	6409
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aat1953
Publication status	Published - 28 Sept 2018

Access to Document

10.1126/science.aat1953

aat1953_ArticleContent_REVISED_SHORT
© 2018, the Author(s). This work has been made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created accepted version manuscript following peer review and as such may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aat1953
Accepted author manuscript, 445 KB

NERC NC National Public Good 2018 - 2023: Sea Mammal Research Unit NC-NPG activities to fulfill NERC's statutory duties.
Sparling, C. E. (PI) & Hall, A. J. (CoI)
1/04/18 → 31/03/23
Project: Standard
NERC Core Grant: SMRU NERC Core Grant
Hall, A. J. (PI)
NERC
1/04/10 → 31/03/23
Project: Standard

Ailsa Jane Hall
- ajh7st-andrews.acuk
- School of Biology - Research Professor
Person: Academic - Research

Cite this

Desforges, J.-P., Hall, A., McConnell, B., Rosing-Asvid, A., Barber, J. L., Brownlow, A., De Guise, S., Eulaers, I., Jepson, P. D., Letcher, R. J., Levin, M., Ross, P. S., Samarra, F., Vikingson, G., Sonne, C., & Dietz, R. (2018). Predicting global killer whale population collapse from PCB pollution. Science, 361(6409), 1373-1376. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aat1953

@article{392b65a3c25c4f7fa534b0b1b3fbaebf,

title = "Predicting global killer whale population collapse from PCB pollution",

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{\textquoteright}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{\textquoteright}s killer whales illustrate the troubling persistence of this chemical class.",

author = "Jean-Pierre Desforges and Ailsa Hall and Bernie McConnell and Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid and Barber, {Jonathan L.} and Andrew Brownlow and {De Guise}, Sylvain and Igor Eulaers and Jepson, {Paul D.} and Letcher, {Robert J.} and Milton Levin and Ross, {Peter S.} and Filipa Samarra and G{\'i}sli Vikingson and Christian Sonne and Rune Dietz",

note = "This research was supported by grants to J.-P.D. from the Canadian National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) (PGSD3-443700-2013) and Aarhus University{\textquoteright}s Graduate School and Science and Technology (GSST) and Department of Bioscience; and by funding from the Danish DANCEA program (MST-112-00171 and MST-112-00199); the Defra, Scottish and Welsh Governments (for CSIP/SMASS/CEFAS); and the Icelandic Research Fund (i. Ranns{\'o}knasj{\'o}{\dh}ur; grant no. 120248042). B.M. was supported by funding from NERC (grant no. SMRU 10001). This paper is a contribution from the BONUS BALTHEALTH project, which has received funding from BONUS (Art. 185), funded jointly by the EU, Innovation Fund Denmark, Forschungszentrum J{\"u}lich GmbH, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grant no. FKZ 03F0767A), Academy of Finland (decision no. 311966), and Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research.",

year = "2018",

month = sep,

day = "28",

doi = "10.1126/science.aat1953",

language = "English",

volume = "361",

pages = "1373--1376",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "6409",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Predicting global killer whale population collapse from PCB pollution

AU - Desforges, Jean-Pierre

AU - Hall, Ailsa

AU - McConnell, Bernie

AU - Rosing-Asvid, Aqqalu

AU - Barber, Jonathan L.

AU - Brownlow, Andrew

AU - De Guise, Sylvain

AU - Eulaers, Igor

AU - Jepson, Paul D.

AU - Letcher, Robert J.

AU - Levin, Milton

AU - Ross, Peter S.

AU - Samarra, Filipa

AU - Vikingson, Gísli

AU - Sonne, Christian

AU - Dietz, Rune

N1 - This research was supported by grants to J.-P.D. from the Canadian National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) (PGSD3-443700-2013) and Aarhus University’s Graduate School and Science and Technology (GSST) and Department of Bioscience; and by funding from the Danish DANCEA program (MST-112-00171 and MST-112-00199); the Defra, Scottish and Welsh Governments (for CSIP/SMASS/CEFAS); and the Icelandic Research Fund (i. Rannsóknasjóður; grant no. 120248042). B.M. was supported by funding from NERC (grant no. SMRU 10001). This paper is a contribution from the BONUS BALTHEALTH project, which has received funding from BONUS (Art. 185), funded jointly by the EU, Innovation Fund Denmark, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grant no. FKZ 03F0767A), Academy of Finland (decision no. 311966), and Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research.

PY - 2018/9/28

Y1 - 2018/9/28

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

U2 - 10.1126/science.aat1953

DO - 10.1126/science.aat1953

M3 - Article

C2 - 30262502

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 361

SP - 1373

EP - 1376

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6409

ER -

Predicting global killer whale population collapse from PCB pollution

Abstract

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

NERC NC National Public Good 2018 - 2023: Sea Mammal Research Unit NC-NPG activities to fulfill NERC's statutory duties.

NERC Core Grant: SMRU NERC Core Grant

Profiles

Ailsa Jane Hall

Cite this