Pubblicazione scientifica

Hormonally active phytochemicals and vertebrate evolution

FILONE TECNOLOGICO	TEMA
produzione e raccolta

RIASSUNTO

Abstract

Living plants produce a diversity of chemicals that share structural and functional properties with vertebrate hormones. Wildlife species interact with these chemicals either through consumption of plant materials or aquatic exposure. Accumulating evidence shows that exposure to these hormonally active phytochemicals ( HAPs) often has consequences for behavior, physiology, and fecundity. These fitness effects suggest there is potential for an evolutionary response by vertebrates to HAPs. Here, we explore the toxicological HAP–vertebrate relationship in an evolutionary framework and discuss the potential for vertebrates to adapt to or even co‐opt the effects of plant‐derived chemicals that influence fitness. We lay out several hypotheses about HAPs and provide a path forward to test whether plant‐derived chemicals influence vertebrate reproduction and evolution. Studies of phytochemicals with direct impacts on vertebrate reproduction provide an obvious and compelling system for studying evolutionary toxicology. Furthermore, an understanding of whether animal populations evolve in response to HAPs could provide insightful context for the study of rapid evolution and how animals cope with chemical agents in the environment.

DATA

Data di pubblicazione: 23/03/2017

AUTORI

LAMBERT MAX R
EDWARDS THEA M

ENTE DI AFFERENZA

SCHOOL OF FORESTRY & ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES YALE UNIV NEW HAVEN CT USA
DEPT BIOLOGY UNIV SOUTH SEWANEE TN USA

RIVISTA

Evolutionary Applications, 10(5), 419-432

IMPACT FACTOR

4,910

indietro