Effect of endocrine disrupting chemicals on avian life cycles

最近，人们关注的焦点集中在一系列内分泌干扰化学品（EDCs）对内分泌系统的潜在影响上，这些化学品是合成和天然的，会破坏正常的激素功能。虽然迄今为止大多数关于内分泌干扰物的研究都集中在与生殖激素相关的动物生理变化上，但我计划将这项工作扩展到研究对动物生命周期至关重要的生态效应-它们对环境，身体和社会线索的反应能力，这些线索对生存和种群稳定至关重要。暴露的时间，特别是在早期发育期间，可能会影响控制迁移、生殖的行为以及科普其他环境压力的能力-所有这些都受到激素的密切调节。

Recently, concern has focused on the potential effects on the endocrine system from a range of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) - synthetic and natural chemicals that disrupt normal hormonal function. While most studies on EDCs to date have focused on physiological changes in animals associated with reproductive hormones, I plan to extend this work to look at ecological effects that are central to an animal's life cycle - their ability to respond to environmental, physical and social cues that are essential to survival and population stability. Timing of exposure particularly during early development may affect the behaviours which control migration, reproduction and their ability to cope with other environmental stressors- all of which are closely regulated by hormones.