Potential endocrine disruption of sexual development in free ranging male northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) and green frogs (Rana clamitans) from areas of intensive row crop agriculture

Intensive row crop agriculture (IRCA) for corn and soybean production is predominant in eastern and central North America. IRCA relies heavily on pesticide and nutrient inputs to maximize production under conventional systems. In 2003–2005, we assessed the occurrence of a suite of potential endocrine effects in amphibians inhabiting farm ponds and agricultural drains in IRCA areas of southwestern Ontario. Effects were compared to amphibians from two agricultural reference sites as well as four non-agricultural reference sites. Pesticide and nutrient concentrations were also determined in water samples from those sites. Atrazine and metolachlor were detected in most samples, exceeding 1 μg L−1 at some sites. Blood samples were taken from northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) and green frogs (Rana clamitans) for analysis of circulating sex steroids and vitellogenin-like protein (Vtg-lp), a biomarker of exposure to environmental estrogens. Gonads were histologically examined for evidence of abnormalities. Some evidence of exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds was apparent from the data. The occurrence of testicular ovarian follicles (TOFS) in male R. pipiens was significantly higher (42%; p < 0.05) at agricultural sites, particularly those in Chatham county compared to frogs from reference sites (7%). There was no difference in circulating sex steroid levels between frogs from agricultural and reference sites and sex steroid levels did not correlate with pesticide concentrations in the environment. No differences were detected in the gonadosomatic indices or stage of spermatogenesis between frogs from agricultural and non-agricultural regions (p > 0.05). Plasma Vtg-lp was detected in only one male R. pipiens from an agricultural site. Neither gonad size, gonad maturity nor sex steroid levels differed between normal males and those with testicular oocytes. Although the proportion of testicular oocytes did not correlate directly with atrazine concentrations, it did correlate with a mixture of pesticides and nutrients, particularly atrazine and nitrate, while the number of pesticides detected at each site was also important.