The female of the species...

[Mal]

Link

[Ramrod]

WTF are we doing to our environment
This reminds me of the story in the 1980's where Italian boys developed female characteristics after eating veal that had been fattened with the aid of oestragens.....

[homealone]

This isn't a new phenomenon, ever since the contraceptive pill was introduced, the prescence of oestrogens in sewage was shown to have potential for affecting fish in this way. Increase in use of HRT doesn't help, either.

I think what the article highlights, is that it isn't going away and we really need to start doing something about it.

[Bex]

how does a fish show female characteristics??

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by Bex

how does a fish show female characteristics??

Starts using make-up.....

[Bex]

Originally Posted by Ramrod

Starts using make-up.....

or dressing in skirts?
or growing their hair long?

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by Bex

or dressing in skirts?
or growing their hair long?

Don't be silly.....fish don't wear skirts

[homealone]

Originally Posted by Bex

how does a fish show female characteristics??

one effect is that male fish start producing a protein that is associated with egg yolk production in females.

[Xaccers]

Of course many breeds of fish, unlike mamals, are able to change gender anyway.
And the fish involved live near sewerage outlets rather than in drinking water.

[homealone]

Originally Posted by Xaccers

Of course many breeds of fish, unlike mamals, are able to change gender anyway.
And the fish involved live near sewerage outlets rather than in drinking water.

true on both counts, but the gender changing that naturally occurs is usually to maximise breeding potential, for the species. There is one species, where the males collect 'harems' of females, with which they mate exclusively. As they can't do this successfully, until they get big enough to defend their harem, all newly hatched fish are female, but they change into males when they reach a certain size.

The effect of oestrogens in sewage is tending to produce sterile males, rather than 'proper' females, though.

[Bex]

Originally Posted by Ramrod

Don't be silly.....fish don't wear skirts

and them wearing make up isnt?

[Marge]

Originally Posted by homealone

There is one species, where the males collect 'harems' of females, with which they mate exclusively

Chavsters ??????

[homealone]

Originally Posted by Debsy42

Chavsters ??????

Pikeys, maybe

[deadite66]

sperm counts are going down in the west, wonder if a point in the future will be reached where the pill and hrt will be banned.

[Marge]

Originally Posted by deadite66

sperm counts are going down in the west, wonder if a point in the future will be reached where the pill and hrt will be banned.

I really hope not