Endocrine disruption in aquatic systems: up‐scaling research to address ecological consequences

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p>Endocrine‐disrupting chemicals (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EDCs</jats:styled-content>) can alter biological function in organisms at environmentally relevant concentrations and are a significant threat to aquatic biodiversity, but there is little understanding of exposure consequences for populations, communities and ecosystems. The pervasive nature of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EDCs</jats:styled-content> within aquatic environments and their multiple sub‐lethal effects make assessments of their impact especially important but also highly challenging. Herein, we review the data on <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EDC</jats:styled-content> effects in aquatic systems focusing on studies assessing populations and ecosystems, and including how biotic and abiotic processes may affect, and be affected by, responses to <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EDCs</jats:styled-content>. Recent research indicates a significant influence of behavioural responses (e.g. enhancing feeding rates), transgenerational effects and trophic cascades in the ecological consequences of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EDC</jats:styled-content> exposure. In addition, interactions between <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EDCs</jats:styled-content> and other chemical, physical and biological factors generate uncertainty in our understanding of the ecological effects of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EDCs</jats:styled-content> within aquatic ecosystems. We illustrate how effect thresholds for <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EDCs</jats:styled-content> generated from individual‐based experimental bioassays of the types commonly applied using chemical test guidelines [e.g. <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">O</jats:styled-content>rganisation for <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">E</jats:styled-content>conomic <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">C</jats:styled-content>o‐operation and <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">D</jats:styled-content>evelopment (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">OECD</jats:styled-content>)] may not necessarily reflect the hazards associated with endocrine disruption. We argue that improved risk assessment for <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EDCs</jats:styled-content> in aquatic ecosystems urgently requires more ecologically oriented research as well as field‐based assessments at population‐, community‐ and food‐web levels.</jats:p>