Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK.
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2009 Nov 27;364(1534):3391-401. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2009.0122.
Pollutants, including synthetic organic materials and heavy metals, are known to adversely affect physiological systems in all animal species studied to date. While many individual chemicals can perturb normal functions, the combined actions of multiple pollutants are of particular concern because they can exert effects even when each individual chemical is present at concentrations too low to be individually effective. The biological effects of pollutants differ greatly between species reflecting differences in the pattern of exposure, routes of uptake, metabolism following uptake, rates of accumulation and sensitivity of the target organs. Thus, understanding of the effects of pollutants on wildlife and ecosystems will require detailed study of many different species, representing a wide range of taxa. However, such studies can be informed by knowledge obtained in more controlled conditions which may indicate likely mechanisms of action and suitable endpoint measurements. Responses may be exacerbated by interactions between the effects of pollutants and environmental stressors, such as under-nutrition or osmotic stresses and so changes in such variables associated with climatic changes may exacerbate physiological responses to pollutant burdens.
污染物，包括合成有机材料和重金属，已知会对迄今为止研究过的所有动物物种的生理系统产生不利影响。虽然许多单个化学物质会扰乱正常功能，但多种污染物的共同作用尤其令人担忧，因为即使每种单个化学物质的浓度低到不足以单独产生效果，它们也可能产生影响。污染物对不同物种的生物影响差异很大，反映了暴露模式、吸收途径、吸收后的代谢、积累速度以及靶器官敏感性的差异。因此，要了解污染物对野生动物和生态系统的影响，需要对许多不同的物种进行详细研究，这些物种代表了广泛的分类群。然而，在更受控的条件下获得的知识可以为这些研究提供信息，这些知识可能表明可能的作用机制和合适的终点测量方法。污染物的影响与环境胁迫因素（如营养不良或渗透胁迫）之间的相互作用可能会加剧这种反应，因此与气候变化相关的这些变量的变化可能会加剧对污染物负担的生理反应。
