Consequences of energy metabolism impairments
Abstract
Today, early warning and sensitive diagnosis tools with an ecological relevance seem to be promising for the early assessment of the ecosystem degradation resulting from damaging contaminants. Among these tools called “biomarkers,” the most appropriate ones seem to be suborganismal responses revealing the health status of various organisms, and more particularly those related to energy metabolism and bioenergetics linked to growth and reproduction. There are different types of biomarkers that can be considered biomarkers by themselves, or when in association with others. In this chapter, we will first evoke the currently available biomarkers related to metabolism, and their responses to exposure of organisms to contaminants. Then, we will analyze how these individual or subindividual responses related to energy metabolism and bioenergetics may be used for anticipating the consequences on populations. In addition, mathematical models of effects based on the impact of energy have been developed over the past 10 years.