Effects of Diethylstilbestrol on Feral House Mouse (Mus musculus L.) Population Dynamics Under Experimental Field Conditions

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Abstract
The effects of the synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) upon feral house mouse (Mus musculus L.) population dynamics were investigated under field and laboratory conditions. Initial administration of DES under field conditions at an estimated dosage of 0.5 mg/kg/day resulted in an immediate decline in population density in the treated grid. The control grid showed no population density decline. A second DES treatment also resulted in a similar population density decline in the treated grid. New animals (43) were marked in the control grid whereas only 4 individuals were marked in the treated grid following initial DES administration. DES treatment probably caused adult mortality in the field. Nine of 10 breeding pairs of Mus successfully reproduced in a laboratory control group, but none of the 10 DES-treated pairs produced young at a DES-administration dosage identical to field conditions. No significant differences between control and treated groups were observed for mean body weight changes or for differences in mean adrenal and mean testes weights. While no significant difference was found for ovary weights between control and DES groups, a significant negative correlation was found.

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