Effects of the herbicide glyphosate on fish from embryos to adults: a review addressing behavior patterns and mechanisms behind them

The use of agrochemicals has grown in recent years following the increase in agricultural productivity, to eliminate weeds that can compromise crop yields. The intensive use of these products combined with the lack of treatment of agricultural wastewater is causing contamination of the natural environments, especially the aquatics. Glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine] is the most commonly used herbicide in agriculture worldwide. Studies have shown that this compound is toxic to a variety of fish species at the concentrations of environmental relevance. Glyphosate-based herbicides can affect fish biochemical, physiological, endocrine, and behavioral pathways. Changes in behaviors such as foraging, escaping from predators, and courtship can compromise the survival of species and even communities. The behavior patterns of fish has been shown to be a sensitive tool for risk assessment. In this sense, this review summarizes and discusses the toxic effects of glyphosate and its formulations on the behavior of fish in different life stages. Additionally, behavioral im-pairments were associated with other negative effects of glyphosate such as energy imbalance, stress responses, AChE inhibition, and physiological and endocrine disturbances, which are evidenced and described in the literature. Graphical abstract

Automated summary

The excessive use of agrochemicals has led to contamination of natural environments, especially aquatic environments; Glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide in agriculture worldwide, with toxic effects on fish that can result in changes in behavior, physiology, and endocrine pathways; The behavior patterns of fish can serve as a sensitive tool for risk assessment in relation to the toxic effects of glyphosate and its formulations.