Sperm quantity/quality are significant reproductive endpoints with clear links to population level dynamics. Amphipods are important model organisms in environmental toxicology. Despite this, field monitoring of male fertility in invertebrates has rarely been used in monitoring programs. The aim of this study was to compare sperm quality/quantity in an amphipod collected at six UK locations with differing water quality. Due to low sperm counts and an observed lack of relationship between sperm count and weight in amphipods collected from a nationally protected conservation area (Langstone Harbour, England), we also compared datasets from this site over a decade to determine the temporal significance of this finding. One collection to evaluate a female reproductive endpoint was also performed at this site. Interestingly, this harbour consistently presented some of the lowest sperm counts comparable to highly industrial sites and low eggs number from females. Amphipods collected from all the sites, except from Langstone Harbour, presented strong positive correlations between sperm count and weight. Given Langstone Harbour has several international and national protected statutes primarily for marine life and birds, our results indicate that E. marinus, one important food component for wading birds, might be impacted by unknown reproductive stressors. These unknown stressors maybe related to agricultural runoff, leachate from historical landfills and effluent from storm water overflows. This study highlights the importance of exploring new reproductive endpoints such as sperm quantity/quality in marine monitoring programs.

精子的数量/质量是重要的生殖终点，与种群水平动态有明确的联系。两栖动物是环境毒理学中的重要模型生物。尽管如此，在监视程序中很少使用野外监视无脊椎动物男性生育力的方法。这项研究的目的是比较在英国六个地点水质不同的两栖动物中精子的质量/数量。由于精子数量少，并且观察到从受国家保护的保护区（英格兰Langstone Harbour）收集的两栖动物的精子数量与体重之间缺乏联系，因此，我们还比较了该站点过去十年的数据集，以确定该发现的时间意义。在该地点还进行了一次评估女性生殖终点的采集。有趣的是，这个港口的精子数量始终处于最低水平，可与高度工业化的地点相比，而雌性的卵子数量却很少。除朗格斯顿港以外的所有地点收集的两栖类动物，其精子数量与体重之间呈强正相关。鉴于Langstone港口有一些主要针对海洋生物和鸟类的国际和国家保护法规，我们的结果表明：涉禽一种重要的食物成分海马（E. marinus）可能会受到未知的生殖压力的影响。这些未知的压力可能与农业径流，历史垃圾填埋场的渗滤液和雨水溢流产生的废水有关。这项研究强调了在海洋监测计划中探索新的生殖终点如精子数量/质量的重要性。