In Chapter 6, I evaluate whether acute exposure to high copper concentration lead to an increase in copper burden in gonads within a short time frame (two weeks) and I examined the fertilisation success of exposed animal. Gametes were also subjected to direct exposure to moderately elevated level of copper during fertilisation to investigate parental effect on gametes tolerance to copper. Finally I compared copper burden in gonads between natural populations and animals exposed in the laboratory to evaluate whether populations from a moderately polluted urban site might be at risk of reproductive impairment.