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CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT

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Ecotoxicology, Ecological Risk Assessment and Multiple Stressors

Part of the book series: NATO Security Through Science Series ((NASTC,volume 6))

Abstract

There is growing awareness that Ecological Risk Assessments (EcoRAs) can be improved if better use of ecological information is incorporated into the process. Improvements in ecotoxicity data that provide the complete concentration-response surface would enable major advances beyond point estimates and Risk Quotients so commonly relied upon to date. The tools to consider population-level or even systems-level endpoints are gaining acceptance. The incorporation of Landscape Ecology into EcoRAs, especially in characterizing features that determine the quality of wildlife habitat are also gaining acceptance. The consideration of species-specific habitat quality can have profound influence on the estimated exposure to stressors that animals incur as they occupy a particular area. In addition to the advances in the basic and applied fields of the natural sciences, considerable effort is being directed in the social sciences. These efforts include emphasis on improved communications with stakeholders and methods to integrate traditionally non-monetized ecological goods and services into the environmental decision-making process. Collectively, these efforts on many fronts are likely to lead to greater ecological realism and better social relevance in EcoRAs leading to more informed management decisions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Golder Associates Ltd., 940 6th Ave.S.W.Calgary, Alberta, T2P 3TI, Canada

    Lawrence A. KAPUSTKA

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  1. Lawrence A. KAPUSTKA
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Agricultural University of Athens, Greece

    Gerassimos Arapis

  2. International Sakharov Environmental University Minsk, Belarus

    Nadezhda Goncharova

  3. Cornell University Ithaca, New York, U.S.A.

    Philippe Baveye

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KAPUSTKA, L.A. (2006). CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT. In: Arapis, G., Goncharova, N., Baveye, P. (eds) Ecotoxicology, Ecological Risk Assessment and Multiple Stressors. NATO Security Through Science Series, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4476-3_01

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