This paper gives an overview of some of the main sources of uncertainty in Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA). These include numerical or statistical uncertainties (equivalent to inexactness), model and scenario uncertainties (unreliability), epistemological uncertainties (ignorance or indeterminacy) and ethical-social uncertainties. The paper argues that scientists and policy makers need to appreciate the deeper dimensions of uncertainty, and to go beyond a simple, numerical evaluation of uncertainty. Many of the challenges that multiple stressors raise for risk assessors reflect the fact that the uncertainties associated with multiple stressors are difficult to quantify and irreducible. The focus should be on a better understanding of the basic biological processes and mechanisms by which stressors interact.
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Oughton, D. (2007). Uncertainties from Multiple Stressors: Challenges in Ecological Risk Assessment. In: Mothersill, C., Mosse, I., Seymour, C. (eds) Multiple Stressors: A Challenge for the Future. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6335-0_35
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6335-0_35
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