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A framework for predicting impacts on ecosystem services from (sub)organismal responses to chemicals
Author(s) -
Forbes Valery E.,
Salice Chris J.,
Birnir Bjorn,
Bruins Randy J.F.,
Calow Peter,
Ducrot Virginie,
Galic Nika,
Garber Kristina,
Harvey Bret C.,
Jager Henriette,
Kanarek Andrew,
Pastorok Robert,
Railsback Steve F.,
Rebarber Richard,
Thorbek Pernille
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.3720
Subject(s) - ecosystem services , valuation (finance) , ecosystem , environmental resource management , organism , computer science , ecosystem model , risk analysis (engineering) , ecology , environmental science , business , biology , paleontology , finance
Protection of ecosystem services is increasingly emphasized as a risk‐assessment goal, but there are wide gaps between current ecological risk‐assessment endpoints and potential effects on services provided by ecosystems. The authors present a framework that links common ecotoxicological endpoints to chemical impacts on populations and communities and the ecosystem services that they provide. This framework builds on considerable advances in mechanistic effects models designed to span multiple levels of biological organization and account for various types of biological interactions and feedbacks. For illustration, the authors introduce 2 case studies that employ well‐developed and validated mechanistic effects models: the inSTREAM individual‐based model for fish populations and the AQUATOX ecosystem model. They also show how dynamic energy budget theory can provide a common currency for interpreting organism‐level toxicity. They suggest that a framework based on mechanistic models that predict impacts on ecosystem services resulting from chemical exposure, combined with economic valuation, can provide a useful approach for informing environmental management. The authors highlight the potential benefits of using this framework as well as the challenges that will need to be addressed in future work. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:845–859. © 2017 SETAC