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UNIQUE INFORMATION CONTRIBUTED BY MULTISPECIES SYSTEMS: EXAMPLES FROM THE STANDARDIZED AQUATIC MICROCOSM
Author(s) -
Taub Frieda B.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
ecological applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.864
H-Index - 213
eISSN - 1939-5582
pISSN - 1051-0761
DOI - 10.1890/1051-0761(1997)007[1103:uicbms]2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - microcosm , trophic level , context (archaeology) , ecology , predation , biology , aquatic ecosystem , aquatic toxicology , ecotoxicology , competition (biology) , food web , environmental science , toxicity , chemistry , paleontology , organic chemistry
Single‐species toxicity tests are inadequate to predict the effects of chemicals in ecological communities although they provide data on the relative toxicity of different chemicals, and on the relative sensitivity of different organisms. Only multispecies studies can provide demonstrations of: (1) indirect trophic‐level effects, including increased abundances of species via increased food supply through reduced competition or reduced predation; (2) compensatory shifts within a trophic level; (3) responses to chemicals within the context of seasonal patterns that modify water chemistry and birth and death rates of populations; (4) chemical transformations by some organisms having effects on other organisms; and (5) persistence of parent and transformation products. Multispecies laboratory studies, such as the Standardized Aquatic Microcosm, have much to offer, with advantages of statistical power, speed of analyses, demonstrated reproducibility among laboratories, and modest expense (compared to field studies). The use of a chemically defined sediment facilitates the potential extraction of parent and transformation products by minimizing the problem of unextractable residues. The absence of fish prevents the potential elimination of zooplankton if fish predation exceeds production. Standardized Aquatic Microcosms also offer a wealth of analytical tools, including rapid statistical analyses, a mathematical model (MICMOD), and artificial intelligence methodologies.