Pollution-induced community tolerance (PICT): towards an ecologically relevant risk assessment of chemicals in aquatic systems
Journal article, 2016
A major challenge in environmental risk assessment of pollutants is establishing a causal relationship between field exposure and community effects that integrates both structural and functional complexity within ecosystems. Pollution-induced community tolerance (PICT) is a concept that evaluates whether pollutants have exerted a selection pressure on natural communities. PICT detects whether a pollutant has eliminated sensitive species from a community and thereby increased its tolerance. PICT has the potential to link assessments of the ecological and chemical status of ecosystems by providing causal analysis for effect-based monitoring of impacted field sites. Using PICT measurements and microbial community endpoints in environmental assessment schemes could give more ecological relevance to the tools that are now used in environmental risk assessment. Here, we propose practical guidance and a list of research issues that should be further considered to apply the PICT concept in the field.
bioindicator
chemical status
aquatic ecology
ecological status
ecotoxicology
Author
A. Tlili
Eawag - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology
A. Berard
INRA Avignon
H. Blanck
University of Gothenburg
A. Bouchez
Savoie Mont Blanc University
National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA)
F. Cassio
University of Minho
Martin Eriksson
Chalmers, Shipping and Marine Technology, Maritime Environmental Sciences
S. Morin
Ecosystemes Aquatiques et Changements Globaux
B. Montuelle
National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA)
Savoie Mont Blanc University
E. Navarro
Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología
C. Pascoal
University of Minho
S. Pesce
Milieux Aquatiques, Ecologie et Pollutions
M. Schmitt-Jansen
Helmholtz
R. Behra
Eawag - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology
Freshwater Biology
0046-5070 (ISSN) 1365-2427 (eISSN)
Vol. 61 12 2141-2151Subject Categories
Oceanography, Hydrology, Water Resources
Environmental Sciences
DOI
10.1111/fwb.12558