Ecological disturbance

The concept of ecological disturbance evaluations (EDEs) is another approach to address causation. EDE is conceptually comparable to TIE and BDF. As with TIE and BDF, which are used to identify chemicals responsible for toxicity in whole effluents and contaminated sediments, an EDE is applied after an impact has been detected in a community. The EDE uses an integrated index (e.g., index of biotic integrity), or other metric, allowing the researcher to extract information that might represent a response signature for the suspected cause of the impact. 

Bro-Rasmussen F, Lokke H. 1984. Ecoepidemiology a casuistic discipline describing ecological disturbances and damages in relation to their specific causes exemplified by chlorinated phenols and chlorophenoxy acids. Reg Toxicol Pharmacol 4 391-399. 

Another important concept in ecological change is succession. Ecological succession is the transition in the composition of species in an ecosystem, often after an ecological disturbance in the community. Primary succession begins in an environment virtually void of life, such as a volcanic island. Secondary succession occurs when a natural event disrupts an ecosystem, leaving the soil intact. An example of secondary succession is the reestablishment of a forest after destruction by a forest fire. 

Runkle, J.R. (1982). Pattern of disturbance in some old-growth mesic forests of eastern North America. Ecology, 63,1533-46. 

Wali MK (1999) Ecological succession and the rehabilitation of disturbed terrestrial ecosystem. Plant Soil 213 195-220... 

Sousa WP (2001) Natural disturbance and the dynamics of marine benthic communities. In Bertness MD, Gaines SD, Hay (eds) Marine community ecology. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA, pp 85-130... 

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