Ecological Risk Assessment Framework

Fig. 17 Relationship of the ecological risk management framework to the ecological risk assessment framework (modified after Stahl et al. [53])...

Diamond, J. M. Serveiss, V. B. 2001. Identifying sources of stress to native aquatic fauna using a watershed ecological risk assessment framework. Environmental Science and Technology, 35, 4711-4718. 

Figure 28.1 The ecological risk assessment framework as set forth by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Suter, G.W. III. (1997) Overview of the ecological risk assessment framework, in C.G. Ingersoll, T. Dillon and G.R. Biddinger (eds.), Ecological Risk Assessment of Contaminated Sediments, SETAC Press, Pensacola, FL, USA, pp. 1-6. 

The ecological risk assessment framework attempts to incorporate refinements to the original ideas of risk assessment and apply them to the general case of ecological risk assessment. The overall structure is delineated in Figure 12.2. 

These ten steps correspond to the portions of the ecological risk assessment framework as depicted in Figure 12.12. The first four steps of the RRM... 

Which aspect of the ecological risk assessment framework defines the question under consideration What are subunits to this formulation ... 

From this brief overview of toxicity tests, their uses and methods of assessing their responses to toxic substances, it can be seen that this is a very complex topic with many unknowns and no single best way of addressing the problem of bioavailable toxicant estimation. In this chapter, an attempt will be made to describe some applications of toxicological data, how they could be analysed and how toxicity results could be integrated in ecological risk assessment frameworks. 

The Environment Agency study reviewed ecological risk assessment frameworks from the USA, Australia, Canada and the Netherlands. In addition, it provided examples of guideline values (GVs) that are used in these countries. The outcome of the study is a suggested ecological risk assessment framework, based on a... 

EPA (1998) Framework for Ecological Risk Assessment. 63 FR93. EPA/630/R-95/002F. 

The link between the ecological/ecotoxicological risk assessment and the risk management frameworks is demonstrated. The ecological risk assessment consists of seven interactive elements (Fig. 17). The quantitative and descriptive science used to conduct ERA (Table 5) does not answer, in a direct way, the question of what should be done to manage the risk. Science determines adversity, but the public determines acceptability (Fig. 18). But acceptable risk is a highly subjective and relative term. It is time and space-specific and depends upon definitions of quality of life and robustness of the environment. 

Traditionally, RA has been focused on threats to humans posed by industrial pollutants. In recent times there has been a shift to other types of hazards and affected objects (Carpenter, 1996). Ecological risk assessment (EcoRA) has already evolved into separate methodology under the general RA framework. 

A number of EIA theorists believe in incorporating formal RA methods into EIA as a way to cope with uncertainties, especially in impact prediction where a formal framework for ecological risk assessment (EcoRA) is already developed. It includes three generic phases problem formulation, analysis, and risk characterization followed by risk management. The analysis phase includes an exposure assessment and an ecological effects assessment (see, e.g., US EPA (1998)). 

US Environmental Protection Agency. Framework for ecological risk assessment. Washington, DC Risk Assessment Forum, USEPA, 1992. EPA/630/R-92/001. 

FIGURE 5-6 Evolution of risk assessment and risk management. Framework showing research, risk assessment, and risk management. Source Omenn 2003. Reprinted with permission copyright 2003, Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. 

Burton, G.A. Jr., Batley, G.E., Chapman, P.M., Forbes, V.E., Smith, E.P., Reynoldson, T., Schlekat, C., den Besten, P.J., Bailer, A.J., Green, A.S. and Dwyer, R.L. (2002b) A weight-of-evidence framework for assessing sediment (or other) contamination improving certainty in the decision-making process, Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 8, 1675-1696. 

Chapman, P.M., McDonald, B.G. and Lawrence, G.S. (2002) Weight of evidence issues and frameworks for sediment quality (and other) assessments, Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 8, 1489-1515. 

Grapentine, L., Anderson, J., Boyd, D., Burton, G.A., DeBarros, C., Johnson, G., Marvin, C., Milani, D., Painter, S., Pascoe, T., Reynoldson, T., Richman, L., Solomon, K. and Chapman, P.M. (2002) A decision making framework for sediment assessment developed for the Great Lakes, Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 8, 1641-1655. 

Reynoldson, T.B., Thompson, S.P. and Milani, D. (2002b) Integrating multiple toxicological endpoints in a decision-making framework for contaminated sediments, Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 8, 1569-1584. 

FIGURE 1.1 An illustration of the role of extrapolation in frameworks for ecological risk assessment used either for setting criteria or for assessing risks from existing exposures. 

A wide-ranging compilation of techniques, Extrapolation Practice for Ecotoxicological Effect Characterization of Chemicals describes methods of extrapolation in the framework of ecological risk assessment. The book, informally known as EXPECT, identifies data needs and situations where these extrapolations can be most usefully applied, making it a practical guide to the application of extrapolation procedures. It focuses on the extrapolation of chemical effects and covers the extrapolation of exposures in the context of interactions between toxicants and the matrix. 

Suter GW, Vermeire T, Munns WR Jr, Sekizawa J (2003) Framework for the integration of health and ecological risk assessment. Hum Ecol Risk Assess, 9 281-301. 

Conceptual Framework for Human and Ecological Risk Assessment of... 

Use the analysis of the scientific and practical state of the art to derive an applicable and comparable conceptual framework for human and ecological risk assessment of mixtures, including a practical decision tree and guidance (Section 5.4). 

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT OF MIXTURES... 

Terrestrial ecological risk assessments are conducted following the standard framework and guidance published by the US EPA and various states. All but the most basic ecological risk assessments require a team of specialists to gather, analyze, and interpret information about fate and transport of pollutants... 

The remainder of this section details the potential application of multivariate methods in the selection of endpoints and in the evaluation of exposure and effects of stressors in ecosystems. Particular reference is made to the application of these methods to the current framework for ecological risk assessment. Examples of the use of multivariate methods in detecting effects and in selecting important measurement variables are covered using both field surveys and multispecies toxicity tests. 

As mentioned before, the ecological risk assessment is characterized by a problem formulation process, analysis containing characterizations of exposure and effects, and a risk characterization process. Several outlying boxes serve to emphasize the importance of discussions during the problem formulation process between the risk assessor and the risk manager, and the critical nature of the acquisition of new data, verification of the risk assessment, and monitoring. The next few sections detail each aspect of this framework. 

Schematic of the framework for ecological risk assessment (U.S. EPA1992). Especially important is the interaction between exposure and hazard and the inclusion of a data acquisition, verification, and monitoring component. Multivariate analyses will have a major impact on the selection or assessment and measurement endpoints and will play a major role in the data acquisition, verification, and monitoring phase.

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