Enviro Tox Flashcards
What does AE stand for
assessment endpoint
what is assessment endpoint
explicit expression of the actual ecological value that we want to protect
what three characteristics much assessment endpoints have
- they must be ecologically relevant
- they should be sensitive to the toxicant/ stressor
- they need to have societal value
What level of organisms are AEs defined at
Most are defined at the population level, rather than at the organismal level
What, in genera, is ecological risk assessment aimed at
ecological risk assessment is generally aimed at protecting the functions of ecosystems as performed by populations and communities
Why are process-based endpoints less sensitive to environmental perturbation than structure-based endpoints
Because many organisms in an ecosystem perform similar functions (functional redundancy)
define functional redundancy
many organisms in an ecosystem can perform the same functions
does loss of one population lead to loss of function
loss of population does not always lead to a loss of function because the function performed can be taken over by other organisms
why do we focus on structural endpoints
we assume that protecting the structure will protect function
issue with societal value being used as ae
it is subject to interpretation
societal values may change over time
why are basic policy goals. not great ae
they are not usually measurable and progress cant be gauged
how are AE evaluated
AE are evaluated using measurement endpoints (ME)
how are ME found
they are the result of tests or observational studies that are used to estimate the effects on an AE of exposure to a stressor
organization level for ME
characteristic of an organism/substance or the intensity of a general stressor
What is a test endpoint
a form of ME that is measured in toxicity tests to Evaluate responses following exposure to a chemical
