Lecture 17: Field Experimentation Flashcards
what are three examples of laboratory models we can use for toxicological research?
mono-plurispecific toxicity tests
experimental trophic chains
microcosms
what are three examples of field models we can use for toxicological research?
mesocosms
enclosures
in situ studies
risk assessment is the overlap between…
environmental chemistry (exposure characterization) and environmental toxicology (effects characterization)
what are the things we want to protect from ecosystems? why don’t these things always happen?
ecosystem function, function, aesthetic value
they cost a LOT of money
give three examples of apical endpoints
survival
growth
reproduction
endpoints that all have a direct impact on fitness (link directly to the health/strength of ecosystem)
T/F: ecological scale experimentation is not always the best option
true
ecological scale experimentation is not always the best option, why not?
there are so many registered chemicals in the environment (growing exponentially), not enough lakes to even test all of them (let alone enough money or time)
AOPs combine…
basic/fundamental science and the environmental risk assessment
what kind of tools do we have to test ecological-scale experiments?
experimental trophic chains
microcosms
mesocosms
enclosures
in situ studies
what is a cosm?
A bounded and partially enclosed outdoor
experimental unit that closely simulates the
natural environment
semi-natural, with a few species together
micro/mesocosms are classified by…
size and ecological representativeness (more often through ecological)
______cosms:
– < 15m3 (15,000L)
– < 15m Long
_____cosms:
– > 15m3 (15,000L)
– > 15m Long
- people don’t really agree on these numbers though
Micro
Meso
– ________:
* Defined Species composition and abiotic characteristics
* Enforced by the operator
(more controlled)
– __________:
* Closer to natural, semi-realistic
* Indigenous (natural) combination of organisms and abiotic conditions.
Microcosms
Mesocosms
- still no specific specifications since no one really agrees anyways
T/F: micro/mesocosms can be all shapes of shapes/sizes, in all different environements
true!! able to tailor to your specific experiment for specific questions
lentic =
lotic =
lakes
rivers
what are we measuring in these studies?
Structure
– Species richness
– Biodiversity
Function
– Primary production
– Nutrient cycling
(how the environment is interconnected/reacts!!)
you can call something an ecological risk assessment by including…. in your study
three trophic levels (assumes coverage)
not really accurate at all
missing the interactions when looking at them one by one in a tox. study
what can we find in a mesocosm system?
dissolved oxygen logger
emergence trap (catch emerging insects from water)
minnow trap
sediment jar
temp. & light logger
biofilm strip
benthic invertebrate substrate
