Species Sensitivity Distributions in Ecotoxicology

616pp  ISBN 1566705789      £120.00

• Provides the first critical review of the use of SSDs in ecotoxicology
• Analyzes the conceptual basis, advantages, and disadvantages of SSDs
• Discusses the history of the SSD approach, applications to environmental quality criteria and ecological risk assessment, and the outlook for future development
• Contains contributions from the leading practitioners in North America and Europe

In spite of the growing importance of Species Sensitivity Distribution models (SSDs) in ecological risk assessments, the conceptual basis, strengths, and weaknesses of using them have not been comprehensively reviewed. This book fills that need. Written by a panel of international experts, Species Sensitivity Distributions in Ecotoxicology reviews the current SSD methods from all angles, compiling for the first time the variety of contemporary applications of SSD-based methods.

Beginning with an introduction to SSDs, the chapter authors review the issues surrounding SSDs, synthesizing the positions of advocates and critics with their own analysis of each issue. Finally, they discuss the prospects for future development, paving the way for improved future uses. In sum, this book defines the field of SSD modeling and application. It reveals a lively field, with SSD-applications extending beyond legally adopted quality criteria to other applications such as Life-Cycle Analysis. For anyone developing or revising environmental criteria or standards, this book explores the pros and cons of using the SSD approach. For anyone who needs to apply and interpret SSD-based criteria or standards, the book explains the basis for the numbers, thereby making it possible to correctly apply and defend them. For anyone performing ecological risk assessments, the book covers when and how to use SSDs including alternative assumptions, data treatments, computational methods, and available resources. Species Sensitivity Distributions in Ecotoxicology provides you with a clear picture of these standard models for estimating ecological risks from laboratory toxicity data.

Contents

• General Introduction to Species Sensitivity Distributions, L. Posthuma, T.P. Traas, and G.W. Suter II
• North American History of Species Sensitivity Distributions, G. W. Suter II
• European History of Species Sensitivity Distributions, N. M. van Straalen, K. J. van Leeuwen
• Theory of Ecological Risk Assessment Based on Species Sensitivity Distributions, Nico M. van Straalen
• Normal Species Sensitivity Distributions and Probabilistic Ecological Risk Assessment, T. Aldenberg, J. S. Jaworska, and T. P. Traas
• Extrapolation Factors for Tiny Toxicity Data Sets from Species Sensitivity Distributions with Known Standard Deviation, T. Aldenberg and R. Luttik
• Species Sensitivity Distributions in Ecological Risk Assessment: Distributional Assumptions, Alternate Bootstrap Techniques, and Estimation of Adequate Number of Species, M. C. Newman, D. R. Ownby, L. C.A. Mézin, D. C. Powell, T. R.L. Christensen, S. B. Lerberg, B.-A. Anderson, and T. V. Padma
• Observed Regularities in SSDs for Aquatic Species, D. de Zwart
• The Value of the Species Sensitivity Distribution Concept for Predicting Field Effects: (Non-)Confirmation of the Concept Using Semi-Field Experiments, P. J. Van den Brink, T. C.M. Brock and L. Posthuma
• Effects Assessment of Fabric Softeners: The DHTDMAC-Case, K. J. van Leeuwen, J. Jaworska
• Use of Species Sensitivity Distributions in the Derivation of Water Quality Criteria for Aquatic life by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, C. E. Stephan
• Environmental Risk Limits in the Netherlands, D. T.H.M. Sijm, A. P. van Wezel, and T. Crommentuijn
• A Rank-Based Approach to Deriving Canadian Soil and Sediment Quality Guidelines, C. Gaudet, D. Bright, K. Adare, and K. Potter
• Ecotoxicological Soil Quality Criteria in Denmark, J. J. Scott-Fordsmand, and J. Jensen
• Probabilistic Risk Assessment Using Species Sensitivity Distributions, K.R. Solomon and P. Takacs
• The Potentially Affected Fraction as a Measure of Ecological Risk, T. P. Traas, D. Van de Meent, L. Posthuma, T. H.M. Hamers, B. J. Kater, D. de Zwart, and T. Aldenberg
• Methodology for Aquatic Ecological Risk Assessment, W. J. Warren-Hicks, B. R. Parkhurst, and J. B. Butcher
• Toxicity-Based Assessment of Water Quality, D. de Zwart and A. Sterkenburg
• Mapping Risks of Heavy Metals to Birds and Mammals Using Species Sensitivity Distributions, T. P. Traas, R. Luttik, and H. Mensink
• Ecotoxicological Impacts in Life Cycle Assessment, M. Huijbregts, D. van de Meent, M. Goedkoop, and R. Spriensma
• Issues and Practices in the Derivation and Use of Species Sensitivity Distributions, G. W. Suter II, T. P. Traas, and L. Posthuma
• Conceptual and Technical Outlook on Species Sensitivity Distributions, L. Posthuma, T. P. Traas, D. de Zwart, and G. W. Suter II
• Appendix A: The Interactive Poster Session "Use of Species Sensitivity Distributions in Ecotoxicology", T. H.M. Hamers, T. P. Traas, and L. Posthuma
• Appendix B: List of programs
• References
• Glossary
• Acronyms
• Subject Index