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LINES OF EVIDENCE IN WILDLIFE RISK ASSESSMENTS
Citation:
Fairbrother, A. LINES OF EVIDENCE IN WILDLIFE RISK ASSESSMENTS. HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT 9:1475-1491, (2003).
Description:
Ecological risk assessment has evolved rapidly from a qualitative set of observations to a quantitative science during the past decade. Methods for assessing risk to wildlife, however, remain largely theoretical as the empirical data required for accurate estimates of exposure or determination of toxicity thresholds are lacking. It is not surprising, therefore, that different assumptions for the input variables can result in different risk outcomes in wildlife risk assessments. This paper suggests a methodology for conducting wildlife risk assessments that incorporates both the "bottom up" and "top down" techniques into a weight-of-evidence approach. A step-wise process through three Levels of Refinement is proposed as a cost-effective method for developing these lines of evidence. This method is analogous to the Sediment Quality Triad and other standard epidemiological approaches. Incorporation of continued monitoring and directed field studies into an Adaptive Management approach is suggested as a means to move forward with environmental management decisions in the face of significant uncertainties that will continue to be associated with wildlife risk management decisions.