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WORKGROUP IV SYNOPSIS: REGULATORY ISSUES AND RISK ASSESSMENT
Citation:
Kelsch, T., R. L. Powell, K. R. Dixon, A Fairbrother, J. C. Helgen, S. J. Klaine, F L. Mayer Jr., G. A. Pascoe, J. L. Shaw, AND R. F. Theriort. WORKGROUP IV SYNOPSIS: REGULATORY ISSUES AND RISK ASSESSMENT. SETAC Pellston Workshop on Ecotoxicology and Risk Assessment for Wetlands, Fairmont Hot Springs, Anaconda, Montana, 30 July - 3 August 1995.
Description:
The discussions in this workgroup started with an identification and brief explanation of U.S. regulations pertaining to wetlands. The Framework for Ecological Risk Assessment Forum was then reviewed in relation to the unique aspects of conducting a wetland assessment. Assessment and measurement endpoints as well as the development of conceptual models for conducting ecological risk assessment were discussed. Issues surrounding exposure and effects characterization, including spatial and temporal relationships, frequency and duration of contact, direct and indirect effects, and modeling of systems, were covered. The ecological significance of the data and their interpretation were also talked about. The importance of nontoxicant stressors to wetlands and the difficulty of separating them from chemical stressors were recognized. Finally, the workgroup finished with a review of 4 regulatory programs and how the ecological risk assessment thought process can and is being used to assist in management decisions. It was concluded that the ecological risk assessment approach is data-driven and that the proper assessment depends on our ability to characterize wetland specific hydrological, biogeochemical, and biological functions as they relate to the exposure and effects of toxicants. Our limited understanding of how wetlands function and the effects of stressors on many wetland organisms make it necessary to improve and refine existing ecological risk assessment methods for use in these unique environments. Various recommendations were developed to identify and fill technical data gaps and to develop methods and models to process the data at various spatial and temporal scales.