SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1986
STP23047S

Comparison of Estimates of Hazard Derived at Three Levels of Complexity

Source

Cadmium concentrations constituting a threat to aquatic ecosystems were predicted from data collected at two levels of biological hierarchy. A population-level estimate was derived from single-species toxicity test data, and a community-level estimate was derived from toxicity tests on protozoan communities. Estimates were compared with each other and with an ecosystem-level estimate derived from reports of ecological health and ambient cadmium levels in rivers, lakes, and streams.

Estimates of permissible acute concentrations differed by an order of magnitude. Single-species toxicity test data suggested that 42 μg Cd/L would affect 5% of taxa. The corresponding estimate from the community-level test was 459 μg Cd/L. Similar estimates of permissible chronic concentrations were not significantly different (0.82 and 0.20 μg Cd/L, single-species and community-level tests, respectively). Both estimates of permissible chronic concentrations fell within a rational range, the minimum defined by median cadmium concentrations in healthy aquatic systems (0.05 μg Cd/L) and the maximum defined by median cadmium concentrations in damaged systems (9.2 μg Cd/L).

Author Information

Niederlehner, BR
University Center for Environmental Studies, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA
Pratt, JR
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA
Buikema, AL
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA
Cairns, J
University Center for Environmental Studies, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA
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Details
Developed by Committee: D19
Pages: 30–45
DOI: 10.1520/STP23047S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-4985-4
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-0488-4