Publication Abstract

Contaminants in marine ecosystems: developing an integrated indicator framework using biological effects techniques

John E. Thain*, A. Dick Vethaak and Ketil Hylland

Input of contaminants is an important pressure in most urbanised coastal areas, but it has been challenging to establish appropriate indicators for their presence and effects. Such indicators would, at the very least, have to integrate chemical and biological data. One of the difficulties has arisen because the measurements only provide information on some levels of the ecosystem, e.g. at population, community, individual, tissue, sub-cellular or gene level of organisation, and it is not obvious how this information could be conceptually linked.  In addition, there are complicating factors such as the differing ecological relevance of measurements, natural variation, confounding factors and knowledge of background level or responses for each method. The challenge on how to take these issues forward is discussed in conjunction with current thinking from a scientific viewpoint and for meeting international obligations.  In the first instance there is a need to develop an integrated approach to using biological effects techniques with chemical measurements and secondly, a requirement to have assessment tools.  Proposals for both of these have been initiated through ICES and OSPAR working groups and workshops.  Concomitantly there have also been initiatives to develop integrated assessment tools on a national basis, and these show promise but highlight the difficulties of using biological effects measures as indicators of ecosystem health.

Reference

John E. Thain*, A. Dick Vethaak and Ketil Hylland (2008) Contaminants in marine ecosystems: developing an integrated indicator framework using biological effects techniques. ICES Journal of Marine Science 65(8):1508-1514

http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/fsn120