A STANDARDIZED TRI-TROPHIC SMALL-SCALE SYSTEM (TriCosm) FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF STRESSOR INDUCED EFFECTS ON AQUATIC COMMUNITY DYNAMICS

TY - JOUR

T1 - A STANDARDIZED TRI-TROPHIC SMALL-SCALE SYSTEM (TriCosm) FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF STRESSOR INDUCED EFFECTS ON AQUATIC COMMUNITY DYNAMICS

AU - Riedl, Verena

AU - Agatz, Annika

AU - Benstead, Rachel

AU - Ashauer, Roman

N1 - This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details

PY - 2018/4

Y1 - 2018/4

N2 - Chemical impacts on the environment are routinely assessed in single-species tests. They are employed to measure direct effects on non-target organisms but indirect effects on ecological interactions can only be detected in multi-species tests. Micro- and mesocosms are more complex and environmentally realistic, yet, they are less frequently used for environmental risk assessment because resource demand is high while repeatability and statistical power are often low. Test systems fulfilling regulatory needs (i.e. standardization, repeatability and replication) and the assessment of impacts on species interactions and indirect effects are lacking. Here we describe the development of the TriCosm, a repeatable aquatic multi-species test with three trophic levels and increased statistical power. High repeatability of community dynamics of three interacting aquatic populations (algae, Ceriodaphnia, Hydra) was found with an average coefficient of variation of 19.5% and the ability to determine small effect sizes. The TriCosm combines benefits of both single-species tests (fulfillment of regulatory requirements) and complex multi-species tests (ecological relevance) and can be used, for instance at an intermediate tier in environmental risk assessment. Furthermore, comparatively quickly generated population and community toxicity data can be useful for the development and testing of mechanistic effect models. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

AB - Chemical impacts on the environment are routinely assessed in single-species tests. They are employed to measure direct effects on non-target organisms but indirect effects on ecological interactions can only be detected in multi-species tests. Micro- and mesocosms are more complex and environmentally realistic, yet, they are less frequently used for environmental risk assessment because resource demand is high while repeatability and statistical power are often low. Test systems fulfilling regulatory needs (i.e. standardization, repeatability and replication) and the assessment of impacts on species interactions and indirect effects are lacking. Here we describe the development of the TriCosm, a repeatable aquatic multi-species test with three trophic levels and increased statistical power. High repeatability of community dynamics of three interacting aquatic populations (algae, Ceriodaphnia, Hydra) was found with an average coefficient of variation of 19.5% and the ability to determine small effect sizes. The TriCosm combines benefits of both single-species tests (fulfillment of regulatory requirements) and complex multi-species tests (ecological relevance) and can be used, for instance at an intermediate tier in environmental risk assessment. Furthermore, comparatively quickly generated population and community toxicity data can be useful for the development and testing of mechanistic effect models. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

KW - Journal Article

KW - Multispecies testing

KW - Population-level effect

KW - Aquatic microcosm

KW - Aquatic invertebrate

KW - Food chain

KW - Ecological risk assessment

KW - Reproducibility of Results

KW - Risk Assessment

KW - Reference Standards

KW - Animals

KW - Ecosystem

KW - Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity

KW - Aquatic Organisms/drug effects

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044582407&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/etc.4032

DO - 10.1002/etc.4032

M3 - Article

C2 - 29115695

VL - 37

SP - 1051

EP - 1060

JO - Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

JF - Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

SN - 1552-8618

IS - 4

M1 - 10.1002/etc.4032

ER -