Quantitative soil ingestion studies employing a mass balance tracer approach have been used to determine soil ingestion rate for use in human health risk assessments (HHRAs). Past studies have focused on soil ingestion in populations living in urban/suburban environments and the results have been highly variable. Moreover, there is a paucity of reliable quantitative soil ingestion data to support human health risk assessments of other lifestyles that may be predisposed to ingesting soil, such as indigenous populations following traditional lifestyles. Thus, the primary objective of the research was to determine if populations following lifestyles typical of traditional land use practices in rural or wilderness areas ingest more soil than populations living in urban or suburban environments. Further, the research investigated the use of alternative mass balance tracers, specifically isotopes of the 238U and 232Th decay series, to reduce soil ingestion estimate variability. Mass balance tracer methods were developed and validated in a pilot canine study, and methods using isotope tracers were adapted to permit quantification of sediment ingestion in the benthic fish Moxostoma macrolepidotum (Shorthead Redhorse Sucker). A pilot human soil ingestion study of 7 subjects from an Aboriginal community in British Columbia was conducted over a 3-week period. The mean soil ingestion rate calculated using the daily means of the 4 elemental tracers with the lowest food-to-soil ratios (i.e., Al, Ce, La, Si) was observed to be approximately 74 mg d-1 (standard deviation 91 mg d-1), The median soil ingestion rate was 60 mg d-1, and the 90th percentile was 196 mg d-1. These soil ingestion rate estimates are higher than those currently recommended for HHRAs of adults, and higher than those obtained in most previous studies of adults. However, the estimates are much lower than the earlier qualitative assessments for subsistence lifestyles (i.e., 330-400 mg d-1). The study results also demonstrated that isotopes of the 238U and 232Th decay series radionuclide are not reliable mass balance tracers for estimating soil ingestion in humans; however, they may be useful for quantifying soil and sediment ingestion in wildlife.

The chondrichthyan (shark, batoid and holocephalan) bycatch of the Queensland East Coast Trawl Fishery (ECTF) was examined through a series of fishery-independent trawl surveys, together with fishery-dependent (opportunistic) sampling. Project aims were to document the chondrichthyan bycatch composition in order to test the effectiveness of turtle exclusion devices (TEDs) and bycatch reduction devices (BRDs), to examine biological aspects of bycatch species, and to combine data collected through these parts to assess the conservation status and sustainability of bycatch species. A total of 37 chondrichthyan species (one holocephalan, 19 batoids and 17 sharks) from 18 families were recorded in the bycatch of the fishery. The most speciose families recorded were the stingrays (Dasyatidae; 7 species), the requiem sharks (Carcharhinidae; 5 species), the catsharks (Scyliorhinidae; 4 species) and the stingarees (Urolophidae; 3 species). Chondrichthyan bycatch was highly variable between fishery sectors; catch rates were low in the tiger/Endeavour prawn sector (north Queensland; 0.02–0.12 individuals ha-1 trawled) and in the eastern king prawn (deepwater) sector (southern Queensland; 0.08 individuals ha-1 trawled), intermediate in Hervey Bay (southern Queensland; 0.25 individuals ha-1 trawled) and in the scallop sector (central Queensland coast; 0.31 individuals ha-1 trawled) and highest in the eastern king prawn (shallow water) sector (southern Queensland; 0.96 individuals ha-1 trawled). Chondrichthyan bycatch in the eastern king prawn (shallow water) sector was dominated by the three batoids Aptychotrema rostrata, Trygonoptera testacea and Urolophus kapalensis (~92% of the chondrichthyan bycatch by number), in the eastern king prawn (deepwater) sector by the skate Dipturus polyommata and the two catsharks Asymbolus rubiginosus and Figaro boardmani (~83% of the chondrichthyan bycatch by number), in the scallop sector by the three batoids A. rostrata, Neotrygon kuhlii and Neotrygon picta (~91% of the chondrichthyan bycatch by number), and in the tiger/Endeavour prawn sector by the two batoids Himantura astra and Gymnura australis and the two sharks Chiloscyllium punctatum and Hemigaleus australiensis (~67% of the chondrichthyan bycatch by number). The testing of TEDs and BRDs, which are mandatory throughout the fishery, demonstrated only a limited ability to reduce chondrichthyan bycatch in the ECTF, which is comprised mainly of relatively small species. The shorter trawl durations of the surveys compared with normal commercial activities may have under-represented larger species. No significant reductions in chondrichthyan bycatch were found using a TED and a radial escape section BRD in the eastern king prawn (shallow water) sector, using a TED and a square-mesh codend BRD in the eastern king prawn (deepwater) sector, or using a TED and a fisheye BRD in Hervey Bay. There was however, a significant difference in the probability of capturing the group ‘sharks and guitarfishes’ (comprised largely of A. rostrata) between codend types in the scallop sector, with the lowest probability of capture in nets fitted with both a TED and a square-mesh codend BRD (the difference was largely attributed to the effects of the TED). In the tiger/Endeavour prawn sector, in which three different BRDs were trialed (fisheye, square-mesh codend, square-mesh panel), the probability of capturing chondrichthyans was significantly lower in nets fitted with a fisheye BRD than in the standard (control) net, and the probability of capturing batoids was significantly lower in nets fitted with a fisheye BRD or with a square-mesh codend BRD than in the standard (control) net. The small sample size of chondrichthyan catches in some sectors may have reduced to power to detect bycatch reduction. The biology of several bycatch species from the families Rajidae, Rhinobatidae, Urolophidae and Scyliorhinidae was examined. For D. polyommata, size at birth was estimated at ~100–110 mm total length (LT), size at first feeding at ~105–110mm LT, size at 50% maturity (LT50 and 95% CI) at 321 (305–332) mm LT for females and 300 (285–306) mm LT for males. Diet (described by the index of relative importance as a percentage) was predominantly crustacean based, with carid shrimps (53.6%) and penaeoid prawns (23.3%) being the most significant prey groups. For A. rostrata, size at birth was estimated at <170 mm LT, size at 50% maturity (LT50 and 95% CI) at 640 (618–663) mm LT for females and 597 (551–649) mm LT for males, and litter size was 9–20 (n = 9; mean ± S.E. = 15.1 ± 1.2). For T. testacea, size at birth was estimated at 77–100 mm disc width (WD), size at 50% maturity (WD50 and 95% CI) at 163 (156–169) mm WD for females and 146 (140–150) mm WD for males, and litter size was always one (n = 6). For U. kapalensis, size at birth was estimated at 75–100 mm WD, size at 50% maturity (WD50 and 95% CI) at 154 (145–160) mm WD for females and 155 (149–159) mm WD for males, and litter size was always one (n = 16). The catsharks A. analis, A. rubiginosus and F. boardmani were all confirmed as single oviparous species (carrying only one egg case in each uterus at one time). Ovarian fecundity (the number of vitellogenic follicles) averaged 13.6 (range 13–20) in A. analis, 13.5 (range 5–23) in A. rubiginosus and 10.4 (range 9–13) in F. boardmani. While only limited data were available from southern Queensland, several indicators suggest that Asymbolus catsharks are reproductively active year-round. A general lack of small-sized or immature catsharks captured during the study made assessments of size at maturity difficult for these species. The conservation status of ECTF bycatch species was examined through the application of the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM Categories and Criteria, which considers extinction risk at the global level. Of the 24 ECTF chondrichthyan bycatch species evaluated against the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, four have been assessed globally as Vulnerable (a threatened category indicating that a species is ‘facing a high risk of extinction in the wild’), seven as Near Threatened, 11 as Least Concern and two as Data Deficient. While the four globally threatened species (A. nichofii, Heteroscyllium colcloughi, Rhynchobatus australiae and Urolophus sufflavus) were only minor components of the ECTF bycatch, their global conservation status warrants that fisheries management and industry should act to ensure minimal impacts on these species. An ecological risk assessment method (Susceptibility-Recovery Analysis) was used to assess the relative sustainability or risk of individual species to the fishing activities of the ECTF. Two separate approaches were taken to the technique, which considers sustainability to be dependent on the susceptibility of a species to the fishery and the recovery potential of a species after depletion by fishing activities. The first approach applied the precautionary principal when data were lacking for the calculation of recovery attributes, while the second used biological data from similar species when species-specific data were lacking. The precautionary approach tended to overestimate risk to poorly known oviparous species. The biological approach suggested that A. nichofii, F. boardmani, Rhizoprionodon acutus, Rhizoprionodon taylori and Rhynchobatus palpebratus face the least risk (i.e. were the most sustainable) while several medium-large batoids and the sharks Loxodon macrorhinus and Heteroscyllium colcloughi were the species most at risk (i.e. least sustainable). Demonstrating ecological sustainability of the ECTF will need to be a continued management objective into the future. To further improve the ecological sustainability of the fishery in relation to sharks, batoids and holocephalans, a number of management recommendations are proposed: (1) give warranted conservation consideration to listed threatened species as well as species identified as being at risk; (2) expand required logbook information on chondrichthyan species to include recording of catches of these species; (3) encourage safe release practices for all chondrichthyans to maximise survivorship of discards; (4) initiate research into the survivorship of discards; (5) ensure long-term observer coverage on commercial vessels to monitor bycatch levels; and, (6) test and quantify reduced TED bar spacings (presently 120 mm) in fishery sectors which show the highest chondrichthyan bycatch levels, that is, the eastern king prawn (shallow water) and scallop sectors.

The chondrichthyan (shark, batoid and holocephalan) bycatch of the Queensland East Coast Trawl Fishery (ECTF) was examined through a series of fishery-independent trawl surveys, together with fishery-dependent (opportunistic) sampling. Project aims were to document the chondrichthyan bycatch composition in order to test the effectiveness of turtle exclusion devices (TEDs) and bycatch reduction devices (BRDs), to examine biological aspects of bycatch species, and to combine data collected through these parts to assess the conservation status and sustainability of bycatch species. A total of 37 chondrichthyan species (one holocephalan, 19 batoids and 17 sharks) from 18 families were recorded in the bycatch of the fishery. The most speciose families recorded were the stingrays (Dasyatidae; 7 species), the requiem sharks (Carcharhinidae; 5 species), the catsharks (Scyliorhinidae; 4 species) and the stingarees (Urolophidae; 3 species). Chondrichthyan bycatch was highly variable between fishery sectors; catch rates were low in the tiger/Endeavour prawn sector (north Queensland; 0.02–0.12 individuals ha-1 trawled) and in the eastern king prawn (deepwater) sector (southern Queensland; 0.08 individuals ha-1 trawled), intermediate in Hervey Bay (southern Queensland; 0.25 individuals ha-1 trawled) and in the scallop sector (central Queensland coast; 0.31 individuals ha-1 trawled) and highest in the eastern king prawn (shallow water) sector (southern Queensland; 0.96 individuals ha-1 trawled). Chondrichthyan bycatch in the eastern king prawn (shallow water) sector was dominated by the three batoids Aptychotrema rostrata, Trygonoptera testacea and Urolophus kapalensis (~92% of the chondrichthyan bycatch by number), in the eastern king prawn (deepwater) sector by the skate Dipturus polyommata and the two catsharks Asymbolus rubiginosus and Figaro boardmani (~83% of the chondrichthyan bycatch by number), in the scallop sector by the three batoids A. rostrata, Neotrygon kuhlii and Neotrygon picta (~91% of the chondrichthyan bycatch by number), and in the tiger/Endeavour prawn sector by the two batoids Himantura astra and Gymnura australis and the two sharks Chiloscyllium punctatum and Hemigaleus australiensis (~67% of the chondrichthyan bycatch by number). The testing of TEDs and BRDs, which are mandatory throughout the fishery, demonstrated only a limited ability to reduce chondrichthyan bycatch in the ECTF, which is comprised mainly of relatively small species. The shorter trawl durations of the surveys compared with normal commercial activities may have under-represented larger species. No significant reductions in chondrichthyan bycatch were found using a TED and a radial escape section BRD in the eastern king prawn (shallow water) sector, using a TED and a square-mesh codend BRD in the eastern king prawn (deepwater) sector, or using a TED and a fisheye BRD in Hervey Bay. There was however, a significant difference in the probability of capturing the group ‘sharks and guitarfishes’ (comprised largely of A. rostrata) between codend types in the scallop sector, with the lowest probability of capture in nets fitted with both a TED and a square-mesh codend BRD (the difference was largely attributed to the effects of the TED). In the tiger/Endeavour prawn sector, in which three different BRDs were trialed (fisheye, square-mesh codend, square-mesh panel), the probability of capturing chondrichthyans was significantly lower in nets fitted with a fisheye BRD than in the standard (control) net, and the probability of capturing batoids was significantly lower in nets fitted with a fisheye BRD or with a square-mesh codend BRD than in the standard (control) net. The small sample size of chondrichthyan catches in some sectors may have reduced to power to detect bycatch reduction. The biology of several bycatch species from the families Rajidae, Rhinobatidae, Urolophidae and Scyliorhinidae was examined. For D. polyommata, size at birth was estimated at ~100–110 mm total length (LT), size at first feeding at ~105–110mm LT, size at 50% maturity (LT50 and 95% CI) at 321 (305–332) mm LT for females and 300 (285–306) mm LT for males. Diet (described by the index of relative importance as a percentage) was predominantly crustacean based, with carid shrimps (53.6%) and penaeoid prawns (23.3%) being the most significant prey groups. For A. rostrata, size at birth was estimated at <170 mm LT, size at 50% maturity (LT50 and 95% CI) at 640 (618–663) mm LT for females and 597 (551–649) mm LT for males, and litter size was 9–20 (n = 9; mean ± S.E. = 15.1 ± 1.2). For T. testacea, size at birth was estimated at 77–100 mm disc width (WD), size at 50% maturity (WD50 and 95% CI) at 163 (156–169) mm WD for females and 146 (140–150) mm WD for males, and litter size was always one (n = 6). For U. kapalensis, size at birth was estimated at 75–100 mm WD, size at 50% maturity (WD50 and 95% CI) at 154 (145–160) mm WD for females and 155 (149–159) mm WD for males, and litter size was always one (n = 16). The catsharks A. analis, A. rubiginosus and F. boardmani were all confirmed as single oviparous species (carrying only one egg case in each uterus at one time). Ovarian fecundity (the number of vitellogenic follicles) averaged 13.6 (range 13–20) in A. analis, 13.5 (range 5–23) in A. rubiginosus and 10.4 (range 9–13) in F. boardmani. While only limited data were available from southern Queensland, several indicators suggest that Asymbolus catsharks are reproductively active year-round. A general lack of small-sized or immature catsharks captured during the study made assessments of size at maturity difficult for these species. The conservation status of ECTF bycatch species was examined through the application of the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM Categories and Criteria, which considers extinction risk at the global level. Of the 24 ECTF chondrichthyan bycatch species evaluated against the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, four have been assessed globally as Vulnerable (a threatened category indicating that a species is ‘facing a high risk of extinction in the wild’), seven as Near Threatened, 11 as Least Concern and two as Data Deficient. While the four globally threatened species (A. nichofii, Heteroscyllium colcloughi, Rhynchobatus australiae and Urolophus sufflavus) were only minor components of the ECTF bycatch, their global conservation status warrants that fisheries management and industry should act to ensure minimal impacts on these species. An ecological risk assessment method (Susceptibility-Recovery Analysis) was used to assess the relative sustainability or risk of individual species to the fishing activities of the ECTF. Two separate approaches were taken to the technique, which considers sustainability to be dependent on the susceptibility of a species to the fishery and the recovery potential of a species after depletion by fishing activities. The first approach applied the precautionary principal when data were lacking for the calculation of recovery attributes, while the second used biological data from similar species when species-specific data were lacking. The precautionary approach tended to overestimate risk to poorly known oviparous species. The biological approach suggested that A. nichofii, F. boardmani, Rhizoprionodon acutus, Rhizoprionodon taylori and Rhynchobatus palpebratus face the least risk (i.e. were the most sustainable) while several medium-large batoids and the sharks Loxodon macrorhinus and Heteroscyllium colcloughi were the species most at risk (i.e. least sustainable). Demonstrating ecological sustainability of the ECTF will need to be a continued management objective into the future. To further improve the ecological sustainability of the fishery in relation to sharks, batoids and holocephalans, a number of management recommendations are proposed: (1) give warranted conservation consideration to listed threatened species as well as species identified as being at risk; (2) expand required logbook information on chondrichthyan species to include recording of catches of these species; (3) encourage safe release practices for all chondrichthyans to maximise survivorship of discards; (4) initiate research into the survivorship of discards; (5) ensure long-term observer coverage on commercial vessels to monitor bycatch levels; and, (6) test and quantify reduced TED bar spacings (presently 120 mm) in fishery sectors which show the highest chondrichthyan bycatch levels, that is, the eastern king prawn (shallow water) and scallop sectors.

The chondrichthyan (shark, batoid and holocephalan) bycatch of the Queensland East Coast Trawl Fishery (ECTF) was examined through a series of fishery-independent trawl surveys, together with fishery-dependent (opportunistic) sampling. Project aims were to document the chondrichthyan bycatch composition in order to test the effectiveness of turtle exclusion devices (TEDs) and bycatch reduction devices (BRDs), to examine biological aspects of bycatch species, and to combine data collected through these parts to assess the conservation status and sustainability of bycatch species. A total of 37 chondrichthyan species (one holocephalan, 19 batoids and 17 sharks) from 18 families were recorded in the bycatch of the fishery. The most speciose families recorded were the stingrays (Dasyatidae; 7 species), the requiem sharks (Carcharhinidae; 5 species), the catsharks (Scyliorhinidae; 4 species) and the stingarees (Urolophidae; 3 species). Chondrichthyan bycatch was highly variable between fishery sectors; catch rates were low in the tiger/Endeavour prawn sector (north Queensland; 0.02–0.12 individuals ha-1 trawled) and in the eastern king prawn (deepwater) sector (southern Queensland; 0.08 individuals ha-1 trawled), intermediate in Hervey Bay (southern Queensland; 0.25 individuals ha-1 trawled) and in the scallop sector (central Queensland coast; 0.31 individuals ha-1 trawled) and highest in the eastern king prawn (shallow water) sector (southern Queensland; 0.96 individuals ha-1 trawled). Chondrichthyan bycatch in the eastern king prawn (shallow water) sector was dominated by the three batoids Aptychotrema rostrata, Trygonoptera testacea and Urolophus kapalensis (~92% of the chondrichthyan bycatch by number), in the eastern king prawn (deepwater) sector by the skate Dipturus polyommata and the two catsharks Asymbolus rubiginosus and Figaro boardmani (~83% of the chondrichthyan bycatch by number), in the scallop sector by the three batoids A. rostrata, Neotrygon kuhlii and Neotrygon picta (~91% of the chondrichthyan bycatch by number), and in the tiger/Endeavour prawn sector by the two batoids Himantura astra and Gymnura australis and the two sharks Chiloscyllium punctatum and Hemigaleus australiensis (~67% of the chondrichthyan bycatch by number). The testing of TEDs and BRDs, which are mandatory throughout the fishery, demonstrated only a limited ability to reduce chondrichthyan bycatch in the ECTF, which is comprised mainly of relatively small species. The shorter trawl durations of the surveys compared with normal commercial activities may have under-represented larger species. No significant reductions in chondrichthyan bycatch were found using a TED and a radial escape section BRD in the eastern king prawn (shallow water) sector, using a TED and a square-mesh codend BRD in the eastern king prawn (deepwater) sector, or using a TED and a fisheye BRD in Hervey Bay. There was however, a significant difference in the probability of capturing the group ‘sharks and guitarfishes’ (comprised largely of A. rostrata) between codend types in the scallop sector, with the lowest probability of capture in nets fitted with both a TED and a square-mesh codend BRD (the difference was largely attributed to the effects of the TED). In the tiger/Endeavour prawn sector, in which three different BRDs were trialed (fisheye, square-mesh codend, square-mesh panel), the probability of capturing chondrichthyans was significantly lower in nets fitted with a fisheye BRD than in the standard (control) net, and the probability of capturing batoids was significantly lower in nets fitted with a fisheye BRD or with a square-mesh codend BRD than in the standard (control) net. The small sample size of chondrichthyan catches in some sectors may have reduced to power to detect bycatch reduction. The biology of several bycatch species from the families Rajidae, Rhinobatidae, Urolophidae and Scyliorhinidae was examined. For D. polyommata, size at birth was estimated at ~100–110 mm total length (LT), size at first feeding at ~105–110mm LT, size at 50% maturity (LT50 and 95% CI) at 321 (305–332) mm LT for females and 300 (285–306) mm LT for males. Diet (described by the index of relative importance as a percentage) was predominantly crustacean based, with carid shrimps (53.6%) and penaeoid prawns (23.3%) being the most significant prey groups. For A. rostrata, size at birth was estimated at <170 mm LT, size at 50% maturity (LT50 and 95% CI) at 640 (618–663) mm LT for females and 597 (551–649) mm LT for males, and litter size was 9–20 (n = 9; mean ± S.E. = 15.1 ± 1.2). For T. testacea, size at birth was estimated at 77–100 mm disc width (WD), size at 50% maturity (WD50 and 95% CI) at 163 (156–169) mm WD for females and 146 (140–150) mm WD for males, and litter size was always one (n = 6). For U. kapalensis, size at birth was estimated at 75–100 mm WD, size at 50% maturity (WD50 and 95% CI) at 154 (145–160) mm WD for females and 155 (149–159) mm WD for males, and litter size was always one (n = 16). The catsharks A. analis, A. rubiginosus and F. boardmani were all confirmed as single oviparous species (carrying only one egg case in each uterus at one time). Ovarian fecundity (the number of vitellogenic follicles) averaged 13.6 (range 13–20) in A. analis, 13.5 (range 5–23) in A. rubiginosus and 10.4 (range 9–13) in F. boardmani. While only limited data were available from southern Queensland, several indicators suggest that Asymbolus catsharks are reproductively active year-round. A general lack of small-sized or immature catsharks captured during the study made assessments of size at maturity difficult for these species. The conservation status of ECTF bycatch species was examined through the application of the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM Categories and Criteria, which considers extinction risk at the global level. Of the 24 ECTF chondrichthyan bycatch species evaluated against the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, four have been assessed globally as Vulnerable (a threatened category indicating that a species is ‘facing a high risk of extinction in the wild’), seven as Near Threatened, 11 as Least Concern and two as Data Deficient. While the four globally threatened species (A. nichofii, Heteroscyllium colcloughi, Rhynchobatus australiae and Urolophus sufflavus) were only minor components of the ECTF bycatch, their global conservation status warrants that fisheries management and industry should act to ensure minimal impacts on these species. An ecological risk assessment method (Susceptibility-Recovery Analysis) was used to assess the relative sustainability or risk of individual species to the fishing activities of the ECTF. Two separate approaches were taken to the technique, which considers sustainability to be dependent on the susceptibility of a species to the fishery and the recovery potential of a species after depletion by fishing activities. The first approach applied the precautionary principal when data were lacking for the calculation of recovery attributes, while the second used biological data from similar species when species-specific data were lacking. The precautionary approach tended to overestimate risk to poorly known oviparous species. The biological approach suggested that A. nichofii, F. boardmani, Rhizoprionodon acutus, Rhizoprionodon taylori and Rhynchobatus palpebratus face the least risk (i.e. were the most sustainable) while several medium-large batoids and the sharks Loxodon macrorhinus and Heteroscyllium colcloughi were the species most at risk (i.e. least sustainable). Demonstrating ecological sustainability of the ECTF will need to be a continued management objective into the future. To further improve the ecological sustainability of the fishery in relation to sharks, batoids and holocephalans, a number of management recommendations are proposed: (1) give warranted conservation consideration to listed threatened species as well as species identified as being at risk; (2) expand required logbook information on chondrichthyan species to include recording of catches of these species; (3) encourage safe release practices for all chondrichthyans to maximise survivorship of discards; (4) initiate research into the survivorship of discards; (5) ensure long-term observer coverage on commercial vessels to monitor bycatch levels; and, (6) test and quantify reduced TED bar spacings (presently 120 mm) in fishery sectors which show the highest chondrichthyan bycatch levels, that is, the eastern king prawn (shallow water) and scallop sectors.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 169-183).

Thesis (Ph. D. (Zoology and Entomology))--Rhodes University, 2006.

Thesis (M.S.)--Baylor University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-76).

A contribuição deste trabalho é apresentar uma metodologia de avaliação de risco ecológico do ambiente aquático utilizando-se dados provenientes de programas de monitoramento ambiental. O estudo tem como cenário um trecho do Rio Jacuí, município de São Jerônimo – RS, Brasil, que foi avaliado através da aplicação de um programa de monitoramento ambiental. Consideraram-se como variável explicativa deste estudo, as evidências registradas nos compartimentos abióticos, água superficial e sedimento. As evidências químicas foram decorrentes da presença dos metais Hg, Pb e Zn e as evidências ecotoxicológicas de ensaios de toxicidade aquática com Ceriodaphinia dubia para água superficial e Hyalella azteca para sedimento. Consideraram-se como variáveis respostas as evidências biológicas compostas pelos dados de riqueza, índice de Shannon-Weaver, equitatividade e densidade numérica das espécies das comunidades zooplantônica e bentônica. O risco ecológico (Baixo, Médio e Alto) foi caracterizado pela associação à qualidade ambiental (Ótima, Alerta e Crítica), respectivamente, estabelecida pelas evidências registradas. Os resultados permitem considerar que é possível o uso de programas de monitoramento ambiental para avaliação de risco ecológico, se contiverem, além dos dados químicos e ecotoxicológicos exigidos pela legislação ambiental, dados do monitoramento da biota residente. / The contribution of this work is to present a methodology for ecological risk assessment in an aquatic environment using data derived from environmental monitoring programs. The location focused by this study was a segment of the Jacuí River, in the town of São Jerônimo – RS, Brazil, which was assessed by applying an environmental monitoring program. The evidence recorded from the abiotic compartments surface water and sediments was considered an explanatory variable. The chemical evidence stemmed from the presence of Hg, Pb and Zn, while the ecotoxicological evidence resulted from aquatic toxicity tests using Ceriodaphinia dubia for surface water and Hyalella azteca for sediments. The biological evidence from the Shannon-Weaver index, species richness, equitability and numerical density data in zooplanktonic and benthonic communities was considered the response variable. The ecological risk (Low, Medium, and High) was characterized by the association with environmental quality (Great, Warning, and Critical), established by the evidence recorded. The results have shown that it is possible to use environmental monitoring programs to evaluate of ecological risk assessment, if they have chemical and ecotoxicological data required by environmental laws, and monitoring data of resident biota.

In ecological risk assessment, mechanistic effect models (MEMs) are thought to overcome the limitation of standard laboratory single species test by accurately extrapolating the models to population-level. This review introduces the basic theory of MEMs-dynamic energy budget theory which can connect with toxicokinetic/ toxicodynamic models to describe the interaction of toxicants and organisms. This review summarizes some typical MEMs which simulate different scenarios, pesticides and species, and compared their modelling performance according to the guidance on good effect models of European Food Safety Authority, in order to judge if it is accounting for all modelling steps. In addition, a summary of the linkage of MEMs in pesticides ecological risk assessment have been discussed, especially evaluating the linkage results of ‘MODELINK’ workshop. However, there is no genuine application of MEMs in pesticides ecological risk assessment in real world today, because there is no validated model built with acceptable predictive power to motivate the ecological assessors or shareholders to use effect models confidently. Therefore, there is still a long way to develop an effect model which is valid enough and has strong prediction power.

A contribuição deste trabalho é apresentar uma metodologia de avaliação de risco ecológico do ambiente aquático utilizando-se dados provenientes de programas de monitoramento ambiental. O estudo tem como cenário um trecho do Rio Jacuí, município de São Jerônimo – RS, Brasil, que foi avaliado através da aplicação de um programa de monitoramento ambiental. Consideraram-se como variável explicativa deste estudo, as evidências registradas nos compartimentos abióticos, água superficial e sedimento. As evidências químicas foram decorrentes da presença dos metais Hg, Pb e Zn e as evidências ecotoxicológicas de ensaios de toxicidade aquática com Ceriodaphinia dubia para água superficial e Hyalella azteca para sedimento. Consideraram-se como variáveis respostas as evidências biológicas compostas pelos dados de riqueza, índice de Shannon-Weaver, equitatividade e densidade numérica das espécies das comunidades zooplantônica e bentônica. O risco ecológico (Baixo, Médio e Alto) foi caracterizado pela associação à qualidade ambiental (Ótima, Alerta e Crítica), respectivamente, estabelecida pelas evidências registradas. Os resultados permitem considerar que é possível o uso de programas de monitoramento ambiental para avaliação de risco ecológico, se contiverem, além dos dados químicos e ecotoxicológicos exigidos pela legislação ambiental, dados do monitoramento da biota residente. / The contribution of this work is to present a methodology for ecological risk assessment in an aquatic environment using data derived from environmental monitoring programs. The location focused by this study was a segment of the Jacuí River, in the town of São Jerônimo – RS, Brazil, which was assessed by applying an environmental monitoring program. The evidence recorded from the abiotic compartments surface water and sediments was considered an explanatory variable. The chemical evidence stemmed from the presence of Hg, Pb and Zn, while the ecotoxicological evidence resulted from aquatic toxicity tests using Ceriodaphinia dubia for surface water and Hyalella azteca for sediments. The biological evidence from the Shannon-Weaver index, species richness, equitability and numerical density data in zooplanktonic and benthonic communities was considered the response variable. The ecological risk (Low, Medium, and High) was characterized by the association with environmental quality (Great, Warning, and Critical), established by the evidence recorded. The results have shown that it is possible to use environmental monitoring programs to evaluate of ecological risk assessment, if they have chemical and ecotoxicological data required by environmental laws, and monitoring data of resident biota.