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Biological Indicators of  Contaminant Impact

Biological Indicators of  Contaminant Impact

Abstract

This project utilizes data derived from the NS&T Bioeffects program or other sources for the development and evaluation of environmental indicators and diagnostic tools as operational monitoring parameters, measures of biological fitness, and benchmarks for assessing and predicting impacts of ecological response to human and natural stressors on living resources. Expected outcomes include refinement of sediment quality guidelines and biological indicators for assessment and monitoring, e.g., sediment toxicity, biotic integrity, hypoxic responses, coral reef health, etc. under different scenarios. The utility of the development work is to provide information to regulatory agencies and local stakeholders on how to prioritize and monitor cleanup efforts in contaminated areas and as a predictive tool to guide restrictions on releases and watershed land use activities that lead to degraded coastal habitats. This is an integral component of the Bioeffects Assessment Program.

Objectives

One of the objectives of NS&T Bioeffects research is to assess the degree and spatial extent of habitat and biological resources that are impacted by chemical contamination. The physical and chemical features of habitats hinder our ability to subset them into statistically repeatable units and establish reference sites and test sites for the purpose of assessing the effects of contaminants on biological resources. This is particularly true in estuaries, one of the most variable and dynamic habitats. The objectives of the indicator project are to 1) employ multivariate statistical techniques to explore relationships between contaminant, toxicological and biological data to produce analysis routines that identify patterns and relationships between the three types of data, 2) identify factors which bias interpretation of the data, 3) evaluate the efficacy of ecological indicators and concordance of toxicological tests with observed chemical contamination.

Time Frame

Ongoing.

For More Information

Project Manager:
Ian.Hartwell@noaa.gov
1305 East West Highway
SSMC-IV, N/SCI-1
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-713-3028 x137