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Contaminant-driven habitat fragmentation: Should ecological risk assessments include avoidance and recolonisation testing?

Abstract:

Traditional ecotoxicity testing neglects possible contaminant-driven emigration, thus potentially underestimating ecological risks. A literature survey indicates several aquatic organisms may move away from contaminant-disturbed habitats, even before suffering toxicological effects. If spatial avoidance only occurs at partially lethal contaminant concentrations, coupled effects increase the population immediate extinction probability. Methodologies and a conceptual framework are already available to easily estimate contaminant-driven emigration and recolonisation patterns. We recommend contaminants be regarded not only as poisons, but also as repellents, and that avoidance and recolonisation testing be included in ecological risk assessments.