Wildlife toxicity extrapolations: Allometry versus physiologically-based toxicokinetics
- Ecological Planning and Toxicology Inc., Corvallis, OR (United States)
- Univ. of Utrecht (Netherlands). Research Inst. of Toxicology
Ecotoxicological assessments must rely on the extrapolation of toxicity data from a few indicator species to many species of concern. Data are available from laboratory studies (e.g., quail, mallards, rainbow trout, fathead minnow) and some planned or serendipitous field studies of a broader, but by no means comprehensive, suite of species. Yet all ecological risk assessments begin with an estimate of risk based on information gleaned from the literature. The authors are then confronted with the necessity of extrapolating toxicity information from a limited number of indicator species to all organisms of interest. This is a particularly acute problem when trying to estimate hazards to wildlife in terrestrial systems as there is an extreme paucity of data for most chemicals in all but a handful of species. The question arises of how interspecific extrapolations should be made. Should extrapolations be limited to animals within the same class, order, family or genus? Alteratively, should extrapolations be made along trophic levels or physiologic similarities rather than by taxonomic classification? In other words, is an avian carnivore more like a mammalian carnivore or an avian granivore in its response to a toxic substance? Can general rules be set or does the type of extrapolation depend upon the class of chemical and its mode of uptake and toxicologic effect?
- OSTI ID:
- 212012
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137-; ISBN 1-880611-03-1; TRN: IM9617%%328
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) world conference, Vancouver (Canada), 5-9 Nov 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Second SETAC world congress (16. annual meeting): Abstract book. Global environmental protection: Science, politics, and common sense; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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