EcoBox by the EPA: A Comprehensive Toolkit for Ecological Risk Evaluators
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers a wealth of resources for ecological risk assessment, a process used to evaluate the potential impact of environmental stressors on the environment. One of these resources is the EPA Ecological Risk Assessment Toolbox (EPA EcoBox), a collection of tools designed to aid in assessing ecological risk.
EPA EcoBox is organised around six topic areas of interest to ecological risk assessors: Planning and Problem Formulation, Analysis, Risk Characterization, Tools, Stressors, Receptors, and Exposure Pathways.
In the Problem Formulation phase, assessors identify assessment endpoints, ecological values, and potential stressors. This phase is crucial as it sets the foundation for the entire assessment. The EPA provides resources such as the Ecological Guidelines, the Ecological Risk Assessment Support Center (ERASC), and the Causal Analysis (CADDIS) to support this stage.
The Analysis phase involves characterising exposure and ecological effects using data and models. Resources like the Generic Ecological Assessment Endpoints (GEAE) for Ecological Risk Assessment, 2nd Edition (2016), the Wildlife Exposure Factors Handbook, and the Ecosystem Services Ecological Risk Assessment Endpoints Guidelines Document are available to assist in this phase.
The Risk Characterization phase integrates exposure and effects information to estimate risk levels. The Watershed Academy and the EPA EcoBox itself are valuable resources during this stage.
EPA EcoBox provides links to guidance documents, databases, models, reference materials, and other related resources. It also offers a search feature to find the latest links and resources by topic, making it easier for assessors to navigate the wealth of information available.
In an ecological risk assessment, stressors can be chemical, biological, or physical entities that have the potential to cause adverse ecological effects. These may include pollutants, habitat alteration, or invasive species. Receptors are the organisms or ecological entities (populations, communities, ecosystems) potentially affected by these stressors.
Exposure pathways are the routes through which receptors come into contact with stressors. These can include direct contact, ingestion, inhalation, or habitat exposure. Exposure Factors are specific factors that determine the extent and manner of contact between a stressor and a receptor, such as organism behavior, duration and frequency of exposure, and environmental conditions.
Effects in ecological risk assessment refer to the adverse outcomes on ecological receptors, ranging from biochemical changes to population declines or community shifts. Terrestrial effects are the changes in terrestrial biota, endangered species, ecosystems, and habitats that may occur due to exposure to stressors on land, while aquatic effects are the changes in aquatic biota, endangered species, ecosystems, and habitats that may occur due to exposure to stressors in water bodies.
The components of an ecological risk assessment collectively structure the process by identifying what is at risk, how it is exposed to stressors, and what adverse outcomes may result, allowing for risk-based environmental decision making.
In summary, the EPA's Ecological Risk Assessment Toolbox (EPA EcoBox) is a valuable resource for ecological risk assessors. It defines key components of an Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) and provides a wealth of resources to support each phase of the process. By using EPA EcoBox, assessors can make informed decisions about the potential risks to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and take steps to mitigate those risks.
- The EPA's Ecological Risk Assessment Toolbox (EPA EcoBox) categorizes resources under six topic areas, including Tools, which house useful resources like the Generic Ecological Assessment Endpoints (GEAE) for Ecological Risk Assessment.
- In the Risk Characterization phase, resources such as the Watershed Academy and the EPA EcoBox itself are invaluable for integrating exposure and effects information to estimate risk levels.
- Stressors in an ecological risk assessment can include chemical substances, leading to the need for resources like the Ecological Guidelines to support the Problem Formulation stage.
- Exposure Factors, such as organism behavior and environmental conditions, determine the extent and manner of contact between a stressor and a receptor, underlining the importance of resources like the Wildlife Exposure Factors Handbook in the Analysis phase.
