Ecotoxicology: Ecological Fundamentals, Chemical Exposure, and Biological Effects

About this book

This practical book focuses on toxicity and the effects of toxic substances on ecosystems - including the scientific problem of assessing the effects of toxicity. It provides comprehensive coverage of all important aspects of ecotoxicology - from ecological fundamentals and the effects of chemicals in the environment to risk assessment issues and ecotoxicological test systems.

Contents

Partial table of contents:; HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION AND ECOLOGICAL FUNDAMENTALS.; Ecotoxicological Research--Historical Development and Perspectives (S. Jorgensen).; Sensitivity of Ecosystems and Ecotones (O. Franzle).; Community Ecology and Population Interactions in Freshwater Systems (B. Streit).; CHEMICALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT.; Speciation of Chemical Elements in the Environment (R. Wilken).; Abiotic Transformation Reactions (E. Weber).; Ecochemistry of Toxaphene (M Coelhan & H. Parlar).; BIOACCUMULATION AND BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CHEMICALS.; Bioaccumulation of Chemicals by Aquatic Organisms (D. Connell).; Process--Oriented Descriptions of Toxic Effects (S. Kooijman).; Effects of Pollutants on Soil Invertebrates: Links between Levels (J. Weeks).; CONTRIBUTIONS TO AN ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT.; Current and Future Test Strategies in Terrestrial Ecotoxicology (R. Debus).; Legislative Perspective in Ecological Risk Assessment (J. Ahlers & R. Diderich).; Index.

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Biography

GERRIT SCHUURMANN, PhD, is Head of the Department of Chemical Ecotoxicology at the UFZ Centre for Environmental Research in Leipzig and Honorary Professor at the University of Leipzig, Germany. His research interests include the exposure, transformation, bioaccumulation and ecotoxicological profile of xenobiotics in aquatic and terrestrial environments, prediction of physicochemical properties and molecular reactivity of compounds, structure--activity relationships and modes of chemical toxicity, and methods for the hazard and risk assessment of chemicals. BERND A. MARKERT, PhD, is Professor of Environmental High Technology and Director of the International Graduate School (IHI) in Zittau, Germany. His professional interests include the biochemistry of trace substances in the water/soil/plant system, instrumental analysis of chemical elements, eco-- and human--toxicological aspects of hazardous substances, pollution control by use of bioindicators and technologies for waste management, environmental restoration, and remedial action on soils.