Ecotoxicology Essentials – Environmental Contaminants and Their Biological Effects on Animals and Plants

Oxford 2016, geb. 490 Seiten, Abb. This book provides a fundamental
understanding of this area for students and professionals in ecotoxicology,
ecology, conservation, chemistry, public health, wildlife management,
fisheries, and many other disciplines. Although new chemicals and potential
problems are developed every year, a basic education is essential to address
these new challenges, and this work gives such training. Written with the
regulatory framework in mind, the material guides readers on modelling, how to
conduct assessments, and human and wildlife risk, focusing on effects on
animals rather than transport of chemicals. Simple discussions of chemistry are
complemented by coverage on the behaviour of the animal, dynamics of the
ecosystem, real-life situations like drought, and predators in the system –
i.e., the natural system versus the lab setting. The book's first section
contains chapters on the principles of contaminant toxicology including a brief
history of the science of ecotoxicology, basic principles of the science,
testing methods, and ways of determining if animals have been exposed to either
acute or chronic concentrations of contaminants. The second section deals with
the primary classes of contaminants including their chemical characteristics,
sources, uses, and effects on organisms. The third section focuses on more
complex issues such as the regulation of pollution, population and community
effects, risk assessment and modelling.