Linking freshwater ecotoxicity to damage on ecosystem services in life cycle assessment

Oginah, Susan A; Posthuma, Leo; Maltby, Lorraine; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky; Fantke, Peter

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2022.107705

Cited by 15 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 91 publications

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“…Robust split results improve the fit of the models to the data and, therefore, the interpretation of SSDs in the discussed uses. The relevance for decision support may potentially be further increased when a split would consider different service-providing units (SPUs), a concept used in the context of ecosystem services research . This is because it is key not only to protect and restore biodiversity in terms of structural characteristics of ecosystems (the present use) but also in terms of functional characteristics and provided services. , Assessments that would consider ecological information, such as functional groups or trait characteristics, may help to identify the SPU and ecosystem services that are both valuable and potentially impacted.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Specific calibration work can now be undertaken to quantify the Potentially Disappearing Fraction (PDF) of species due to chemical exposure, given the possibility of quantifying impacts in terms of PAF from the split SSDs. PDF is a biodiversity damage metric used in LCIA for all impact categories related to ecosystem quality. , …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…PDF is a biodiversity damage metric used in LCIA for all impact categories related to ecosystem quality. 34,35 In general, the decision-support uses of SSDs will be conceptually improved and numerically altered with split SSDs, provided that those are robust. This holds for data sets, model choices, or SSD-based output metrics that differ from the data, model, and metrics used in the present paper.…”

Section: Environmentalmentioning

confidence: 99%

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To Split or Not to Split: Characterizing Chemical Pollution Impacts in Aquatic Ecosystems with Species Sensitivity Distributions for Specific Taxonomic Groups

Oginah,

Posthuma,

Hauschild

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Bridging applied ecology and ecotoxicology is key to protect ecosystems. These disciplines show a mismatch, especially when evaluating pressures. Contrasting to applied ecology, ecotoxicological impacts are often characterized for whole species assemblages based on Species Sensitivity Distributions (SSDs). SSDs are statistical models describing per chemical across-species sensitivity variation based on laboratory toxicity tests. To assist in the aligning of the disciplines and improve decision-support uses of SSDs, we investigate taxonomic-groupspecific SSDs for algae/cyanobacteria/aquatic plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates for 180 chemicals with sufficient test data. We show that splitting improves pollution impact assessments for chemicals with a specific mode of action and, surprisingly, for narcotic chemicals. We provide a framework for splitting SSDs that can be applied to serve in environmental protection, life cycle assessment, and management of freshwater ecosystems. We illustrate that using split SSDs has potentially large implications for the decisionsupport of SSD-based outputs around the globe.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Environmentalmentioning

confidence: 99%

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To Split or Not to Split: Characterizing Chemical Pollution Impacts in Aquatic Ecosystems with Species Sensitivity Distributions for Specific Taxonomic Groups

Oginah,

Posthuma,

Hauschild

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Such loss can be translated into broader alteration of ecosystem function and effects on important ecosystem services such as nutrient recycling, carbon sequestration, and many others. In developing trait-based approaches to monitor chemical impacts on ecosystems, basic challenges include which traits are most relevant for ecosystem function and what metrics can be used to characterize alterations in those traits. , Indicators for functional diversity include measures of functional redundancy (i.e., analogous traits in different species of an ecosystem that contribute to the same ecosystem function), and direct field-based measurements of ecosystem functions are frequently used to characterize changes in ecosystem traits. For example, oxygen concentrations can be monitored to approximate respiration rates in rivers and streams, while leaf-litter breakdown rates and microbial activity can be monitored to assess functional integrity of streams based on how leaves are processed by stream communities .…”

Section: The Need For Computational Methods To Assess Chemical Impact...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Harnessing Computational Methods to Characterize Chemical Impacts on Biodiversity

Kosnik,

Schuwirth,

Rico

2024

Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett.

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Chemical pollution can threaten biodiversity at different levels, from genetically diverse populations (genetic diversity) to different species (species diversity) and ecosystem traits/interactions (functional diversity). Most assessments of chemical impacts on different biodiversity levels depend on wet lab and field experiments, including sequencing large numbers of organisms, environmental DNA approaches, single chemical−species− outcome toxicity tests, and trait-based methods. However, it is impossible to assess all chemicals, species, populations, and ecosystems using these methods. Therefore, we advocate that computational methods are necessary to characterize, quantify, and predict chemical impacts on biodiversity. We briefly introduce the current state of research into chemical impacts on genetic diversity, species diversity, and functional diversity and describe new opportunities for computational methods like data integration, machine learning, cross-species/cross-ecosystem extrapolation, adverse outcome pathways, and Bayesian methods to support research in these three areas. By harnessing data and methods currently at our disposal and preparing methods to take advantage of continuously emerging data sets, computational approaches can be paired with environmental monitoring so different levels of biological organization can serve as consecutive warning signs for chemical impacts on biodiversity. This will enable effective ecosystem protection measures to be better developed and implemented to prevent biodiversity loss from chemical pollution.

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“…A lack of CFs for a certain type of pressure or impact means that this impact cannot be considered. As of today, many impacts of the main anthropogenic biodiversity threats can be assessed in LCA, for example, land use, pollution (ecotoxicity), or climate change. , However, an LCIA methodology to quantify impacts of invasive alien species is yet to be developed. − So far, only one LCIA case study for the introduction of alien species into freshwater systems through inland shipping in the Rhine and Danube Rivers is published . This in turn means that although transportation is a fundamental part of any attempt aiming to holistically assess the environmental consequences within LCA of, for instance, a product, impacts caused by invasive alien species cannot be accounted for.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Is the Impact of Accidentally Transporting Terrestrial Alien Species? A New Life Cycle Impact Assessment Model

Borgelt,

Dorber,

Géron

et al. 2024

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Alien species form one of the main threats to global biodiversity. Although Life Cycle Assessment attempts to holistically assess environmental impacts of products and services across value chains, ecological impacts of the introduction of alien species are so far not assessed in Life Cycle Impact Assessment. Here, we developed country-to-country-specific characterization factors, expressed as the time-integrated potentially disappeared fraction (PDF; regional and global) of native terrestrial species due to alien species introductions per unit of goods transported [kg] between two countries. The characterization factors were generated by analyzing global data on first records of alien species, native species distributions, and their threat status, as well as bilateral trade partnerships from 1870–2019. The resulting characterization factors vary over several orders of magnitude, indicating that impact greatly varies per transportation route and trading partner. We showcase the applicability and relevance of the characterization factors for transporting 1 metric ton of freight to France from China, South Africa, and Madagascar. The results suggest that the introduction of alien species can be more damaging for terrestrial biodiversity as climate change impacts during the international transport of commodities.

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Linking freshwater ecotoxicity to damage on ecosystem services in life cycle assessment

Cited by 15 publications

References 91 publications

To Split or Not to Split: Characterizing Chemical Pollution Impacts in Aquatic Ecosystems with Species Sensitivity Distributions for Specific Taxonomic Groups

To Split or Not to Split: Characterizing Chemical Pollution Impacts in Aquatic Ecosystems with Species Sensitivity Distributions for Specific Taxonomic Groups

Harnessing Computational Methods to Characterize Chemical Impacts on Biodiversity

What Is the Impact of Accidentally Transporting Terrestrial Alien Species? A New Life Cycle Impact Assessment Model

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