Research Product

Microcosms or model ecosystems are discussed for their potential in studying ecosystem structure and function in laboratory systems and for their application to chemical risk assessment. The microcosm approach is reviewed and several operational criteria are suggested as means of narrowing the scope of the approach. Examples and information on component analysis, system design and field validation of microcosms are provided to emphasize the advantages and disadvantages of certain model ecosystem studies. The role of microcosm studies in performing effects assessment and exposure concentration estimations is also explored with an effort to distinguish those laboratory systems which generate information for the purposes of screening chemicals as opposed to direct extrapolation to natural environmental situations.