DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE-SPECIFIC LIFE-CYCLE BIOASSAY FOR ASSESSMENT OF SEDIMENT-ASSOCIATED TOXICANT EFFECTS ON BENTHIC COPEPOD PRODUCTION

摘要

In chronic bioassays of sediment organic compounds, toxicant exposures often decline through time, such that the beginning of a test yields disproportionately higher exposures than the end. Thus, those life stages initiating a test often are exposed to the highest concentrations, and for rapidly maturing fauna, this may lead to varying conclusions regarding compound toxicities depending on the initial life stage chosen. This problem can be addressed by comparative full life-cycle tests initiated with different test-organism life stages.