Assessing Ecological Risk: Methodologies and Approaches for Biodiversity Loss Evaluation

Phases Of Ecological Risk Assessment

A comprehensive ERA typically follows a four-phase approach:

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  Problem Formulation: This initial phase defines the scope of the assessment. It involves identifying the potential stressors (e.g., pollutants, habitat destruction), the ecological resources of concern (e.g., endangered species, sensitive habitats), and the assessment endpoints (measurable indicators of ecological health).

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  Exposure Assessment: This phase focuses on determining the likelihood and extent of exposure of ecological receptors to the identified stressors. Factors like environmental fate and transport of pollutants, habitat use patterns of species, and potential co-occurrence with stressors are considered.

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  Effects Assessment: This phase evaluates the potential effects of the stressors on the identified ecological receptors. It involves toxicity data, field studies, and ecological modelling to predict the magnitude and severity of harm.

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  Risk Characterization: The final phase integrates the findings from the previous phases. It involves characterizing the overall ecological risk by combining the likelihood and severity of potential effects. Risk communication is crucial at this stage, clearly presenting the findings to stakeholders and decision-makers.

Table 1 provide the phase wise approach in the environment risk assessment.