ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book brings together the knowledge and experience of a number of specialists currently engaged in various areas of microscale aquatic toxicity testing, covering a wide range of organisms. As such, it is directly useful to those with a scientific interest in one of the most exciting research areas of aquatic toxicology, to resource and environmental managers with the mandate to monitor and protect aquatic environments, and to graduate students and new practitioners of aquatic toxicology. While quantitative and mechanistic ecotoxicology have traditionally been partners working in isolation, recent advances in biotechnology and small-scale techniques have resulted in a new generation of highly specific bioassays capable of providing first-hand information of cause-effect relationships. In terms of environmental protection, microscale aquatic toxicity tests have become a principal component of monitoring, assessment, regulatory testing, and site remediation tasks.
