ABSTRACT
In society, rich in regulatory initiatives and environmental awareness, assessment of the ecological health of aquatic systems can serve many purposes. Based on the goals and nature of the effort, assessments can take the form of a chemical-specific hazard assessment or can have a more ecological emphasis and be termed an ecological risk assessment. Activities that trigger the need for aquatic assessments are diverse. Often assessments are associated with effluent discharge effects, cleanup and remediation requirements of contaminated sites, or proposals for developmental activities in aquatic systems. The regulatory acts noted above drive certain issues and questions that become basic to aquatic assessments. Protection of aquatic systems is the central theme for many of the studies that are undertaken in the laboratory and the field. Teams developed for aquatic assessments will vary in structure based on the specific task at hand.
