ABSTRACT
This chapter presents one type of environmental consequence analysis for aquatic systems. The operative system can be described if an analogy is made with the world of music: In order to create music, a symphony or a ballad, not only a system of notes is required, so that the musicians know how to play together, but also a set of musical instruments. The mesocosm should contain the fundamental functional groups which form and characterize the actual ecosystem. The system can be used to assess the implications of in-place pollutants, and the models included in the system can also be used in a forecasting mode. The latter link is also interesting, since it demonstrates that the Hg concentration in fish is not only increased by acidification but also with the third major environmental problem in aquatic systems, namely eutrophication. Environmental consequence analysis for natural aquatic ecosystems has not been done for chlorinated organic materials.
