An integrative approach to assess ecological risks of surface water contamination for fish populations.
Contamination of aquatic ecosystems is considered as one of the main threats to global freshwater biodiversity. Within the European Water Framework Directive (EU-WFD) a particular attention is dedicated to assess ecological risks of surface water contamination and mitigation of chemical pressures on aquatic ecosystems. In this work, we evaluated ecological risks of surface water contamination for fish populations in four EU-WFD rivers through an integrative approach investigating three Lines of Evidence (chemical contamination, biomarker responses as early warning signals of contamination impacting individuals and ecological analyses as an indicator of fish community disturbances). This work illustrates through 4 case studies the complementary role of biomarkers, chemical and ecological analyses which, used in combination, provide fundamental information to understand impacts of chemical pressures that can affect fish population dynamics. We discuss the limitations of this approach and future improvements needed within the EU-WFD to assess ecological risk of river contamination for fish populations.
Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Unité d'écotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo, BP 2, F-60550 Verneuil en Halatte, France; Université de Lyon, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69100 Villeurbanne, France; HEPIA, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland, Ecology and Engineering of Aquatic Systems Research Group, 150 Route de Presinge, CH-1254 Jussy, Switzerland. Electronic address: raphael.santos@hesge.ch.
Raphael
R
Santos
Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Unité d'écotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo, BP 2, F-60550 Verneuil en Halatte, France.
Aude
A
Joyeux
EPHE, PSL Research University, CNRS, UM, SupAgro, IRD, INRA, UMR 5175 CEFE, F-34293 Montpellier, France.
Aurélien
A
Besnard
Office National de l'Eau et des Milieux Aquatiques, Délégation Inter-Régionale Nord-Ouest, 60200 Compiègne, France.
Christophe
C
Blanchard
Agence de l'Eau Artois-Picardie, 200 rue Marceline, 59508 Douai Cedex, France.
Cédric
C
Halkett
Université de Lyon, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69100 Villeurbanne, France; INRA, USC LEHNA 1369, ENTPE, F-69518 Vaulx en Velin, France.
Sylvie
S
Bony
Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Unité d'écotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo, BP 2, F-60550 Verneuil en Halatte, France; UMR-I 02 Stress Environnementaux et BIOsurveillance des milieux aquatiques, INERIS, Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, Université du Havre, France.
Wilfried
W
Sanchez
Université de Lyon, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69100 Villeurbanne, France; INRA, USC LEHNA 1369, ENTPE, F-69518 Vaulx en Velin, France.
Alain
A
Devaux
D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005062:European Union; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control
Biomarkers; Chemical status; Ecological risk assessment; European water framework directive; Fish population; River contamination