Applying AQUATOX to Aquatic Mesocosms for Higher-Tier Pesticide Risk Assessment

Poster presented at SETAC Europe, April 30–May 4, 2023, Dublin, Ireland

Aquatic ecosystem modelling complements empirical approaches to higher-tier pesticide risk assessment by: 1) simulating various exposure scenarios beyond those that are tested; 2) revealing indirect effects mediated through food-web species interactions; and 3) quantifying potential long-term effects and recovery times. While researchers have applied ecosystem models to simulate effects of chemicals in natural aquatic habitats, little information is available on how such models might enhance the value of mesocosm studies. As part of a ring-study of four aquatic ecosystem models applied to mesocosm study data[1], we developed an AQUATOX model of fungicide-treated and untreated (control) mesocosms.