EPA'S NATIONAL ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
Prepared by
THE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
September 8, 1977
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PREFACE
This paper was initiated and prepared largely by the Office of
Health and Ecological Effects and its emphasis is on the research
of the four ecology laboratories in that Office. However, there is
important research on the transport and fate of pollutants and
exposure assessment in EPA which is the responsibility of the Office
of Air, Land, and Water Use and the Office of Monitoring and Technical
Support. Those offices have contributed material in their respective
areas.
The purpose of the paper is to outline the- direction to be taken
by EPA in ecological research- over the five-year period beginning
with Fiscal 1978. The discussion is on ecological research required
to understand the problems caused by the increased pressures of man
on his environment and to help provide solutions. Objectives are
broadly stated, a rationale for defining the research program is given,
and planned approaches for conducting the required scientific work
is provided. Finally, temporal and resource considerations are presented.
It is hoped that the paper will serve to highlight major components
of EPA's future ecological research program.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Introduction
II. Human Activities Requiring Ecological Research
III. Ecological Research Objectives
IV. Approaches to Ecological Research
V. Program Areas and Laboratory Assignments
VI. State of the Program to Date
Appendix A - Major Program Outputs - 1978-1982
Table 1 - Program Areas and Laboratory Capabilities
Figure 1 Major Biogeochemical Cycles of the Biosphere
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I. Introduction
Man has shown great ingenuity in altering his environment and
affecting the ecological systems upon which he is dependent for survival.
He has developed a tremendous capability for extracting resources
from the earth and utilizing these for his existence and pleasure.
In addition to natural resources, thousands of new substances are
synthesized annually for use in man's ever advancing technology.
As a result of ignorance, carelessness and indifference, man's
utilization of these natural and synthetic resources continues to
gravely impact his ecosystem. Polychorinated biphenyls, used in
electrical transformers and capacitors, have been found in human fat,
having been transported from manufacturing plants to the dinner table
via the aquatic ecosystem. The rash of oil spills during the winter
of 1976-77 highlight the ecological hazards of shipping this needed
energy resource. Kepone, polybrominated biphenyls, TCDD and asbestos
are a few of the many toxic substances which have caused serious
pollution incidents in recent years-.
Man would lead a precarious existence if he relied on remedial
solutions to pollution problems as they arose (in the form of kepone-style
incidents). If he is to effectively assess, predict and prevent
the destruction of the earth's ecosystems, it is imperative that man
understand the complex biogeochemical relationships functioning in the
environment. The "biogeochemical cycles" are the complex and inter-
connected circuits by which energy and chemical elements move throughout
the biosphere (See Figure 1). The major cycles involve the movement
and flow of energy, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and minerals.
Compounds (including pollutants) move within and between air, land
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and water systems by physical ahd chemical processes (precipitation,
evaporation, wind, leaching, etc.) and biological processes (photo-
synthesis, respiration, metabolism, movement by or accumulation in
plants and animals, decomposition, etc.). Once introduced into the
environment, some man-made pollutants may never be permanently
removed from the biogeochemical cycle. For example, pollutants may
be bound as relatively stable residues under sediment deposits for
years only to be resuspended by a dredging operation.
Pollutants may have direct effects on organisms and their environ-
ment or they may be transferred into other chemical forms or physical
states by chemical, physical or biological processes. These processes
may increase or decrease the toxicity of the substances. For example,
fresh #2 fuel»oil when exposed to light becomes several times more toxic
because certain fractions are transformed by photochemical action to very
toxic peroxides.
Man's activities may affect individual organisms or may alter popula-
tions, communities or even whole ecosystems. Pollutants may impact
specific organs or tissues in individual organisms as is the case with
carcinogens which cause tumors in the liver. Some pollutants have
greater toxicity for certain groups of organisms than for others. For
example, warm-water, "rough" fish are frequently tolerant of higher
concentrations of toxic substances than are cold-water sport fish.
In the case of the ecological transport of a substance from prey to
predator through the food chain, a pollutant may accumulate to toxic
concentrations in the tissue of the final consumer (who may be man).
Mercury poisoning of people in Minamata, Japan was a result of the
bioaccumulation of mercury in seafood and ultimately in man. Pollutants
may affect populations, communities and ecosystems as typified by
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the bioaccumulation of DDT which causes the eggs of birds of prey
to be very fragile. This results in reductions in birth rates which
if sufficiently significant will alter the ecosystem.
Understanding biogeochemical processes like transport, transfor-
mation and bioaccumulation is a necessity for evaluating direct and
indirect effects of man's activities on the environment. The study of
these processes is integral to the scientific discipline of "ecology".
II. Human Activities Requiring Ecological Research
It is appropriate to EPA's responsibilities for the protection
of the total environment, and it is in agreement with the present state
of the science, for EPA to concentrate its activities in ecological
research on the study of the effects of new or intensified human
activities on the finite resources of air, land, and water. New and
intensified activities include: industrial growth and diversification,
growth of agricultural and forest productivity, transportation, land
use, energy development, and recreational pursuits and demands. In
addition to ecosystem impacts, economic considerations must be addressed.
For the public and regulator to make sound assessments of ecosystem impacts,
they must know the real costs and real benefits of maintaining or altering
ecosystems, in terms of enjoyment, livelihood, and health.
Each activity has its own and somewhat unique pollution charac-
teristics. For example:
o Industrial growth and diversification add new complex chemical
compounds to the aquatic environment, even while meeting water
quality and effluent standards. In the air, the principal
pollutants are particulates and gaseous wastes that may undergo
considerable physical, chemical and biological transformations
in the atmosphere.
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o The increase in agricultural and forest productivity in recent
years results, at least partially, from the application of
agricultural chemicals, switching to more economic management
practices, and irrigation.
Non-point source pollutants from these activities - soil
particles, dissolved minerals, nitrogen and phosphorus and
some pesticides adversely affect ecosystems at concentra-
tions far below levels significant to the health of man.
o Modern transportation systems contribute heavily to air pol-
lution.
o Land use activities of our mobile and expanding human population,
have extensive impacts on ecosystems and human welfare. The
siting of industrial centers, power plants, transportation
corridors, etc. has a large influence on the environmental
and health impacts of those activities,
o Energy development incorporates the problems of industrial
growth, transportation, and land use.
o Finally, the increase in leisure time in economically developed
countries is promoting a more mobile society with the resultant
dispersion of pollutant sources and intensification of those
involving transportation and recreation.
III. Ecological Research Objectives
If one considers a general framework depicting relationships between
man's activities and the biogeochemical processes (figure 1), one begins
to appreciate the interrelated nature of the environment. The determina-
tion and assessment of intermediate as well as ultimate ecological
effects of man's activities requires a comprehensive research program.
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The objectives of such research are: (1) To understand the structure
and function of natural ecosystems. Such understanding will serve
as a baseline against which changes can be measured and assessed;
(2) To understand effects of pollutants, singly and in complex
mixtures, on these ecosystems. Effects on individuals, populations,
and communities may offer a basis for predicting effects on entire
ecosystems. Understanding pollutant movements, transformations
and fate is essential, so as to determine where effects will occur.
Determination of rate of recovery of ecosystems from different stresses
is necessary to understanding the significance of the pollutant
effect; (3) To develop necessary methods for detecting and quantifying
pollutants and determining their persistence; and for measuring
ecological effects of these pollutants; and (4) To determine, in
terms of human well-being and desires (e.g., esthetic, recreational
considerations, life support, etc.) the significance of changes
in ecosystems. Only when this is done can priorities be established
for actions to ameliorate environmental changes.
The ecological research objectives of the Environmental Protection
Agency must be defined consistently with the federal legislative
authorities under which the Agency operates. The EPA has been given
broad authorization for the conduct of ecological research in several
major pieces of legislation. Overlapping these broad authorizations
and other authorizations provide for research on specific problems
(e.g., pesticide persistence and alternatives, effects of sediment on
estuarine fish and wildlife). In addition to these explicit authori-
zations, there are mandates which derive from implementation dates
for major environmental protection standards and regulations.
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The legislative authority for EPA's ecological research program
comes primarily from six separate Acts: The Clean Air Act (CAA),
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments (FWPCA), the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), The Marine Protec-
tion, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA), the Energy Reorganization
Act of 1974 (ERA), and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Research also will be required to implement the new Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
Implementation to date of the research program under these authoriza-
tions has been focused on meeting rather specific, often immediate require-
ments of the Acts. The- resulting research products have provided the basis
for regulations, standards and criteria involving the air, water and land.
This includes quantifying and predicting the responses of ecosystems
to pollutants characteristic of man's activities. This is regarded as the
first estimate in process which has been formalized in the Acts by requiring
periodic review and revision of the research base supporting the regulatory
program.
In addition to finding solutions to simpler short-range problems,
it is the objective of the Agency to accumulate information on the more
complex problems. Biogeochemical processes are important in determining
the ultimate impacts of the introduction of pollutants into the environ-
ment, and long-term studies are required for understanding these processes.
These studies should increase the Agency's predictive capability to solve
evolving complex environmental problems and help bring "fire-fighting"
research into proper context.
Section II of this document listed some of the major areas of
human activities which can pose environmental management and protection
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problems whose solutions require research. Since the resulting "research
problems" are almost infinite in number, the EPA must set priorities
in order to systematically select the most important problems to tackle.
The following are among the major criteria which should be applied
in the setting of priorities:
o Scientific and other evidence should be available to show that
a problem is likely to exist; precious resources cannot be
applied to irrelevant topics. In determining whether a problem
exists, indications should be available to show that a particular
activitity is resulting in the environmental presence of materials
to which organisms or ecosystems are or may be exposed, resulting
in possible adverse effects,
o The degree of severity of the problem should be considered in
terms, for example, of the volume and distribution of the
pollutants of concern, the significance and persistence of their
potential effects on ecosystems, and the perceived value of
potentialy impacted ecosystems and natural resources,
o The maximum length of time which the problem can be allowed to
persist without being regulated must be estimated. This
involves projecting the expected incremental impact of the
problem over time and requires consideration of its temporal
urgency.
o As a logical extension to the above, the timing requirements
of the Agency, as well as its mandated responsibilities, for
solving its priority problems must be taken into account,
o The users of the research products and how they will be
used must be identified. This will ensure that the experimental
design is appropriate and that the study will supply data
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revelant to the problem,
o The degree of public concern about the problem must be addressed,
o Finally, consideration must be given to the estimated length
of time and the cost required for obtaining a solution to the
problem.
Once the problems have been ordered and it has been determined
which ones will be addressed, the proposed research approach must be
evaluated. In doing so, the following, are some of the questions to
be answered, with the assumption that all outputs will be legally
defensible and have appropriate quality control and standardization of
methodologies.
o Is the existing or proposed approach the most scientifically
valid one for addressing the problem(s) at hand?
o Will the approach provide answers in a manner coincident with
the known timing requirements?
o Is. the approach aimed at detecting or elucidating effects on
environmental pressure points in terms of the most critical
ecosystems and organisms?
o Does the research contribute to an overall program containing
a proper mixture of short-, medium-, and long-term efforts to
satisfy environmental management and protection requirements
of today and the future?
IV. Approaches to Ecological Research
The approaches to achieve the ecological research objectives of the
Environmental Protection Agency may be considered in relation to bio-
geochemical cycles and the effects of human activities on the ecosystem.
One approach for studying the impacts of man's activities is to
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Study the processes and effects on individual components of ecosystems,
that is, one attempts to gain an understanding of effects on the whole
through study of its isolated parts. This approach is exemplified by
the laboratory study of single pollutant effects on single species.
This involves, for example, modifying, standardizing, and validating
existing tests for each species and each class of pollutants tested, and
developing new short-term tests for screening hazardous materials. Other
research is conducted, on the biogeochemical processes which' determine
the fate of pollutants, i.e. transport accumulation and degradation.
Another approach to ecological research is that of modeling. Infor-
mation gained from the testing of individual pollutants and individual
processes and organisms is fed into computerized mathematical models in
order to predict the fate and effects of pollutants in natural systems.
A second modeling approach is the development of simulated ecosystems or
microcosms which simplify the study of the fate and effects of pollutants
by the ability to control all environmental characteristics.
The final approach to ecosystem research involves actual field observa-
tions to verify predictions; determine levels of pollutant residues actually
in the environment; establish baseline data on unstressed ecosystems; and
study ecosystems which have been or are being stressed by man.
A comprehensive research program should utilize all of these
approaches. Data from a variety of environments and geographical regions
should be collected and analyzed. The dissemination of the information
should be in formats usable by decision-makers as well as researchers.
The EPA Office of Research and Development plays an important role
in providing information in the form of technical support to other
program offices and regional offices of the Agency. Approaches to
meeting needs for technical support include publishing and disseminating
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scientific papers and technical reports; providing scientific expertise
at working groups, task force, seminars and symposia; and providing
testimony at public and judicial hearings.
Another important approach to achieving ecological research goals
is through coordination with other Federal agencies and international
organizations with involvement in environmental issues. The ORD Office
of Health and Ecological Effects is represented on numerous interagency
committees including, but not limited to, the Federal Commission on
Ecological Reserves; the USDA/EPA University Coordinating Committee on
Agricultural Research; the USDA Combined Forest Pest Research and
Development Program; the EPA/COE Executive Committee on Criteria for
Dredged and Fill Materials; the Interagency Committee on Aquatic Contami-
nants; the National Response Team for Oil and Hazardous Material Spills;
and the Interagency Technical Committee on the Argo Merchant.
Office of Health and Ecological Effects scientists represent the
Agency on several international committees, among which are the UNESCO
Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB Projects 8 and 14); the Inter-
national Joint Commission between the United States and Canada on the
Great Lakes; the Panel for International Program Cooperation in
Oceanography; UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Committee, and its
subcommittees on Global Investigation of Pollutants in the Marine
Environment, and Interagency Oceanographic Data Exchange. Other
Interagency cooperation is carried out in the form of Interagency
Agreements (lAG's). Through IAG's, agencies with unique expertise of
facilities conduct research for the other Federal agencies lacking these
resources, thereby increasing the overall government efficiency. Among
the agencies with whom the EPA has IAG's are the Department of Agriculture,
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National Science Foundation, Department of Interior, U, S. Forest Service,
National Cancer Institute, Energy Research and Development Administration,
and National Aeronautic and Space Administration.
V. Program Areas and Laboratory Assignments
This section describes the integration of EPA1s ecological effects
program carried out by the four laboratories and Headquarters. The
program is presented in terms of three major areas: Exposure/Effects
Assessment; Measurement Methods Development; and Technical Support.
The program incorporates suggestions made- in several studies
of ecological research needs and EPA's research programs. These
include (1) Assessment of. the Scientific Quality of the Ecological
Research Programs of the Office of Research and Development, SAB
Ecology Advisory Committee, 1976, (2) Research Needs, in Water Quality
Criteria 1972, NAS/NAE, 1973, (3) Organization and Management of
EPA's Office of Research and Development, Committee on Science and
Technology, U. S. House of Representatives 1976, (4) A Review of
the EPA Environmental Research Outlook FY 1976 through 1980, U. S.
Congress Office of Technology Assessment, 1976. All of these documents
recommend, increased emphasis on long-range research and in particular
increased emphasis on pollution processes, transport, transformation,
and ecological effects in the context of ecosystems.
Exposure/Effects Assessment includes evaluation of stress caused
by environmental pollutants as well as pollutant burdens in animal and
plant tissue. It includes the study of the effects of increasing
stress on animals and plants, populations and ecosystems as a function
of time and pollutant concentrations. The development of predictive
models to link stress to environmental pollutant concentrations is a
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logical extension of such work. Measurements of ecological effects
of environmental pollutants acting singly or in combination on
individual species, on communities of selected species, and on entire
ecosystems are part of this area. Effort is included here which
aims at identifying the species, life stages and ecological functions
impacted by selected environmental pollutants. Socio-economic studies
on the benefits of control of environmental pollutants are also included.
The second area, Measurement Methods Development, includes the
testing and validation, as well as development, of appropriate bioassay
and ecosystem investigative procedures. Sampling, sample handling, and
analytical techniques are included, as are culture programs. A compre-
hensive quality assurance program is an integral part of this effort.
Technical Support includes the short-term scientific support provided
to the rest of EPA and to state and local agencies on such matters as
enforcement proceedings, provision of consultation, responding to crises,
carrying out special unprogrammed research projects, etc.
Within each program area described below, each of the four ecology
laboratories has its own special emphasis and expertise, as well as
geographic location with its own unique study opportunities. In general
terms, the Duluth laboratory is oriented toward freshwater research and
the Narragansett laboratory toward marine research. In the Gulf Breeze
laboratory, marine and estuarine activities predominate, particularly
concerning pesticides. The Corvallis laboratory deals with aspects of both
marine and freshwater ecosystems and with the terrestrial environment. The
integrated pest management program is an extramural program carried out at
Headquarters.
The following material describes in broad detail the work to be accom-
plished by the four ecological effects laboratories in the above program areas.
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Exposure/Effects Assessment
This is the key function of EPA1s Ecology research program.
Measurement Methods Development is in support of exposure and effects
assessment. The specific activities underway at each laboratory
represent in part a reflection of previous assignments and organizational
structure, including the agencies under which each lab was originally
authorized, but in large part also reflect new activities supportive
of EPA's responsibility for the total environment. In the discussion
to follow, laboratories will not be specifically mentioned. However,
Table 1 at the end of this section summarizes the individual laboratory
assignments and specializations.
Ecosystem studies are a major or increasingly important component
of the exposure and effects assessment program. Laboratory assignments
attempt to cover the range of ecosystems facing major impact and within
the reach of EPA regulatory authority. Specific attention is being focused
on marine and estuarine ecosystems along the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific
coasts. Inland, the Great Lakes, which constitute more than 95% of the
nations surface freshwater, are receiving major attention, along with
smaller lakes and riverine systems. Wetland ecosystems, the transition
between the aquatic and terrestrial environments, are being examined
to develop criteria for wetland protection. The unique problems of cold
climate ecosystems, both terrestrial and aquatic, are being examined
in relation to the impact of energy resource development. The effects
of air pollution and energy resource development on terrestial ecosystems
in general are being assessed. The effects of land use practices on other
ecosystem components is being studied. Baseline data on the behavior of
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relatively unstressed natural ecosystems is also being obtained.
In addition to field studies on large-scale ecosystems, an
increasing level of effort is being devoted to the measurement of
ecosystem-level effects of stresses on laboratory-scale model
ecosystems and on semi-controlled outdoor stream channels, fresh-
water ponds, marine and estuarine systems, and terrestrial plots. The
purpose of this effort is to develop experimental ecosystems which
can be easily manipulated and to which controlled additions of
pollutants can be made in an attempt to uncover principles which
apply to all or to broad categories of ecosystems.
Along with this effort on natural and model ecosystems, mathe-
matical modeling or simulation techniques are being developed and
refined.
In addition to studies of the effects of pollutants on ecosystems,
the transformations and ultimate fate of pollutants introduced into
ecosystems is receiving emphasis in all laboratories, with the goal
of a better definition of the assimilative capacity of terrestrial
and aquatic ecosystems for the waste materials of human activities.
The integrated pest management program deals with analysis of insect
pest populations and their interactions within eight major crop
ecosystems. Options being developed for control of these pests
emphasizes non-pesticide methods wherever possible. The program goal
is to reduce dependence upon pesticide chemicals and to reduce the
environmental stress from these chemicals. Additional program areas
deal with urban integrated pest management of insect growth regulators,
insect pathogens, and development of models of the relationship between
the crop, insect, and physical environment to permit development of
accurate pest control decision strategies..
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More traditional research activities concerned with the interactions
between organisms, stresses, toxicants, and mixtures of toxicants is
receiving attention. Water quality criteria continue to depend to a
large degree on acute and chronic effects data for single toxicants or
stresses, and the chemical and physical requirements and limits of
organisms are inadequately known, especially those on organisms existing
near the extremes of their tolerance ranges. Information on the effects
of air pollution, and of land pollution from pesticide application or
waste disposal, on terrestrial organisms is also being obtained.
Attempts are being made in the laboratory to assess the exposure
of organisms to pollutants in the field, using indices such as residue
levels in organisms or changes in enzyme activity.
Measurement Methods Development
Although better methods and techniques are frequently natural
spinoffs of research, these techniques themselves are always of high
priority since the quality of scientific information is dependent
upon the methods used to obtain such information.
Methods are being developed to yield improved and more rapid
measurements of the effects of stress on aquatic and terrestrial
organisms and on the structure and functions of ecosystems. These
stresses include single toxicants and complex mixtures, extremes
of physical environmental factors, and excess nutrients. Emphasis
is on the development of more rapid tests, screening tests, and on
methods which yield an integrated measure of effect. Improved and
standardized means of using aquatic and terrestrial microcosms for
establishing criteria based on ecosystem-level effects are being
actively pursued.
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The availability of an adequate spectrum of experimental organisms
for bioassay work is a limiting factor for the development of realistic
criteria. This limitation is particularly acute in the marine environ-
ment, where a major effort is underway to develop and improve methods
for culturing, holding and rearing experimental marine organisms.
Attempts are also-being made to expand upon the set of response
parameters which can be used to assess the effects of stress on
organisms and ecosystems.
Technical Support
All four Environmental Research Laboratories provide support to
the regulatory and standard-setting activities of the agency in
the form of data compilation and analysis, preparation of testimony
for administrative and judicial proceedings, analytical and technical
advice to other R&D laboratories, and technical advice to EPA regions,
state and local governments, and citizens.
The preceeding material provides descriptions of components of the
EPA's ecosystem effects research program. Table 1 summarizes the informa-
tion and should prove useful in demonstrating how the four laboratories
cooperatively cover the three program areas. Appendix A lists some of the
major outputs anticipated over the five year period, FY 1978-1982. These
outputs are consistent with the programs described in this section.
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tXbLe i
PROGRAM AREAS AND LABORATORY CAPABILITIES
LABORATORY
EXPOSURE/EFFECTS ASSESSMENT
MEASUREMENT METHOD DEVELOPMENT
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Narragansett
-Toxicant monitoring on marine environments
-Toxicant effects on marine environments
-Evaluation of petroleum by-prodUcts effects
on marine organisms and ecosystems
-Chemical/physical requirements and limits of
marine organisms
-Impact of stress on marine ecofeystem stabil-
ity and resiliency
-Development of culturing techniques
-Acute and chronic bloassays
-Development of response parameters
'for assessing stress effects on
marine ecosystems
-Development of marine microcosms
-Marine ecosystems
-Impact of power
plant on coastal
ecosystems
-Marine water
quality criteria
Gulf Breeze
-Effects (transport, fate arid transformations)
of toxic organics including pesticides and
inorganic on marine and estuarine organisms
and ecosystems . ,,
-Effects of halogenated biocidefe and their
by-products on estuarine ecosystems
-Effects of complex wastes on marine and
estuarine organisms and ecosystems
-Assess the impact of biological pest controls
on marine and estuarine ecosystems
-Develop criteria to evaluate the
impact of pollutants at the eco-
system level
-Development of acute and chronic
bioassays for marine and estuarine
organisms
-Development of genetically controlled
tnarine test organisms and standard
test..conditions
-Use of microcosms in criteria develop-
ment
-Analytical techniques for separation
and measurement of toxicants
-Screening development techniques of po-
tential toxic substances in estuarine/
mariri6 ecosystems
-Effects of pesti-
cides and toxic
organics on marine
and estuarine
environments
-Marine and estuarine
water quality
criteria
-Ocean disposal
regulations
-Dredged material
disposal guide-
lines
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Program Areas and laboratory Capabilities (Continued)
Laboratory Exposure/Effects Assessment Measurement Methods Development Teclinical Support
Duluth
toxicant monitoring in
freshwater environments
toxicant effects in
freshwater
ccmplex effluent effects
chemical/physical require-
ments and limits for
freshwater organisms
Great Lakes ecosystems
effects
Freshwater ecosystem
effects in smaller lakes
and streams
- improve methods to measure effects
of single toxicants and complex
wastes on freshwater organisms
- improve field measurement techniques
for Great Lakes ecosystems
- new and improved techniques for
measuring freshwater ecosysten
responses
freshwater ecosystems, especially fish
and insects
freshwater quality criteria
Corvallis
nutrient and toxicant loading
and effects on freshwater
ecosystems
lake restoration
physical and chemical
processes in marine water
ecosystems models
cold climate research
criteria for Western
aquatic species
air pollution impact on
terrestrial ecosystems
socio-economic assessment
¦ methods to assess pre-and post-ocean
dunp site conditions
¦ methods for storing, preserving, and
treating marine sediment samples
¦ methods for analysing metals
and toxicants in tissues, sea
water, and surface films
¦ development of terrestrial microcosms
development of a bioassay
technique for determination
of organic compounds in fresh-
water; using bacterial bio-
luminescence
physical/chemical transport in aquatic
ecosystems
ocean disposal regulations
terrestrial ecosystems
eutrophication processes and lake restoration
wetlands
freshwater quality criteria
- secondary air quality criteria
- economics
- engineering
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Appendix A
Major Program Outputs - 1978-1982
Program outputs for each laboratory are provided in the following
tables. Separate tables are provided for Exposure/Effects Assessment
and Measurement Methods Development. Research Areas correspond to
those identified in the table of the previous section of this paper -
Outputs describe specific accomplishments with arrows denoting expected
completion dates by fiscal year. Milestone dates are estimated on
the basis of presently anticipated resource levels. Both specific and
general outputs are given. While these tables do not provide sufficient
detail to comprehensively describe each laboratory's program, major
goals are defined and it is hoped that the "flavor" of the laboratory
missions is evident.
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Exposure Effects Assessment - Narragansett Environmental Research Laboratory
Fiscal Year
Research Area Output
1 78
79
80
81
82
Ttoxicant monitoring in
marine environments
Mussel Watch - continuous environmental assessment of 100
field stations to assess body burdens for heavy metals,,
transurani<;3, petroleum hydrocarbons, and chlorinated hydro-
1
Toxicant effects in
marine environments
Ccmplete heavy metal bioassays
Evaluation of petroleum
byproducts effects on
marine organisms and
ecosystems
Caflfilete oil and oil byproduct bioassays
Chsnical/physical
requirements and limits
of marine organisms
Impact of stress on marine
ecosystem stability and
resiliency
Ocmplete field assessment of sludge durtping sites
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Measurement Methods Development - Narragansett Environmental Research Laboratory
Research Area
Output
TT
~7T
Fiscal Year
"W
81
"5T
Development of culturing
techniques
Develop standard laboratory clones of experimental biota
Acute and cronic bioassay:
Develop benthic bioassays for dredge spoil disposal-
Develop standard bioassays including evaluation of
response parameters and quality control methods
Development of response
parameters for assessing
stress effects on marine
ecosystems
Develop marine cytogenetic and mutagenic protocols
Develop dredge spoil duitp assessment methods
Develop organic/inorganic chemistry mathods for potential
marine toxicants, especially transuranics,organics,and
potential carcinogens
Development of marine
microcosms
Determine the uses and applicability of microcosms to determine
the effect of pollutants on marine ecosystems
-------
Exposure/Effects Assessment - Gulf Breeze Environmental Research
Laboratory (Including Bears Bluff
Field Station)
Research Area
Output
Fiscal Year
TTT
Effects (transport, fate and
transformations) of toxic
organics including pesticides
and inorganics on marine and
estuarine organisms and eco-
systems
Document effects of specified chlorinated hydrocarbons
on the marine environment and prepare testimony for the
Office of Environmental and General Counsel and the
Office of Pesticide Programs
Document effects of specified organophosphate and carbamate
pesticides on the marine environment -
An integrated assessment of the potential for carcinogens
to reach man through the marine food webs
Model effects (transport, fate and transformations) of
specific pollutants in marine and estuarine ecosystems
James River - Kepone
Escambia Bay - PCB
Other systems¦
73
79
80
82
Effects of halogenated
biocides and their by-
products on estuarine
ecosystems
Documentation of state-of-the-art knowledge of products
from oxidative biocides and the ecological transfer and
impacts
Prepare a state-of-the-art report on the effects of chlorine,
bromine, and other industrial biodides on the marine
environment
Effects of complex Ecological assessment of the impact of selected offshore
wastes on marine oil drilling mud constituents on Gulf of Mexico estuarine
organisms and marine organisms
Assessment of effects of Belected complex industrial waste
Impact of biological Document the effects of alternative methods of pest control
pest controls on marine such as the use of viruses, on marine ecosystems-
and estuarine ecosystems Extend techniques for elucidate interactions of chemo-
responses or man-produced biocides with critical behavioral
responses of marine organisms in natural communities
-------
Measurement Methods Development - Gulf Breeze Environmental Research
Laboratory (Including Bears Bluff
Field Station)
Research Area
Output
Fiscal Year
Development of acute
and chronic bioassays
for marine organisms
Publish and up-date of Bioassay Methods for Ocean
Dumping
In vivo and in vitro mutagen/carcinogen bioassay
methods for estuarine organisms
78
79
80
82
Development of
genetically controlled
marine test organisms
and standard test
conditions
Laboratory/Field Method
For mutagenic, teratogenic carcinogenic, developmental
impact potential upon marine vertebrate
Use of microcosms in
criteria development
Determine effects o£ toxic organics on marine ecosystems
using microcosms and other experimental environments
Analytical techniques
for separation and
measurement of toxicants
Develop techniques for several rapid analyses of complex
industrial wastes
Publish methodologies on the use of incidence or neoplasia
in marine and estuarine animals as an indicator of pollution
by chemicals with carcinogenic properties
-------
Exposure/Effects Assessment - Duluth Environmental Research Laboratory
Fiscal Year
Research Area
Output
~W
79
W
81
82
Ibxicant monitoring in
freshwater environments
Monitor toxicants in selected freshwater environments
Ibxicant effects in
freshwater envirorments
Complete research on effects of asbestos on aquatic
organisms :
Determine the effects of fine particles on toxicity
Measure residues of carcinogens frcm 10 locations
Evaluate PCB substitutes
Evaluate aquatic hazard of vinyl chloride
Determine effects of growth regulator pesticides
Complex effluent effects
Categorize complex effluents into groups of like effects
Chanical/physical require-
ments and limits for fresh
water organisms
Complete all reports on DO requirements of fish =
Develop criteria for Zn, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, As, Cr, and Hg -
Develop criteria for OC and OP pesticides
Great Lakes ecosystan
effects (The total Great
Lakes program identified
herein is based upon
an expectation of addi*-
tlonal funding to reach
$5 mJJllon per year for
FY 78-82). Current funding
Is $2 mlllLon per year.
Issue final report on Lake Erie nutrient raroval
Conplete Lake Michigan Model
Determine processes associated with the release of hazardous
materials frcm dredge spoils disposal in the Great Lakes
Evaluate effectiveness of Lake Michigan nutrient control
Develop guidelines for dredge spoils disposal in the Great Lakes
Issue status report on atmospheric pollutant input to Lakes
Michigan, Huron, and Superior .
Issue final report on rural and diffuse source pollutant
input in the Great Lakes
Complete generalized hazardous materials model for the
Great Lakes r
-------
Exposure/Effects Assessment - Duluth Environmental Research Laboratory (Continued)
Research Area
Output
78
Fiscal Year
79
80
81
82
Great Lakes ecosystem
effects
Complete report on viruses in Great Lakes waters
Complete Saginaw Bay studies
Complete Lake Superior model
Issue final report on Lake Ontario nutrient control
effectiveness
Issue guidelines for nutrient control in Lakes Ortario,
Erie, and Michigan and Saginaw Bay - Lake Huron
Report on assessment of once-through cooling systens
on the biota of western Lake Erie
Complete overall combined Great Lakes model
Freshwater ecosystem
effects in smaller lakes
and streams
' Develop a nodel for calculating permissible loading to
achieve permissible levels in rivers
Assess the role of sediments as reservoirs of fat soluble
organics in rivers and lakes
Ccmpl-ete validation of dredge spoil criteria
Determine benefits of toxicity raroval:
(a) for 10 industry types
(b) for 10 additional industry types
-------
Measurement Methods Development - Duluth Environmental Research Laboratory
Research Area Output
78
79' '
' ¦SET"
01
92
Improve methods to measure
effects of single toxicants
and complex wastes on fresh
water organisms
Develop tests to determine sublethal effects of oonplex
"acl-oc
Improve field measurement
techniques for the Great
Lakes
Develop improved field measurement techniques for use in
assessing ecosystem impacts in the Great Lakes
New and improved tech-
niques for measuring
freshwater ecosystem
responses
Develop a model aquatic ecosystem :
Val irlat-P mnrtol ii«ing pnnt-ml 1 fvl fiolrl tefit-c
-
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Exposure/Effects Assessment - Corvallis Environmental Research Laboratory
Research Area
Output
78
Fiscal Year
79
80
81
82
Nutrient and toxicant
loading and effects on
freshwater ecosystems
Determine the response of lake systens to external loadings
and within lake cycling processes
Lake restoration
Prepare reports on evaluation of various lake restoration
techniques, starting with a methodology handbood (FY 78)
Physical and chemical
processes in marine
water
Develop information on the physical-chemical properties of
estuarine ecosystems coupled with bioassay evaluation of
their carrying capacity
Develop information on the response of marine benthos to
sediments
Describe the ecosystem significance of shifts in phytoplankton
dominance and biomass in regions impacted by waste discharges
Develop effluent and water quality criteria for toxic materials
in ocean outfalls (e.g., municipal sewage discharges)
Ecosystem models
Modeling of ecosystems dynamics is fully integrated with, and
supportive of, laboratory and field studies
Cold Climate
Research
Develop information on bioaccumulation and/or dynamic response
of eoosystan ccnponents to pollutants from petroleum production
(FY 78), construction (FY 79), mining (FY 81), and industrial
atmospheric emissions (FY 82)
-------
Exposure/Effects Assessment - Oorvallis Environmental Research Laboratory (Continued)
Research Area Output
78
79
80
81
82
Wetland ecosystsns
Develop vegetative criteria for delineating wetland boundaries
and their relation to tidal datums
Determine the physiological requiranenLs of vegetative indicator
Determine the productivity and function of specific wetland
Ly^jL-s
Develop and demonstrate environmental assessment methods
relating wetland value and function to overall ecosystem
Criteria for Western
aquatic organisms
Develop criteria for Cr, Cd, and Zn for Pacific Northwest fish
Develop criteria for selected organics and inorganic for
Pacific Northwest aquatic species
Mr pollution impact on
terrestrial ecosystans
Preliminary assessment of chronic regional effects of acid
precipitation on forest and agricultural lands
Determine the effects of air pollutants on soil deconposer
Determine the effects of photochemical oxidants on a mixed
Develop protocols for determining the bioenvironmental
Socio-economic assess-
ments, including
ecological responses
Determine the ecological benefits of non-point source sediment
Determine .the ecological effectiveness of non-point source
controls for agriculture and mining (dissolved minerals and
-------
Exposure/Effects Assessment - Oorvallis Environmental Research laboratory (Continued)
Fiscal Year
Research Area Output
78
79
80
81
82
Prepare reports on the socio-economic impacts of
pollutants and their control
Develop methods for determining the economic losses
associated with multiple air pollution stress on
crops and forests '
-------
Measurement Methods Development - Oorvallis Environmental Research Laboratory
Research Area
Output
"7F"
Fiscal Year
79
80
81
82
Methods to assess pre
and post ocean dump
site conditions
Evaluate biostatistical methods and field data collection
techniques to assess pre-discharge and post-discharge
effects of ocean dumping and ocean outfalls
Methods for storing,
preserving, and treating
marine sediment samples
Develop methods for field collection, preservation,
handling and analysis of polluted marine sediments
Methods for analyzing
metals and toxicants in
tissue, sea water, and
surface films
Develop methods for field handling, laboratory extraction
and analysis of marine organisms
Develop methods for analyzing metals and toxicants in
sea water and surface films
Development of
terrestrial microcosms
Evaluate terrestrial microcosms for application to
substitute chanical test protocols
Determine the characteristics and behavior of selected
chanicals in terrestrial model eoosystems
-------
VI. State of the Program to Date
Ecological research being conducted by EPA, other Federal agencies,
and the overall scientific community ranges from studies of subcellular
physiology to complete ecosystems.
Experiments involving single pollutant-single species have been
an effective crash program for developing media criteria data that go
a long way towards protecting the environment. This simplistic approach
will no doubt have to continue to some extent in response to EPA needs
and deadlines. But it is neither scientifically sound nor cost-effective
for analyzing complex ecosystems.
Terrestrial ecology research supporting Federal environmental
pollution control programs has since' 1955 been associated with air pol-
lution legislation. Knowledge developed has provided the scientific
support for the establishment of national secondary (non-health) air
quality standards and other pollution control strategies. Continuing
work with "criteria" and other gaseous pollutants is being directed
toward more representative simulation of ambient pollution exposures
which are characterized by randomly varying concentrations over time
and pollutant mixes as they may occur in the real world. The effects of
these exposures on selected crops and tree species are being measured
in terms of reduced yield and/or marketability of the product so as
to provide damage function information for econonmic loss analysis.
Aquatic ecological research has provided the scientific basis for
promulgation of water quality standards and has developed and tested
techniques for restoring eutrophic lakes to higher levels of utility
for recreation and water supply. The latter work is expanding to
include the effects of extraneous organic and inorganic chemicals
31
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on eutrophic processes and controls thereof. Continuing research on
accumulation of pesticides and other toxic chemicals in edibles is
supporting a strong waste effluent control position of the Agency.
Such research includes both identification of toxicants in chemically
complex waste streams and summary effects of these wastes on organisms
significant to man.
The classical research which provides descriptions of ecosystem
components and processes is being augmented by more sophicated research
to describe the dynamics of material cycling and energy flow through
ecosystems. This trend required identification and quantification of
controlling variables and the relationship of biological activity to
these-variables . A considerable effort has been placed on predicting
ecosystem behavior, but the utility of this research prediction has
been limited because the results tend to be site specific and sensitive
to controlling variables difficult to measure with accuracy. Better
predictive success has been obtained by analyzing sub-units which
describe only a segment of the total ecosystem structure and processes.
Further research on the "physiology" of whole ecosystems,
including long-term sublethal effects, mechanisms and significance of
cycling of metabolic materials, the effects and significance of natural
environmental controlling variables versus man-induced stresses, and
effects of randomly varying pollutant concentrations consistent with
real world conditions will refine predictive techniques.
As discussed above, the state of knowledge for predicting ecosystem
responses to man's activities is in its formative stages. Unfortunately,
our ability to use ecosystem effects information to increase the quality
of man's environment is even less well developed. While ecological
32
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effects research has provided some tangible results in this area (e.g.,
development and application of techniques to restore culturally eutrophic
lakes), the translation of these results into practical, useful management
methodologies is lacking. The requirement for combining the results of
ecosystems effects research with social and economic analysis of costs and
benefits is also recognized.
33
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Appendix A
Major Program Outputs - 1978-1982
Program outputs for each laboratory are provided in the following
tables. Separate tables are provided for Exposure/Effects Assessment
and Measurement Methods Development. Research Areas correspond to
those identified in the table of the previous section of this paper -
Outputs describe specific accomplishments with arrows denoting expected
completion dates by fiscal year. Milestone dates are estimated on
the basis of presently anticipated resource levels. Both specific and
general outputs are given. While these tables do not provide sufficient
detail to comprehensively describe each laboratory's program, major
goals are defined and it is hoped that the "flavor" of the laboratory
missions is evident.
34
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