Incorporating Habitat Characterization Into Risk-Trace Software for Spatially Explicit Exposure Assessment

Abstract

Site specific ecological risk assessments (EcoRAs) can be improved in terms of technical relevance and managerial utility through the use of spatially-explicit exposure assessment. Formalized descriptions of landscape features (e.g., vegetation cover and physical components of an area) have been used to relate landscape features to the quality of habitat for particular wildlife species. Animals adjust foraging routes and alter daily use patterns in relation to spatial patterns within their home range. The quality of the habitat therefore influences a continuum of wildlife responses including presence/absence, carrying capacity, and dietary exposure to environmental constituents. This chapter describes an approach and a software prototype for combining expressions of habitat quality into spatially explicit risk assessment of contaminated terrestrial ecosystems. The approach and the software are intended for use as a part of a risk-based decision protocol to support the assessment of ecological value and site reuse options.