Assessing the feasibility and value of employing an ecosystem services approach in chemical environmental risk assessment under the Water Framework Directive

The feasibility and added value of an ecosystem services approach in retrospective environmental risk assessment were evaluated using a site-specific case study lowland UK river. studied water body failed to achieve good ecological status temporarily 2018, due part the exceedance quality standard (annual average EQS) for zinc. Potential service delivery was quantified locally prioritised services: regulation chemical condition; maintaining nursery populations habitats; recreational fishing; nature watching. Quantification based on observed expected taxa or functional groups within WFD biological elements, including macrophytes, benthic macroinvertebrates fish, published trait data constituent taxa. Benthic macroinvertebrate identified enumerated before, during after zinc EQS exceedance, enabling generic this element, which found have potential. An additional targeted laboratory-based species sensitivity distributions normalised biotic-ligand modelling account site-specific, bioavailability-corrected exposure. Risk diatoms (microalgae) be high, while risks fish low. potential (ESD) by equivalent high defined under WFD, ESD higher than methods. illustrated uses readily available adds significantly taxonomic currently used traits evaluate that are as being important bodies. main shortcomings lack of: representation bacteria fungi; predicted lists macrophytes; required defining actual (rather potential) delivery.