Dissertation

Quantitative modelling of the response of earthworms to metals

Promotor: Prof.dr. W.J.G.M. Peijnenburg, Co-promotor: Dr. ing. M.G. Vijver

Author: H. Qiu
Date: 10 June 2014
Links: Thesis in Leiden Repository

Metals in soils can pose a serious threat to soil dwelling organisms, plants, and human beings. A major uncertainty in terrestrial ecological risk assessment for metals is the integrated effect of the physicochemical properties of soil on toxicity and how this allows for extrapolation of toxicity data across soils. The recognition that soil type is an important factor that determines metal toxicity, goes along with the increasing insight into bioavailability. There is a growing consensus that only a proportion of the total amount of metal in soil is available for uptake by organisms and subsequently induces toxic effects. Development of mechanistically underpinned approaches for explaining and predicting availability effects on metal toxicity has been the subject of many research efforts in terrestrial ecotoxicology.