Mesocosms to Evaluate Aquatic-Terrestrial Contaminant Linkages Using Aquatic Insect Emergence: Utility for Aquatic Life Criteria Development

TLDR: This chapter will review the literature of mesocosm studies that evaluate aquatic insect adult emergence endpoints, provide key considerations to conducting these experiments, and discuss integrating emergence into the aquatic life criteria development process.

Abstract: Our understanding of the fate and effects of contaminants has evolved as researchers advance our knowledge of the ecological interdependence between aquatic and terrestrial environments. To account for linked aquatic-terrestrial (A-T) effects, the methods researchers use to develop aquatic life criteria should extend beyond the aquatic environment. Mesocosm experiments provide the spatial and temporal resolution required to describe A-T contaminant transfer and subsidy alterations. In this chapter, we focus on aquatic insect emergence evaluated with mesocosm approaches because of the dual utility that both mesocosms and emergence assessments provide in predicting aquatic contaminant effects on aquatic-dependent terrestrial ecosystems. We will review the literature of mesocosm studies that evaluate aquatic insect adult emergence endpoints, provide key considerations to conducting these experiments, and discuss integrating emergence into the aquatic life criteria development process.