Journal of Ecology and Rural Environment ›› 2018, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (12): 1064-1073.doi: 10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2018.12.002

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Overview on Ecological Risk Assessment Methodologies of Urban Stormwater Ponds

CHEN Yao1,2,3, GAN Chun-juan4, ZHANG Cai3, YUAN Shao-chun1,2,3, ZHU Zi-qi3   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Hydraulic & Waterway Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China;
    2. National Engineering Research Center for Inland Waterway Regulation, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China;
    3. School of River and Ocean Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China;
    4. Chongqing Municipal Research Institute of Design, Chongqing 400012, China
  • Received:2017-08-07 Online:2018-12-25 Published:2018-12-25

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Abstract:

Stormwater ponds, which are widely used in the practice of urban stormwater management, have become common features of the urban landscape. While, as open receiving water systems, stormwater ponds are exposed to strong anthropogenic pressures, and then prone to show as ecological fragility and vulnerability. Therefore, assessing the ecological risks of stormwater facilities is crucial for ensuring both the preservation and rehabilitation of biodiversity in urban areas. Although, the application of established integrated assessment methodologies, such as the sediment quality triad (SQT), is widely used around the world, the selection of reference sites and lacked adoption of integrated interdisciplinary approaches with consistency and specificity is challenged by the man-made features of urban stormwater ponds. The search for a more scientific and effective integrated assessment methodology to define and confirm the biological status of stormwater ponds ecosystem has great significance to understand the potential ecological risks of stormwater. Therefore, current research in the field of ecological risk assessments of urban stormwater ponds is reviewed at first, and limitation of current approaches based on benthos is analyzed on the aspect of reference sites. And on this basis, two definitions of ecological quality functional objectives, and the benefits and prospects of supplementing the SQT with the oligochaete index methodology (OIM) adapted to the conceptual framework of ecological quality goals are introduced. We suggest that future researches on ecological risk assessment of urban stormwater pond should focus on integrated interdisciplinary approaches with independence (or less dependence) on reference sites from the perspective of the definitions of ecological objectives, and the development of standardized protocols.

Key words: stormwater pond, ecological risk assessment, bioassessment methodology, sediment quality triad (SQT), reference sites, oligochaete index methodology (OIM)

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