PS 69-124 - Results of a wildlife toxicology workshop held by Smithsonian Institution: Identification and prioritization of problem statements

Thursday, August 6, 2009
Exhibit Hall NE & SE, Albuquerque Convention Center
K. Christiana Grim, Exposure Assessment Coordination and Policy Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, Mark D. Jankowski, Bioscience, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, Alonso Aguirre, Conservation Medicine, Wildlife Trust, New York, NY, Val R. Beasley, Department of Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, Anne Fairbrother, Exponent, Bellevue, WA, Sarah Gerould, Contaminant Biology, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, Barnett Rattner, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Beltsville, MD, Steve Monfort, Smithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteInstitution, Front Royal, VA, Teri Rowles, Marine Animal Health Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD and Shirlee Tan, Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Arlington, VA
Background/Question/Methods

On March 13-15, 2007 nearly 50 scientists and administrators from the US and Canada participated in a Smithsonian-sponsored Wildlife Toxicology Workshop. Invitees were from academic, government, conservation and private organizations and were selected to represent the diverse disciplines that encompass wildlife toxicology. The workshop addressed scientific and policy issues, strengths and weaknesses of current research strategies, interdisciplinary and science-based approaches in the study of complex contaminant issues, mechanisms for disseminating data to policy-makers, and the development of a partner network to meet the challenges facing wildlife toxicology over the next decade. Prior to the meeting, participants were asked to submit issues deemed to be of highest concern which shaped four thematic groups for discussion: Wildlife Toxicology in Education, Risk Assessment, Multiple Stressors/Complex Mixtures, and Sub-Lethal to Population-Level Effects.
Results/Conclusions

From these discussion groups, 18 problem statements were developed and prioritized outlining the most important issues to address now and into the future. Along with each problem statement participants developed potential solutions and action steps geared to move each issue forward. The workshop served as a stepping-stone for action in the field of wildlife toxicology. These problem statements and the resulting action items are presented to the inter-disciplinary wildlife toxicology community for adoption, and future work and action items in these areas are encouraged. For example, it was found that ecologists would be essential in addressing the implications of sublethal or lethal effects of contaminants on wildlife at the population, community and ecosystem scales. The workshop outcome looks to generate conversation and collaboration that will lead to the development of innovative research, future mechanisms for funding, workshops, working groups, and listserves within the wildlife toxicology community.

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