Bertram Michael G, Ågerstrand Marlene, Thoré Eli S J, Allen Joel, Balshine Sigal, Brand Jack A, Brooks Bryan W, Dang ZhiChao, Duquesne Sabine, Ford Alex T, Hoffmann Frauke, Hollert Henner, Jacob Stefanie, Kloas Werner, Klüver Nils, Lazorchak Jim, Ledesma Mariana, Maack Gerd, Macartney Erin L, Martin Jake M, Melvin Steven D, Michelangeli Marcus, Mohr Silvia, Padilla Stephanie, Pyle Gregory, Saaristo Minna, Sahm René, Smit Els, Steevens Jeffery A, van den Berg Sanne, Vossen Laura E, Wlodkowic Donald, Wong Bob B M, Ziegler Michael, Brodin Tomas
Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd 17, Umeå, 907 36, Sweden.
Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18b, Stockholm, 114 18, Sweden.
Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 2025 Apr;100(2):556-585. doi: 10.1111/brv.13154. Epub 2024 Oct 12.
Behavioural analysis has been attracting significant attention as a broad indicator of sub-lethal toxicity and has secured a place as an important subdiscipline in ecotoxicology. Among the most notable characteristics of behavioural research, compared to other established approaches in sub-lethal ecotoxicology (e.g. reproductive and developmental bioassays), are the wide range of study designs being used and the diversity of endpoints considered. At the same time, environmental hazard and risk assessment, which underpins regulatory decisions to protect the environment from potentially harmful chemicals, often recommends that ecotoxicological data be produced following accepted and validated test guidelines. These guidelines typically do not address behavioural changes, meaning that these, often sensitive, effects are not represented in hazard and risk assessments. Here, we propose a new tool, the EthoCRED evaluation method, for assessing the relevance and reliability of behavioural ecotoxicity data, which considers the unique requirements and challenges encountered in this field. This method and accompanying reporting recommendations are designed to serve as an extension of the "Criteria for Reporting and Evaluating Ecotoxicity Data (CRED)" project. As such, EthoCRED can both accommodate the wide array of experimental design approaches seen in behavioural ecotoxicology, and could be readily implemented into regulatory frameworks as deemed appropriate by policy makers of different jurisdictions to allow better integration of knowledge gained from behavioural testing into environmental protection. Furthermore, through our reporting recommendations, we aim to improve the reporting of behavioural studies in the peer-reviewed literature, and thereby increase their usefulness to inform chemical regulation.
行为分析作为亚致死毒性的一项广泛指标，一直备受关注，并已在生态毒理学中确立了其作为一个重要子学科的地位。与亚致死生态毒理学中其他既定方法（如生殖和发育生物测定）相比，行为研究最显著的特点之一是所采用的研究设计范围广泛以及所考虑的终点多样性。与此同时，作为保护环境免受潜在有害化学物质影响的监管决策基础的环境危害和风险评估，通常建议按照公认且经过验证的测试指南生成生态毒理学数据。这些指南通常未涉及行为变化，这意味着这些往往较为敏感的影响在危害和风险评估中未得到体现。在此，我们提出一种新工具——EthoCRED评估方法，用于评估行为生态毒性数据的相关性和可靠性，该方法考虑了该领域所遇到的独特要求和挑战。此方法及相应的报告建议旨在作为“生态毒性数据报告与评估标准（CRED）”项目的延伸。因此，EthoCRED既能适应行为生态毒理学中广泛的实验设计方法，又能在不同司法管辖区的政策制定者认为适当时，轻松纳入监管框架，以便更好地将行为测试获得的知识整合到环境保护中。此外，通过我们的报告建议，我们旨在改进同行评审文献中行为研究的报告，从而提高其对化学品监管的参考价值。
