A review of guideline development for suspended solids and salinity in tropical rivers of Queensland, Australia

摘要: Suspended solids and salinity are among the highest priority contaminants for management of freshwater biodiversity ecosystems in tropical Australia. Although they natural constituents aquatic ecosystems, when elevated above background concentrations can have negative impacts. The Australian tropics experience intense seasonal rainfall patterns with distinct dry winters wet summers, rivers often experiencing large episodic flow events season low or no flows season. Both suspended represent a complex mixture that influenced by range factors including catchment land use, geology, hydrology geomorphology. Accurate reliable water quality guidelines an essential tool their management. Given highly variable nature stressors themselves, defining trigger values them Australia presents considerable challenge. This paper describes how sediment sources, mechanisms transport characteristics interrelate to influence exposure potential impact. application existing approaches guideline development, departure from reference condition toxicological reviewed light requirements recommendations given on most appropriate techniques develop at present. within rivers, tend follow modelled allow identification spatial grouping relatively homogeneous zones. These zones provide basis better regional ranges, which inform design toxicity tests determine effects way is representative those