Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
TABLE 7.4
AJ Mine Assessment Endpoints and Their Relation to Selection Criteria
Assessment
Endpoint
Ecological
Relevance
Societal Value or
Policy Goal
Susceptibility to Stressors
Provide food source
that does not
interfere with sea
bird reproduction
Piscivorous birds
feed on bottom
fish that may be
in contact with
tailings
Aesthetic value and
declining
populations
Potential for exposure to
bioaccumulation of
metals through diet and
reliant on food from
tailings disposal area
Provide food source
at existing levels that
does not interfere
with fish-eating
marine mammal
reproduction
Top predator feed
on fish that may
be in contact
with tailings
Aesthetic value;
protected species;
rights of
indigenous
peoples
Potential for exposure to
bioaccumulative metals
through diet
Provide unaltered
food and habitat
requirements for
naturally occurring
pelagic fish
Top predator
Commercial and
recreational
fisheries
Potential for exposure to
bioaccumulative metals
through diet
Support demersal fish
assemblages similar
in composition and
density to existing
conditions during
operations and
provide for recovery
after operations
cease
Predator of
invertebrates;
prey item for
predatory fish
and birds; feeds
and lives on
areas potentially
affected by
tailings
deposition
Prey for
commercially
important fish
species and
aesthetically
important avian
species
Potential for exposure to
bioaccumulative metals
through diet; sensitive to
potentially toxic metals in
sediments
Maintain suitable
conditions for
benthic assemblages
over most of the
prime benthic habitat
area of Stephens
Passage during
operation and
provide for recovery
after mine closure
Bottom of aquatic
food chain;
community
composition will
be affected by
tailings
deposition; may
bioaccumulate
chemicals of
concern
Prey species for
commercial fish
Sensitive measure of
water/sediment impact
r Having low natural variability. If there is huge natural
variability, it may be difficult to detect responses from the site-
related stressor.
r Rapidly responding and sensitive to the stressor. Response will be
immediate and results will not take a long time to interpret.
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