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Aquatic Toxicology
Senior scientists at Benchmark have designed and conducted aquatic
toxicology studies since 1986, when toxicity testing was adopted as an
investigative and monitoring tool for water quality permitting.
Toxicity testing was introduced to the wastewater discharge permit
process by the 1984 re-authorization of the Clean Water Act.
Benchmark’s senior scientists managed and operated aquatic toxicology
laboratories from 1986 through 1996. Toxicity tests were conducted
with wastewater, sediment, and drilling fluids to meet NPDES and state
discharge permit requirements and USACE sediment disposal
requirements. Benchmark does not currently operate an aquatic
toxicology laboratory but can provide testing services through partner
laboratories. Benchmark provides toxicology project design, project
management, and data evaluation.
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Biodiversity Studies
 Investigative
ecological projects often require site characterization to evaluate
potential impacts and to establish an ecological baseline. Most of
these studies also utilize un-impacted reference sites as a standard
for decontamination or mitigation. The site characterization and
reference site identification process often involves biodiversity
and/or biota population studies to quantify potential adverse impacts
to biota. Benchmark scientists have conducted biodiversity studies to
support stream classification, special use permits, site clean-up, and
mitigation projects. Benchmark scientists have conducted and designed
special studies involving mark/recapture, sonic tagging, trapping,
netting, and stratified random sample collection. Studies were
conducted according to EPA and TCEQ standards.
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Habitat Mapping and Utilization Studies
It is often necessary, during the initial phases of an ecological
project, to classify habitats found at a site and to determine how that
site is being utilized by wildlife. Benchmark scientists routinely
classify and map habitats at aquatic, intertidal and upland sites. The
goal of these studies is to categorize and map habitat by using a
variety of characteristics including: soil type, moisture level, and
vegetative cover. These studies may include population density and
species diversity studies to evaluate wildlife utilization. Habitat
mapping and utilization studies are often conducted as part of site
characterization studies, reference site identification studies, and
ecological monitoring programs. Habitat quantification, to document
existing ecological conditions, is a necessary component of mitigation
or restoration project development.
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Vegetation Baseline Evaluation and Monitoring
As part of a habitat assessment, Benchmark scientists often conduct
vegetation baseline evaluations. Vegetation baseline studies are
specialized habitat assessments that are used to establish or confirm
the status of vegetative communities. A baseline study involves plant
species identification; and classification of vegetation and plant
communities (e.g., coastal prairie, intertidal wetland, forested
wetland, forested upland). Baseline studies are often conducted to
document the condition of habitats at a reference site or establish a
starting point for mitigation or restoration projects. Many of the
techniques used to conduct a baseline study can be incorporated into a
vegetation monitoring program. Vegetation monitoring is generally used
to document the development or progress of plant communities in a
mitigation or restoration project. The objective of a monitoring
program is to document the progress of a modified or constructed
habitat toward a developmental target (e.g., performance criteria), or
demonstrate that performance criteria are being maintained.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 10 November 2007 )
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