3 INNOVATIVE STEPS IN ECOLOGY, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE,

WATER SAFETY.
[This was published online by an independent reviewer on the basis of reviews published by Prof. K.
at the site of the largest library catalog, World Catalog]

3 Innovations IN ECOLOGY, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, WATER SAFETY (with references, links to full
texts of the papers, many pictures).

Tags: innovations, ECOLOGY, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, WATER SAFETY, toxicology, ecotoxicology,
surfactants, detergents, filter-feeders, water, filtration, self-purification, water quality, sublethal,
aquatic, ecosystem, hazards, pollution, purification, discoveries
http://5bio5.blogspot.com/2014/06/3-innovative-steps-in-ecology.html

A series of reviews of scientific articles was published recently [1]. These reviews explained new
discoveries in ecology.
Three important innovations were made in ecology and the last years of the 1990s and in the first
yours after 2000.
These innovations were made in the series of scientific publications, starting with [2]. The results of
the paper [2] were confirmed and extended in [3-12].

These are the three discoveries / innovations in the publications [2-12].
(1) Synthetic surfactants and detergents pose more environmental hazards than it was thought
before.
(2) Sublethal concentrations of chemical pollutants (sublethal = less than lethal, less than killing
concentrations) pose more environmental hazard than it was thought before.
(3) Chemical pollutants (such as surfactants, detergents) may decrease the very important function of
aquatic ecosystems: namely, the pollutants may decrease the process of water purification by living
organisms in the water.
On the basis of the new facts [2-12], Fulbright award winning Dr. Sergei Ostroumov formulated a new
productive theory of the multi-functional role of organisms in improving water quality and water self-
purification [13, 14].

The innovations number 2 and 3 of the three innovations (listed above) are fundamentally and
conceptually important, they change the philosophy of modern science. These innovations change the
current principles of environmental toxicology and ecotoxicology. The current science of environmental
toxicology is based on the prevalence of interest to lethal effects (killing effects). In other words, the
most important thing in traditional ecotoxicology is finding a lethal (killing) effect of the chemical on
the organism. Until the landmark publications [2-12], there were two most things in ecotoxicology:
(1) whether the chemical kills some organisms, and (2) at which concentration the chemical kills the
organism under study. The new results [2-12] completely change this traditional dogma. A new era
started in ecotoxicology. It follows from [2-12] that even much less toxic chemicals at much smaller
concentrations are very dangerous to the ecosystems. It follows that much more attention must be
given and will be given to sublethal effects of chemical pollutants in future.

This explanation makes it clear that the new publications [2-14] make a really useful and innovative
addition to scientific knowledge, to fundamental science. These publications are really useful to
practice of preventing and mitigation the chemical pollution of freshwater and marine ecosystems.
These publications were ahead of their time, they will be cited in future more and more.

All of these results the three innovations listed above and the theory of ecosystem-driven self-
purification of water - are vital and essential to progress in ecology, environmental science, water
science, aquatic toxicology, ecotoxicology.

Explanation of terminology in titles of some of these publications.
Surfactants:
surfactants are a broad class of organic chemicals that are key components of all detergents, liquid
soaps, washing liquids, and shampoos, and therefore they pollute water in huge quantities;
'Mytilus edulis':
'Mytilus edulis' is the scientific Latin name for a common species of marine mollusks (mussels) that
are one of most popular seafood. The pictures of this mollusks, Mytilus edulis , are given at the end
of this text.
'Unio tumidus':
'Unio tumidus' is a common freshwater bivalve mollusk. This mollusk filter water to get food
(plankton and small organic particles) and oxygen from water. The picture of this mollusks, Unio
tumidus , is given at the end of this text.

REFERENCES.
1. Reviews of 20 outstanding publications, ecology, environmental safety, water quality
improvement. Concise reviews published at the world biggest library catalog, World Catalog
(WorldCat).
http://5bio5.blogspot.com/2014/06/reviews-of-20-outstanding-publications.html

2. S.A.Ostroumov, Donkin P., Staff F. Filtration inhibition induced by two classes of synthetic
surfactants in the bivalve mollusk Mytilus edulis. - Doklady Biological Sciences, 1998. Vol. 362, P.
454-456. [ ISSN 0012-4966; Distributed by Springer, orderdept@springer-sbm.com] ;
http://www.citeulike.org/user/ATP/article/9750739 ; Review of this paper:
5bio5.blogspot.com/2014/06/worldcat-review-of-paper-filtration.html ;
The Russian language version of this article: Filtration inhibition induced by two classes of synthetic
surfactants in the bivalve mollusc (Narushenije filtracii dvustvorchatymi molluskami pod
vozdejstvijem poverkhnostno-aktivnykh veshchestv dvukh klassov); SA Ostroumov, P Donkin, F
Staff. Doklady Akademii Nauk, 1998, 362, 574-576;


3. Effect of Amphiphilic Chemicals on Filter-Feeding Marine Organisms ; full text free:
https://www.google.ru/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.resear
chgate.net%2Fpublication%2F10614314_Effect_of_amphiphilic_chemicals_on_filter-
feeding_marine_organisms&ei=VHmVU_6sLeT4ygP8zID4Bw&usg=AFQjCNFtNXW7J4_k5eS_LMFPHOEoaxHH2A&bvm=bv.68445247,d.b
GQ

4. Imbalance of Factors Providing Control of Unicellular Plankton Populations Exposed to
Anthropogenic Impact .
https://www.google.ru/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.resear
chgate.net%2Fpublication%2F10614342_Imbalance_of_factors_providing_control_of_unicellular_plankton_populations_exposed_to_anthro
pogenic_impact&ei=lXmVU4HfBsL8ygP8u4Bg&usg=AFQjCNEv9Y6rkn-rnzfj354EDPcoJXQOcg&bvm=bv.68445247,d.bGQ


5. Inhibitory Analysis of Regulatory Interactions in Trophic Webs
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/216167167_Inhibitory_Analysis_of_Regulatory_Interactions_in_Trophic_Webs
6. The Concept of Aquatic Biota as a Labile and Vulnerable Component of the Water Self-
Purification System.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12375514_The_concept_of_aquatic_biota_as_a_labile_and_vul
nerable_component_of_the_water_self-purification_system
7. An Aquatic Ecosystem: A Large-Scale Diversified Bioreactor with a Water Self-Purification
Function. by S A Ostroumov.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/215907363_An_aquatic_ecosystem_a_large-scale_diversified_bioreactor_with_a_water_self-
purification_function._-_Doklady_Biological_Sciences_2000._Vol._374_P._514-516
8. A New Type of Effect of Potentially Hazardous Substances: Uncouplers of Pelagial-Benthal
Coupling. by S A Ostroumov.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/200576296_A_new_type_of_effect_of_potentially_hazardous_s
ubstances_uncouplers_of_pelagialbenthal_coupling

9. The Hazard of a Two-Level Synergism of Synecological Summation of Anthropogenic Effects
by S A Ostroumov.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/10614388_The_hazard_of_a_two-
level_synergism_of_synecological_summation_of_anthropogenic_effects

10. Responses of Unio tumidus to Mixed Chemical Preparations and the Hazard of Synecological
Summation of Anthropogenic Effects. [Explanation: Unio tumidus is a common freshwater bivalve
mollusk. This mollusk filter water to get food (plankton and small organic particles) and oxygen from
water. The picture of this mollusks, Unio tumidus , is given at the end of this text.]
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259579828_Article_published_Responses_of_Unio_tumidus_to_mixed_chemical_preparations_an
d_the_hazard_of_synecological_summation_of_anthropogenic_effects


11. Biodiversity Protection and Quality of Water: The Role of Feedbacks in Ecosystems
English abstract and full English text of the English version of this article:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11371556_Biodiversity_protection_and_quality_of_water_the_r
ole_of_feedbacks_in_ecosystems

English abstract of the Russian version of
this paper:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259497389_Biodiversity_protection_and_water
_quality_the_role_of_feedbacks_in_ecosystems ;
12. [book] Biological Effects of Surfactants. CRC Press. Taylor & Francis. Boca Raton, London,
New York. 2006. 279 p., tab. Bibliography on pages 203-243 and 250-253. Subject Index: p.255-
279.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/200637626_Biological_Effects_of_Surfactants;

13. On the Biotic Self-purification of Aquatic Ecosystems: Elements of the Theory. - Doklady
Biological Sciences. v.396, No.1-6; pp. 206- 211.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259579685_ARTICLE_On_the_Biotic_Self-
purification_of_Aquatic_Ecosystems_Elements_of_the_Theory._On-the-biotic-self-purification-of-aquatic-ecosystems-elements-of-the-
theory?ev=srch_pub&_sg=4zdcQ7g4uSmcKKDU%2BI2kmZbXcv55YVc4bX6KwmUso9Qu1q4XJoFxgb2b7IWeIeCB_8amXWDq%2FwX2y6
Zhg4fzqKj5ddDWKWpWbv1ITUgscTq%2FbP02gGds4stAWUluqgIf5 ;
New conceptualization of how all biodiversity of the aquatic organisms functions together toward up-
grading water quality;
NEW THEORY OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION: KEY TO WATER SAFETY.


14. Polyfunctional role of biodiversity in processes leading to water purification: current
conceptualizations and concluding remarks. Hydrobiologia, 2002; 469: 203-204.
DOI:10.1023/A:1015555022737 ;

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/200582742_Ostroumov_S.A._Polyfunctional_role_of_biodiversit
y_in_processes_leading_to_water_purification_current_conceptualizations_and_concluding_remarks ;

Pictures.
General picture of a mollusk that filter water:


Marine mussels,







Freshwater mussels, the mollusk Unio tumidus:




Cover the book, one of publications on the list of references:



Cooked dish - mollusks as a high quality seafood:


this was mentioned at the Facebook web page of
Ernst Mayr Library, Harvard University
(U.S.A.); https://www.facebook.com/ernstmayrlib?ref=ts&fref=ts ;

Oxford University (U.K.), https://www.facebook.com/OxUniEarthSci?ref=ts&fref=ts

Tsinghua University:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tsinghua-University/282900288425063?fref=nf