Comment on ET&C perspectives, November 2015-A holistic view.

Area of Science:

• Ecotoxicology
• Environmental Science
• Statistical Modeling

Background:

• Long-standing statistical issues in ecotoxicology persist despite extensive discussion.
• Current statistical developments in ecotoxicology often lack expert statistical review.
• Progress on critical recommendations, like phasing out no-observed-effect concentrations, is hindered.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel approach for resolving persistent statistical challenges in ecotoxicology.
• To advocate for the creation of a dedicated subdiscipline focused on statistical applications in ecotoxicology.
• To stimulate a shift towards more integrated statistical and ecological expertise.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and synthesis of existing debates in ecotoxicology.
• Argumentative analysis of current practices in statistical application and peer review.
• Proposal for a new interdisciplinary subdiscipline.

Main Results:

• Identified a lack of significant new insights in long-standing statistical debates.
• Highlighted the absence of professional statisticians in the development and peer review of ecotoxicological statistics.
• Proposed "statistical ecotoxicology" as a solution to foster collaboration and advance the field.

Conclusions:

• The ecotoxicological community needs a dedicated subdiscipline, "statistical ecotoxicology," for progress.
• Collaboration between statisticians and ecotoxicologists is crucial for addressing complex statistical issues.
• This interdisciplinary approach can overcome current impasses and drive meaningful advancements in toxicity assessment.