Bioindicators and biomonitors

For many years now, "classic" environmental monitoring programs have been supplemented by measurements based on bioindicators. In this context, research on living organisms or their residues is used to assess the environmental situation in qualitative (bioindication) or quantitative (biomonitoring) terms. They provide information on environmental damage in a given region at a given time, or on variations over time (trend analysis). Classical bioindication often deals with observations and measurements of chemical noxa (both inorganic and organic) in well-defined bioindicators of plants, animals or humans. In terms of analytical procedures and results, there are parallel developments between advances in bioindication and innovative advances in analytical methods. After some thirty years of development in bioindication, the following lines of future development are 1) the more frequent inclusion of total multi-element analyses for the detailed study of mutual correlations in terms of biological systems or elements, 2) further work on (analytical) speciation aspects to advance real-effects-oriented environmental science, and 3) the integration of bioindication methods to better address environmental monitoring problems. In this context, the use of a single bioindicator will not provide relevant information. Thus, integrative concepts such as the Multi-Marker Bioindication Concept (MMBC) offer basic means to better address the effects of environmental protection measures based on second-generation bioindication methodology. A case study of biomonitoring in Switzerland illustrates the new methodologies. This article is based in part on a review by Markert et al. (2003).