Conceptual frameworks are needed to narrow the gap between laboratory- and field-based research. Reconciling laboratory and field observations remains a major challenge for both fundamental and applied research in aquatic sciences. Laboratory-based, mechanistic investigations are the ideal tool to establish causal links between selected master variables and chemical or biological responses, such as contaminant speciation and toxicity. Yet, the environmental significance of these investigations can be questioned because they are generally carried out under standardized conditions, which are very different from natural field settings.
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