A method for assessing the potential for confounding applied to ionic strength in central Appalachian streams

Causal relationships derived from field data are potentially confounded by variables that are correlated with both the cause and its effect. The present study presents a method for assessing the potential for confounding and applies it to the relationship between ionic strength and impairment of ben...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental toxicology and chemistry 2013-02, Vol.32 (2), p.288-295
Main Authors: Suter II, Glenn W., Cormier, Susan M.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Causal relationships derived from field data are potentially confounded by variables that are correlated with both the cause and its effect. The present study presents a method for assessing the potential for confounding and applies it to the relationship between ionic strength and impairment of benthic invertebrate assemblages in central Appalachian streams. The method weighs all available evidence for and against confounding by each potential confounder. It identifies 10 types of evidence for confounding, presents a qualitative scoring system, and provides rules for applying the scores. Twelve potential confounders were evaluated: habitat, organic enrichment, nutrients, deposited sediments, pH, selenium, temperature, lack of headwaters, catchment area, settling ponds, dissolved oxygen, and metals. One potential confounder, low pH, was found to be biologically significant and eliminated by removing sites with pH
ISSN:0730-7268
1552-8618
DOI:10.1002/etc.2054