{"thcode":2,"term":{"code":320,"name":"ecotoxicology","parent":650,"scope":"Scientific study of causes, dispersal, and effects of contaminants on the environment."},"uf":[{"name":"environmental toxicology","usewith":false},{"name":"toxicology","usewith":false}],"bt":[{"code":650,"name":"life sciences","parent":1019,"scope":"Branches of science that study living and fossil organisms."},{"code":1019,"name":"sciences","parent":1,"scope":"Major educational fields, fields of study, and professional groupings within USGS."},{"code":1,"name":"Categories","parent":null,"scope":"Thematic terms for categorizing information resources.  This thesaurus is intended to support finding and understanding scientific information."}],"nt":[],"rt":[{"code":88,"name":"bioaccumulation","parent":310,"scope":"The biological sequestering of a substance at a higher concentration than that at which it occurs in the surrounding environment or medium.  Also, the process whereby a substance enters an organism through the gills, epithelial tissues, dietary, or other sources."},{"code":196,"name":"contaminant transport","parent":310,"scope":"Processes involved in the movement of impurities through air, water, and soil."},{"code":769,"name":"contamination and pollution","parent":1174,"scope":"Introduction of harmful substances into the environment by human action or natural processes."},{"code":311,"name":"ecology","parent":650,"scope":"Study of the relations between living plants and animals and their environment."},{"code":531,"name":"hazards","parent":1174,"scope":"Potential dangers from both natural processes (e.g., earthquakes, floods, and climate change) and human impacts on the environment."},{"code":548,"name":"human impacts","parent":1174,"scope":"The effects, intentional or unintentional, beneficial or harmful, direct or indirect, which human activities have upon the environment and living things."},{"code":720,"name":"mercury contamination","parent":1181,"scope":"Biological disturbances caused by mercury compounds that have entered the environment."},{"code":879,"name":"pesticide and herbicide contamination","parent":769,"scope":"Pollution resulting from chemical agents applied to crops, rights of way, lawns, or residences to control weeds, insects, fungi, nematodes, rodents or other pests (pesticides) or kill undesirable plants (herbicides)."},{"code":907,"name":"plant and animal testing","parent":619,"scope":"Use of live or dead organisms for scientific study."},{"code":1160,"name":"therapeutic methods","parent":619,"scope":"Methods of  restoring health with remedial agents or treatments."},{"code":1180,"name":"toxic radionuclide contamination","parent":769,"scope":"Introduction into the environment of unstable isotopes of elements that undergo radioactive decay, emitting radiation that is harmful to organisms."},{"code":1181,"name":"toxic trace element contamination","parent":769,"scope":"Introduction into the environment of elements (such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury) which have a deleterious effect on living organisms when found naturally in only minor amounts (concentrations less than 1.0 milligram per liter) in water or sediment."}]}