More is worse! overlooking the ecological risk of chemical pollution-induced proliferation in aquatic systems

Abstract Ecotoxicological evaluations focus on lethality and growth inhibition. when no inhibitory effect is observed, particularly for organisms considered “non-target” like algae, the lethality and growth inhibition metrics are often reported as “greater than” the highest tested concentration. However, this approach critically overlooks the phenomenon of growth stimulation, a direct biological effect that can pose an equal or even greater ecological risk than inhibition. This comment argues for a crucial paradigm shift in ecological risk assessment to explicitly acknowledge, quantify, and incorporate growth-promoting effects. Given that protocols already mandate the reporting of such stimulation, it is imperative to treat it with the same quantitative rigor as growth inhibition, thereby ensuring a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of chemical impacts on aquatic ecosystems.