Environmental Causal Analysis

How does Exponent help clients understand environmental changes resulting from natural or human causes?

Every environmental system experiences a variety of stressors, both natural and anthropogenic. Exponent scientists use a logical, transparent, and objective approach to evaluate the likelihood of multiple causes and weigh the available evidence for each individual cause contributing to an observed or alleged change.

Our multidisciplinary environmental causal analysis teams conduct a wide variety of investigations to examine the status of natural resources, including fish and wildlife population trends, as well as the nature and extent of candidate stressors, including contaminated environmental media and biota, fishing or hunting pressures, temperature fluctuations, invasive species, and habitat destruction or loss. To scientifically evaluate the causes of environmental changes, we assist clients with data collection and management, develop spatial analysis models, evaluate contaminant transport and fate, conduct environmental forensics investigations, and evaluate adverse ecological changes posed by various stressors.

By leveraging our extensive scientific expertise to collect data, evaluate lines of evidence, and examine all potential pathways of exposure and injury, we can apply our causal analysis to a variety of environmental issues, including biological impairments in water bodies (e.g., 303(d) listings, total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), legacy chemicals), natural resource damage assessments (NRDAs), toxicity reduction evaluations (TREs), and remedial or restoration measures.