Putting the Eco in Ecotoxicology

In 2008, the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) honored John Cairns with a special session entitled _Putting the Eco in Ecotoxicology. This commentary reflects on his life s work with ecotoxicoly and how it can be used to address problems with the ecosystem. Ecotoxicologists who study the effects of stress on individual species and natural communities are ideally positioned to play a major part in protecting the biospheric life support system.