Pollution by agricultural pesticides is one of the most important pressures affecting Mediterranean coastal wetlands. Pesticide risks are expected to be influenced by climate change, which will ...result in an increase of temperatures and a decrease in annual precipitation. On the other hand, pesticide dosages are expected to change given the increase in pest resistance and the implementation of environmental policies like the European ´Farm-to-Fork` strategy, which aims for a 50 % reduction in pesticide usage by 2030. The influence of climate change and pesticide use practices on the ecological risks of pesticides needs to be evaluated making use of realistic environmental scenarios. This study investigates how different climate change and pesticide use practices affect the ecological risks of pesticides in the Albufera Natural Park (Valencia, Spain), a protected Mediterranean coastal wetland. We performed a probabilistic risk assessment for nine pesticides applied in rice production using three climatic scenarios (for the years 2008, 2050 and 2100), three pesticide dosage regimes (the recommended dose, and 50 % increase and 50 % decrease), and their combinations. The scenarios were used to simulate pesticide exposure concentrations in the water column of the rice paddies using the RICEWQ model. Pesticide effects were characterized using acute and chronic Species Sensitivity Distributions built with toxicity data for aquatic organisms. Risk quotients were calculated as probability distributions making use of Bayesian networks. Our results show that future climate projections will influence exposure concentrations for some of the studied pesticides, yielding higher dissipation and lower exposure in scenarios dominated by an increase of temperatures, and higher exposure peaks in scenarios where heavy precipitation events occur right after pesticide application. Our case study shows that pesticides such as azoxystrobin, difenoconazole and MCPA are posing unacceptable ecological risks for aquatic organisms, and that the implementation of the ´Farm-to-Fork` strategy is crucial to reduce them.
Display omitted
•The ecological risks of 9 pesticides were assessed using Bayesian networks.•Bayesian networks allow the integration of climate change and pesticide use scenarios.•Local precipitation is more important than temperature raise for pesticide exposure.•Azoxystrobin, difenoconazole and MCPA show high ecological risks.•The ‘Farm-to-Fork’ strategy needs complementary measures to eliminate risks.
•Sweden and Denmark have each authorized 20 microbial plant protection products while Norway have only authorized four.•The paper explore possible explanations for these differences.•Regulatory and ...market differences could explain some of the differences.•The most important explanation are different safety judgments made in the authorization process.
The EU has developed a Directive on Sustainable Use of Chemical Pesticides (2009/128/EC) (SUD) that aims to enhance the use of non-chemical alternatives to pesticides like microbial plant protection products (PPP). The number of authorized microbial PPP for plant protection has increased globally during the last decade. There is, however, variation between different countries. Sweden and Denmark have for example each authorized 20 microbial PPP while Norway has only authorized four microbial PPP. Norway has also received significantly fewer applications for authorization of microbial PPP than the other Scandinavian countries. We explore possible explanations for the observed differences. Our results show that that the regulations in the three countries had similar requirements for the authorisation of microbial PPP. The size of the market is somewhat smaller in Norway than in Sweden and Denmark, and could therefore explain some of the differences. We suggest, however, that the most important explanation is implementation differences in terms of different decisions made in the authorization process. By comparing the authorization process for three microbial PPP in the Scandinavian countries, we found that Norway used more time for the product authorization decisions. Norway assess the same types of microbial PPP more restrictively with respect to environmental aspects and especially human health risks.
Intense agricultural activities are performed in the Ebro River Delta (NE Spain) with extensive use of pesticides. Medium to highly polar pesticides have not been studied intensively in sediments ...despite its larger use in the recent years. This work aimed at assessing the occurrence of 69 pesticides, including medium to highly polar compounds, in sediments collected from drainage and irrigation channels of the Ebro River Delta during the main rice growing season. In addition, an environmental risk assessment was performed to evaluate the potential adverse effects to sediment-dwelling organisms with the risk quotient approach. A total of 24 pesticides were detected in sediments with bentazone and cypermethrin exhibiting high detection frequencies (79%) as well as high mean concentration levels (61.9 and 81.8 ng g−1 dw, respectively). Overall, the Alfacs bay, in the South of the delta, presented higher pesticide contamination than the Fangar bay, in the North. A similar pesticide distribution profile was observed in both bays, with oxadiazoles, organochlorines, pyrethroids, benzothiazinones and organophosphates as major, predominant classes. The presence of oxadiazon, pendimethalin and thifensulfuron methyl in the sediments may pose a moderate risk to sediment-dwelling organisms while bentazone, chlorpyrifos, and cypermethrin exhibited a potential high risk. Thus, the importance of the inclusion of medium to highly polar pesticides in the analysis of sediments is emphasized since some polar pesticides such as bentazone, imidacloprid, and thifensulfuron-methyl have been detected at concentrations that may pose a risk to aquatic organisms. Moreover, the co-occurrence of pesticides may potentially pose a high risk to sediment-dwelling organisms in 13 out of the 14 investigated locations. Finally, it could be concluded that the risk derived from the presence of pesticides in sediments must be assessed since some pesticides not detected at concerning levels in water, may pose a moderate/high risk in the sediments.
Display omitted
•Twenty-four of 69 pesticides were detected in sediments from Ebro River Delta.•Bentazone and cypermethrin exhibited high levels and detection frequencies.•Alfacs bay presented higher pesticide contamination than the Fangar bay.•Detected pesticides may pose a moderate/high risk to sediment-dwelling organisms.•Co-occurrence of pesticides may pose a high risk in 13 of 14 investigated locations.
An alternative to the conventional delivery methods of pesticides is needed to limit risks for consumers, users and the environment. Managing pests and diseases in orchards, forests and urban ...environment using trunk injection of plant protection products is a promising strategy to reduce the risks associated with spraying. This environmentally friendly method was developed in the years following the emergence of phytosanitary problems and new scientific knowledge in the field. Recently, renewed interest in the trunk injection method has emerged following the apparition of new biological control agents and technologies which are more tree-friendly. Here we compare existing injection devices and their impact on trunk injection. We focus on the advantages and drawbacks of endotherapy with respect to environmental concerns and the risks for tree and human health. We also discuss the factors that influence the effectiveness of the trunk injection including the characteristics of the agrochemicals and biological control agents, tree anatomy and physiology. The match between pest or disease occurrence and the timing of the injections also has an influence on the success of this alternative treatment method.
•Spraying of agrochemicals on trees leads to extensive drift losses.•Trunk injection is a promising alternative to conventional application methods.•Health and environmental risks are limited by inserting products into xylem vessels.•The efficiency of trunk injection is proved to control insect pests.•Efficiency improved through technological advances and new plant protection products.
Strategy development for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) requires suitable environmental risk assessment to upscale risks based on environmental parameters, pesticide properties, multi-exposures ...toxicity assessments and field-specific information on pesticide usage on landscape level. This paper introduces the easy-to-use environmental risk assessment tool SYNOPS-WEB to assess acute and chronic pesticide risks to soil, surface water and pollinators, as well as via leaching to groundwater. SYNOPS-WEB is a free-to-use online tool available for advisors and policy makers within the European Union to compare and assess pesticide risk under realistic application patterns and environmental conditions. The proposed methodology and structure of SYNOPS-WEB are described along with brief usage instructions. Model predictions for aquatic exposure assessment were evaluated on a four-year pesticide monitoring dataset from a small agricultural catchment. SYNOPS-WEB reliably modelled the aquatic exposure of pesticides detected during monitoring and additionally revealed risks from pesticides that could not be detected in surface water due to their high toxicity at concentrations close to the limit of quantification. Further evaluation of the tool is needed to assess model outputs concerning exposure assessment for soil, groundwater and field margin biotopes. Overall, SYNOPS-WEB has the potential to provide relevant information to European farmers, authorities and agronomists for developing and optimizing IPM strategies with particular focus on minimizing environmental risks. The structure of the model allows for future adaption and integration of novel approaches to risk assessment for a wider range of reference organisms and a larger set of mitigation measures.
•A web-based tool called SYNOPS-WEB was developed to assess pesticide risk under realistic environmental conditions.•SYNOPS-WEB assesses acute and chronic pesticide risks to soil, surface water and pollinators leaching to groundwater.•It considers multiple exposure of organisms combined with site-specific information on pesticide usage and land use.•Performance of the aquatic exposure assessment was evaluated on monitoring dataset from a small agricultural catchment.•An easy-to-use web interface was developed for online risk assessment to support farmers, advisors and policy makers.
To protect sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) against pests in commercial orchards, pesticides are frequently used, but some have adverse environmental impacts. Natural enemies can deliver protection ...against pests but compared to the surrounding non-crop habitat their abundance is usually low in intensively managed agricultural systems. Wildflower interventions established for Conservation Biological Control as part of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) can reinstate habitat for natural enemies within cropped areas and enhance natural pest control. Over a three-year period, this more sustainable approach to crop protection was investigated in eight sweet cherry orchards protected under polytunnels in the West Midlands (UK). Wildflower strips were established in alleyways between rows of cherry trees and managed under two cutting regimes, Standard Wildflower Strips (SWS) (a single cut in late September) and Actively Managed Wildflower Strips (AMWS) (regularly cut to a height of 20 cm throughout the growing season). These were compared to unsown Control Strips (CS) (original vegetation dominated by grass species). To investigate natural enemy populations and pest regulation services, direct search, Vortis suction sampling, beat sampling, and aphid bait cards were used. Araneae (40.0% of records) and parasitoid wasps (22.7%) were the most frequent natural enemies recorded in alleyways, whilst Anystidae (51.8%) and Araneae (20.8%) were most abundant on cherry trees. Wildflower treatments almost doubled the abundance of natural enemies in alleyways, and increased abundance in cherry trees by ~15% compared to the CS. Wildflower strips increased predation of aphids (bait cards) in cherry trees by 25%. No difference in natural enemy abundance, richness or pest control was recorded between the two wildflower management regimes. Differences in natural enemy abundance and predation rates were detected despite the continued use of pesticides by growers (an average of 5.4 (± 0.4) applications per orchard per year). This study demonstrates that creating wildflower habitat in commercial sweet cherry orchards under polytunnels can boost natural enemies and the associated pest regulation services. Relative to CS, the novel grower-friendly approach of maintaining wildflower strips at a height of 20 cm with regular cutting increased flower resource availability and pest regulation services, demonstrating the potential for growers to adopt this approach as part of a robust IPM strategy.
•Wildflower strips can be established successfully under polytunnel systems.•Wildflower strips increased natural enemies and pest regulation services in commercially grown cherry trees.•The novel approach of cutting wildflower strips regularly increased flower numbers and pest regulation services.•Benefits of wildflower provision were recorded despite the continued use of pesticides.
Cascade cropping systems in soilless horticulture (where drainage collected from the main crop is used in fertigation of secondary crops) are potentially interesting for Mediterranean countries as ...they enhance water and nutrient use efficiency. However, their agronomic and long-term environmental impact has been poorly addressed. In this case study, lettuce grown hydroponically or in soil (previously exposed to drainage for five years) was fertigated, throughout the cultivation period, with a nutrient solution composed of 0, 25, 50 or 100 % of drainage (0D, 25D, 50D and 100D) mixed with a fresh nutrient solution. Plant performance analysis included growth parameters and leaf mineral composition. Drainage was analyzed for nutrients and Plant Protection Products (PPP) residues, and bioassays were performed exposing aquatic organisms (Raphidocelis subcapitata, Aliivibrio fischeri and Daphnia magna) to drainage and soil elutriate. When analyzing plant performance in both cultivation systems, a significant effect was only found at 100D in hydroponics, resulting in 41 % less leaf area, 20 % smaller head diameter and 43 % lower yield. Drainage analysis showed high nutrient content, presence of PPP residues (up to 6 substances, reaching 3.29 µg·L−1 in total) and revealed toxicity to D. magna (EC50 = 66.6 %). Moreover, soil elutriate presented toxicity to R. subcapitata (EC50 = 20.6 %) and to A. fischeri (EC50 = 14.9 %). This study demonstrates the potential of using relatively high drainage percentages (up to 50 %) from soilless cultivation systems if applied to hydroponically-grown secondary crops. However, attention should be paid to the use of cascade cropping systems when drainages are applied to fertigate soil-grown crops, as it may contribute to soil degradation and environmental pollution on a long run.
Display omitted
•Drainage (D) from soilless cultivation systems led to soil degradation.•Incorporating 50% D in fertigation did not impact soil or soilless lettuce growth.•Chemical analyses and bioassays showed that D use should target soilless systems.•Battery of bioassays revealed environmental hazard following cumulative D emission.•Guidelines and strict monitoring are needed when using D in Mediterranean countries.
This survey by the European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals (ECETOC) highlights that ‘omics technologies are generally not yet applied to meet standard information requirements ...during regulatory hazard assessment. While they are used within weight-of-evidence approaches to investigate substances’ modes-of-action, consistent approaches for the generation, processing and interpretation of ‘omics data are not applied. To date, no ‘omics technology has been standardised or validated. Best practices for performing ‘omics studies for regulatory purposes (e.g., microarrays for transcriptome profiling) remain to be established. Therefore, three frameworks for (i) establishing a Good-Laboratory Practice-like context for collecting, storing and curating ‘omics data; (ii) ‘omics data processing; and (iii) quantitative WoE approaches to interpret ‘omics data have been developed, that are presented in this journal supplement. Application of the frameworks will enable between-study comparison of results, which will facilitate the regulatory applicability of 'omics data. The frameworks do not constitute prescriptive protocols precluding any other data analysis method, but provide a baseline for analysis that can be applied to all data allowing ready cross-comparison. Data analysis that does not follow the frameworks can be justified and the resulting data can be compared with the Framework-based common analysis output.
•‘Omics are not yet applied to meet standard regulatory information requirements.•They are used for weight-of-evidence evaluations of substances’ modes-of-action.•Consistent approaches for performing regulatory ‘omics studies are required.•This article discusses issues that are relevant to implement consistent approaches.
Despite an improvement of water quality across Europe there are many pollution hotspots for both nitrates and PPPs, mainly due to agricultural activities. The BMPs and MMs to reduce pollution from ...agriculture are well known, and there are policy instruments in place to ensure drinking water standards, but the current approach has not been efficient enough. Within the H2020 Water Protect project the premise was that there is a need for a multi-actor, participatory approach to tackle the issue from a new angle, and to assess why the uptake of known BMPs and MMs was not better among farmers. Seven “Action Labs” were selected that represent major physical, socio-economical, cultural and farming settings across Europe. A methodology of multi-actor engagement was chosen but with different approaches due to the local context. Initially the level of farmers' awareness about water quality issues was matched to the observed uptake rates of BMPs and MMs. In a second survey barriers hindering the uptake of measures were identified. The first survey revealed a low general awareness on the potential pollution to drinking water sources. Despite this, between 24% to 88% of the surveyed farmers per Action Lab were already voluntarily adopting one quarter of the selected BMPs and MMs. The second survey demonstrated the need to address organisational, legislative, sociological and technical barriers. The lack of coordination between different institutional bodies promoting measures and the financial incentives needed to invest and operate these often-costly measures need to be considered. The multi-actor, participatory approach with its improved awareness and collaboration made it possible to identify the crucial factors for improvement - to build a social acceptance among all actors and communicate the issues and solutions from the start.
Display omitted
•Protection of drinking water from nutrients and pesticides requires a good uptake of BMPs.•The uptake of BMPs was assessed by a participatory approach across Europe.•Barriers preventing the uptake of obligatory and voluntary BMPs were identified.•Barriers were related to policy tools at the national and European scale.•Social acceptance among all actors and communication was required right from the start.
Honey bees are crucial for our ecosystems as pollinators, but the intensive use of plant protection products (PPPs) in agriculture poses a risk for them. PPPs do not only affect target organisms but ...also affect non-targets, such as the honey bee
and their microbiome. This study is the first of its kind, aiming to characterize the effect of PPPs on the microbiome of the cuticle of honey bees. We chose PPPs, which have frequently been detected in bee bread, and studied their effects on the cuticular microbial community and function of the bees. The effects of the fungicide Difcor
(difenoconazole), the insecticide Steward
(indoxacarb), the combination of both (mix A) and the fungicide Cantus
Gold (boscalid and dimoxystrobin), the insecticide Mospilan
(acetamiprid), and the combination of both (mix B) were tested. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal transcribed spacer region gene-based amplicon sequencing and quantification of gene copy numbers were carried out after nucleic acid extraction from the cuticle of honey bees. The treatment with Steward
significantly affected fungal community composition and function. The fungal gene copy numbers were lower on the cuticle of bees treated with Difcor
, Steward
, and PPP mix A in comparison with the controls. However, bacterial and fungal gene copy numbers were increased in bees treated with Cantus
Gold, Mospilan
, or PPP mix B compared to the controls. The bacterial cuticular community composition of bees treated with Cantus
Gold, Mospilan
, and PPP mix B differed significantly from the control. In addition, Mospilan
on its own significantly changed the bacterial functional community composition. Cantus
Gold significantly affected fungal gene copy numbers, community, and functional composition. Our results demonstrate that PPPs show adverse effects on the cuticular microbiome of honey bees and suggest that PPP mixtures can cause stronger effects on the cuticular community than a PPP alone. The cuticular community composition was more diverse after the PPP mix treatments. This may have far-reaching consequences for the health of honey bees.
PDF
