Direct pesticide exposure of insects in nature conservation areas in Germany

Biodiversity loss impacts top-down regulation of insect herbivores across ecosystem boundaries

Biodiversity loss, as driven by anthropogenic global change, imperils biosphere intactness and integrity. Ecosystem services such as top-down regulation (or biological control; BC) are susceptible to loss of extinction-prone taxa at upper trophic levels and secondary 'support' species e.g., herbivores. Here, drawing upon curated open-access interaction data, we structurally analyze trophic networks centered on the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and assess their robustness to species loss. Tri-partite networks link 80 BC organisms (invertebrate or microbial), 512 lepidopteran hosts and 1194 plants (including 147 cultivated crops) in the Neotropics. These comprise threatened herbaceous or woody plants and conservation flagships such as saturniid moths. Treating all interaction partners functionally equivalent, random herbivore loss exerts a respective 26 % or 108 % higher impact on top-down regulation in crop and non-crop settings than that of BC organisms (at 50 % loss). Equally, random loss of BC organisms affects herbivore regulation to a greater extent (13.8 % at 50 % loss) than herbivore loss mediates their preservation (11.4 %). Yet, under moderate biodiversity loss, (non-pest) herbivores prove highly susceptible to loss of BC organisms. Our topological approach spotlights how agriculturally-subsidized BC agents benefit vegetation restoration, while non-pest herbivores uphold biological control in on- and off-farm settings alike. Our work underlines how the on-farm usage of endemic biological control organisms can advance conservation, restoration, and agricultural sustainability imperatives. We discuss how integrative approaches and close interdisciplinary cooperation can spawn desirable outcomes for science, policy and practice.

Transfer and bioaccumulation of pesticides in terrestrial arthropods and food webs: State of knowledge and perspectives for research

Arthropods represent an entry point for pesticide transfers in terrestrial food webs, and pesticide accumulation in upper chain organisms, such as predators can have cascading consequences on ecosystems. However, the mechanisms driving pesticide transfer and bioaccumulation in food webs remain poorly understood. Here we review the literature on pesticide transfers mediated by terrestrial arthropods in food webs. The transfer of pesticides and their potential for bioaccumulation and biomagnification are related to the chemical properties and toxicokinetic of the substances, the resistance and detoxification abilities of the contaminated organisms, as well as by their effects on organisms' life history traits. We further identify four critical areas in which knowledge gain would improve future predictions of pesticides impacts on terrestrial food webs. First, efforts should be made regarding the effects of co-formulants and pesticides mixtures that are currently understudied. Second, progress in the sensitivity of analytical methods would allow the detection of low concentrations of pesticides in small individual arthropods. Quantifying pesticides in arthropods preys, their predators, and arthropods or vertebrates at higher trophic level would bring crucial insights into the bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential of pesticides in real-world terrestrial food webs. Finally, quantifying the influence of the trophic structure and complexity of communities on the transfer of pesticides could address several important sources of variability in bioaccumulation and biomagnification across species and food webs. This narrative review will inspire future studies aiming to quantify pesticide transfers in terrestrial food webs to better capture their ecological consequences in natural and cultivated landscapes.

Effects of pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides on reared black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens)

Black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) receive growing interest as a potential alternative animal feed source. These insects may be exposed to insecticide residues in the rearing substrate. This study aimed to investigate the effects of six different pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides on this insect species' performance. The toxicity of two "model" substances for each of these classes (cypermethrin; pirimiphos-methyl) was quantified, with and without the synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO). Critical effect doses corresponding to 10% yield (CED10) for cypermethrin (0.4 mg/kg) and pirimiphos-methyl (4.8 mg/kg) were determined. The addition of PBO to cypermethrin enhanced its relative potency with a factor 2.6. These data were compared against the relative toxicity of two analogue substances in each class (permethrin, deltamethrin; chlorpyrifos-methyl, malathion). Results suggest that exposure to concentrations complying with legal limits can cause significant reductions in yield. Exposure to multiple substances at lower concentrations resulted in negative additive and synergistic effects. Of the tested substances, deltamethrin was most toxic, causing 94% yield at 0.5 mg/kg. Analytical results suggested that transfer of tested substances to the larval biomass was substance- and concentration-specific, but appeared to be correlated to reduced yields and the presence of PBO. Transfer of organophosphates was overall low (<2%), but ranged from 8% to 75% for pyrethroids. Due to very low limits in insect biomass (∼0.01 mg/kg), high transfer may result in noncompliance. It is recommended that rearing companies implement lower contractual thresholds, and that policymakers consider adjusting legally allowed maximum residue levels in insect feed.

Enhancing arthropod occurrence in wheat cropping systems: the role of non-chemical pest management and nitrogen optimization

This study analyzes arthropod biomass and abundance to track the changes in arthropod occurrence in relation to pesticide use in three winter wheat cropping systems managed at different intensities (organic, conventional, and hybrid). Arthropod occurrence was surveyed using three collection tools: sweeping nets, eclector traps, and yellow traps. Sampling was conducted over three years from 2020 to 2022 with 588 samples collected. The wet weight of the captured organisms was determined and arthropod abundance calculated. The application of a NOcsPS (no chemical-synthetic pesticides) strategy, a new hybrid cultivation method realized with optimized use of nitrogen fertilizers but without chemical-synthetic pesticides, showed a higher arthropod occurrence and performed more convincingly regarding produced arthropod biomass and abundance than the other cropping variants. The results also demonstrate a dependence of the obtained insect indices on the collection method. Although arthropod biomass and abundance correlated for all collection methods, the combination of various methods as well as multiple procedures of sample analysis gives a more realistic and comprehensive view of the impact of the wheat cultivation systems on the arthropod fauna than one-factor analyses.

Behavioral and Transcriptomic Analyses in the Indoxacarb Response of a Non-Target Damselfly Species

Ischnura senegalensis, which widely spreads in paddy fields, has the potential to be used as a natural predator of insect pests. However, the application of insecticides in the field could pose a threat to the survival of I. senegalensis. Among these pesticides, indoxacarb, an oxadiazine insecticide, is renowned for its broad-spectrum efficacy against numerous insect pests. In this study, we examined the toxicity of indoxacarb towards the larvae of I. senegalensis. Behavioral experiments and transcriptome analyses were conducted under indoxacarb treatments. Results revealed that indoxacarb induced abnormal body gestures and significant locomotory impairments, which could ultimately reduce the survival rate of the larvae in their natural habitat. Moreover, transcriptome analyses indicated that genes related to muscle function were significantly affected. Interestingly, at lower concentrations of indoxacarb (0.004 mg/L), the larvae seem to detoxify the indoxacarb with the aid of the cytochrome P450 gene. However, under higher concentrations (0.4 mg/L), the sensory abilities of the larvae were significantly diminished, and they were unable to degrade the toxicity of indoxacarb. Our study underscores the importance of carefully evaluating the impact of insecticides on non-target predatory insects before their widespread application.

High pesticide exposure and risk to bees in pollinator plantings adjacent to conventionally managed blueberry fields

Wildflower plantings adjacent to agricultural fields provide diverse floral resources and nesting sites for wild bees. However, their proximity to pest control activities in the crop may result in pesticide exposure if pesticides drift into pollinator plantings. To quantify pesticide residues in pollinator plantings, we sampled flowers and soil from pollinator plantings and compared them to samples from unenhanced field margins and crop row middles. At conventionally managed farms, flowers from pollinator plantings had similar exposure profiles to those from unenhanced field margins or crop row middles, with multiple pesticides and high and similar risk quotient (RQ) values (with pollinator planting RQ: 3.9; without pollinator planting RQ: 4.0). Whereas samples from unsprayed sites had significantly lower risk (RQ: 0.005). Soil samples had overall low risk to bees. Additionally, we placed bumble bee colonies (Bombus impatiens) in field margins of crop fields with and without pollinator plantings and measured residues in bee-collected pollen. Pesticide exposure was similar in pollen from sites with or without pollinator plantings, and risk was generally high (with pollinator planting RQ: 0.5; without pollinator planting RQ: 1.1) and not significant between the two field types. Risk was lower at sites where there was no pesticide activity (RQ: 0.3), but again there was no significant difference between management types. The insecticide phosmet, which is used on blueberry farms for control of Drosophila suzukii, accounted for the majority of elevated risk. Additionally, analysis of pollen collected by bumble bees found no significant difference in floral species richness between sites with or without pollinator plantings. Our results suggest that pollinator plantings do not reduce pesticide risk and do not increase pollen diversity collected by B. impatiens, further highlighting the need to reduce exposure through enhanced IPM adoption, drift mitigation, and removal of attractive flowering weeds prior to insecticide applications.

Wildlife ecotoxicology of plant protection products: knowns and unknowns about the impacts of currently used pesticides on terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity

Agricultural practices are a major cause of the current loss of biodiversity. Among postwar agricultural intensification practices, the use of plant protection products (PPPs) might be one of the prominent drivers of the loss of wildlife diversity in agroecosystems. A collective scientific assessment was performed upon the request of the French Ministries responsible for the Environment, for Agriculture and for Research to review the impacts of PPPs on biodiversity and ecosystem services based on the scientific literature. While the effects of legacy banned PPPs on ecosystems and the underlying mechanisms are well documented, the impacts of current use pesticides (CUPs) on biodiversity have rarely been reviewed. Here, we provide an overview of the available knowledge related to the impacts of PPPs, including biopesticides, on terrestrial vertebrates (i.e. herptiles, birds including raptors, bats and small and large mammals). We focused essentially on CUPs and on endpoints at the subindividual, individual, population and community levels, which ultimately linked with effects on biodiversity. We address both direct toxic effects and indirect effects related to ecological processes and review the existing knowledge about wildlife exposure to PPPs. The effects of PPPs on ecological functions and ecosystem services are discussed, as are the aggravating or mitigating factors. Finally, a synthesis of knowns and unknowns is provided, and we identify priorities to fill gaps in knowledge and perspectives for research and wildlife conservation.

Pesticides and PPCPs in aquatic ecosystems of the andean central region: Occurrence and ecological risk assessment in the Uco valley

Uco valley (Mendoza, Argentina) suffers the concomitant effect of climate change, anthropic pressure and water scarcity. Moreover chemical pollution to aquatic ecosystems could be another pressuring factor, but it was not studied enough to the present. In this sense, the aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of pesticides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in aquatic ecosystems of the Uco Valley and to perform an ecological risk assessment (ERA). The presence of several insecticides (mainly neonicotinoids), herbicides (atrazine, diuron, metolachlor, terbutryn) and fungicides (strobilurins, triazolic and benzimidazolic compounds) in water samples in two seasons, related to crops like vineyards, garlic or fruit trees was associated to medium and high-risk probabilities for aquatic biota. Moreover, PPCPs of the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, parabens and bisphenol A were detected in all the samples and their calculated risk quotients also indicated a high risk. This is the first record of pesticides and PPCPs with an ERA in this growing agricultural oasis. Despite the importance of these findings in Uco Valley for decision makers in the region, this multilevel approach could bring a wide variety of tools for similar regions in with similar productive and environmental conditions, in order to afford actions to reach Sustainable Development Goals. SYNOPSIS: Aquatic ecosystems in arid mountain regions are threatened worldwide. This study reports relevant data about chemical pollution in Central Andes, which could be a useful tool to enhance SDGs' accomplishment.

Pesticide Mixtures in Surface Waters of Two Protected Areas in Southwestern Germany

Pesticides enter non-target surface waters as a result of agricultural activities and may reach water bodies in protected areas. We measured in southwestern Germany pesticide concentrations after heavy rainfalls in streams of a drinking water protection area near Hausen (Freiburg) and in the catchment of the Queich (Landau), which originates from the biosphere reserve Palatinate Forest. On average, 32 (n = 21) and 21 (n = 10) pesticides were detected per sample and event in the area of Hausen (n = 56) and in the Queich catchment (n = 17), respectively. The majority of pesticides detected in > 50% of all samples were fungicides, with fluopyram being detected throughout all samples. Aquatic invertebrates exhibited highest risks with 16.1% of samples exceeding mixture toxicity thresholds, whereas risks were lower for aquatic plants (12.9%) and fish (6.5%). Mixture toxicity threshold exceedances indicate adverse ecological effects to occur at half of sites (50%). This study illustrates the presence of pesticide mixtures and highlights ecological risks for aquatic organisms in surface waters of protected areas in Germany.

Conserved grasslands support similar pollinator diversity as pollinator-specific practice regardless of proximal cropland and pesticide exposure

Pollinator diversity and abundance are declining globally. Cropland agriculture and the corresponding use of agricultural pesticides may contribute to these declines, while increased pollinator habitat (flowering plants) can help mitigate them. Here we tested whether the relative effect of wildflower plantings on pollinator diversity and counts were modified by proportion of nearby agricultural land cover and pesticide exposure in 24 conserved grasslands in Iowa, USA. Compared with general grassland conservation practices, wildflower plantings led to only a 5% increase in pollinator diversity and no change in counts regardless of the proportion of cropland agriculture within a 1 km radius. Pollinator diversity increased earlier in the growing season and with per cent flower cover. Unexpectedly, neither insecticide nor total pesticide concentrations on above-ground passive samplers were related to pollinator diversity. However, pollinator community composition was most strongly related to date of sampling, total pesticide concentration, and forb or flower cover. Our results indicate very little difference in pollinator diversity between grassland conservation practices with and without wildflower plantings. Given the relatively high economic costs of wildflower plantings, our research provides initial evidence that investment in general grassland conservation may efficiently conserve pollinator diversity in temperate regions of intensive cropland agriculture.

Airborne Pesticides-Deep Diving into Sampling and Analysis

The escalating utilization of pesticides has led to pronounced environmental contamination, posing a significant threat to agroecosystems. The extensive and persistent global application of these chemicals has been linked to a spectrum of acute and chronic human health concerns. This review paper focuses on the concentrations of airborne pesticides in both indoor and outdoor environments. The collection of diverse pesticide compounds from the atmosphere is examined, with a particular emphasis on active and passive air sampling techniques. Furthermore, a critical evaluation is conducted on the methodologies employed for the extraction and subsequent quantification of airborne pesticides. This analysis takes into consideration the complexities involved in ensuring accurate measurements, highlighting the advancements and limitations of current practices. By synthesizing these aspects, this review aims to foster a more comprehensive and informed comprehension of the intricate dynamics related to the presence and measurement of airborne pesticides. This, in turn, is poised to significantly contribute to the refinement of environmental monitoring strategies and the augmentation of precise risk assessments.

Black gold rush - Evaluating the efficiency of the Fractionator in separating Hymenoptera families in a meadow ecosystem over a two week period

In the face of insect decline, monitoring projects are launched widely to assess trends of insect populations. Collecting over long time periods results in large numbers of samples with thousands of individuals that are often just stored in freezers waiting to be further processed. As the time-consuming process of sorting and identifying specimens prevents taxonomists from working on mass samples, important information on species composition remains unknown and taxonomically neglected species remain undiagnosed. Size fractioning of bulk samples can improve sample handling and, thus, can help to overcome the taxonomic impediment. In this paper, we evaluate the efficiency of the fractionator in separating Hymenoptera families from a Malaise trap sample of a meadow ecosystem over a two week interval to make them available for further morphological identification. The fractionator system by Buffington and Gates (2008) was used to separate the sample in two size classes - a large (macro) and a small (micro) fraction - and Hymenoptera specimens were then counted and identified on family level. In total, 2,449 Hymenoptera specimens were found in the macro fraction and 3,016 in the micro fraction (5,465 specimens in total). For 24 out of 34 Hymenoptera families (71%), separation was significant. This study illustrates the efficiency of the fractionator and its potential to improve workflows dealing with specimen-rich Malaise trap samples.

Airborne Pesticides from Agricultural Practices: A Critical Review of Pathways, Influencing Factors, and Human Health Implications

This critical review examines the release of pesticides from agricultural practices into the air, with a focus on volatilization, and the factors influencing their dispersion. The review delves into the effects of airborne pesticides on human health and their contribution to anthropogenic air pollution. It highlights the necessity of interdisciplinary research encompassing science, technology, public policy, and agricultural practices to effectively mitigate the risks associated with pesticide volatilization and spray dispersion. The text acknowledges the need for more research to understand the fate and transport of airborne pesticides, develop innovative application technologies, improve predictive modeling and risk assessment, and adopt sustainable pest management strategies. Robust policies and regulations, supported by education, training, research, and development, are crucial to ensuring the safe and sustainable use of pesticides for human health and the environment. By providing valuable insights, this review aids researchers and practitioners in devising effective and sustainable solutions for safeguarding human health and the environment from the hazards of airborne pesticides.

Species composition and ecological structure of ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) communities as biological indicators of the agro-environmental sustainability

Intensification of crop cultivation can have detrimental environmental consequences that however can be prevented by monitoring of the specific biological indicators sensitive to changes in the ambient environment. In this study the impact of crop type (spring wheat and corn) and cultivation intensity on the community of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the forest-steppe of Western Siberia was investigated. A total of 39 species from 15 genera were collected. Ground beetles' community was characterized by a high evenness of species distribution across the agroecosystems. The average Jaccard's similarity index for species presence/absence was 65%, and for abundance it was 54%. The significant difference in the distribution of predatory and mixophytophages ground beetles in wheat crops (U test, P < 0.05) can be justified by the constant suppression of the weed component and the use of insecticides that lead to the dominance of the predators. Fauna of wheat crops was more diverse than that in corn (Margalef index, U test, P < 0.05). No significant differences in biological diversity indexes, except for the Simpson dominance index (U test, P < 0.05, wheat), were found in ground beetle communities in crops at different levels of intensification. A certain differentiation of predatory species was caused by the selective occurrence of the litter-soil species, especially abundant in the row-crop. The specificity of the ground beetle community of corn crops may have been caused by repeated inter-row tillage, which influenced the increase in porosity and topsoil relief and contributed to the creation of favorable microclimatic conditions. In general, the applied level of agrotechnological intensification had no significant effect on the species composition and ecological structure of beetle communities in agrolandscapes. The use of bioindicators made it possible to assess the environmental sustainability of the agricultural environment and also creates the prerequisites for the development of ecologically directed correction of agrotechnological operations in agroecosystem management.

Zooplankton community turnover in response to a novel TiO2-coated nano-formulation of carbendazim and its constituents

Novel nanomaterial-based pesticide formulations are increasingly perceived as promising aids in the transition to more efficient agricultural production systems. The current understanding of potential unintended (eco)toxicological impacts of nano-formulated pesticides is scarce, in particular with regard to (non-target) aquatic organisms and ecosystems. The present study reports the results of a long-term freshwater mesocosm experiment which assessed responses of individual zooplankton taxa and communities to a novel TiO2-coated nano-formulation of the fungicide carbendazim. Population- and community trends were assessed and compared in response to the nano-formulation and its constituents applied individually (i.e. nano-sized TiO2, carbendazim) and in combination (i.e. nano-sized TiO2 & carbendazim). Minimal differences were observed between effects induced by the nano-formulation and its active ingredient (i.e. carbendazim) when applied at equivalent nominal test concentrations (4 μg L-1). Nano-sized TiO2 was found to affect zooplankton community trends when applied separately at environmentally realistic concentrations (20 μg L-1 nominal test concentration). However, when nano-sized TiO2 was applied in combination with carbendazim, nano-sized TiO2 was found not to alter effects on community trends induced by carbendazim. The findings of the current study provide an extensive and timely addition to the current body of work available on non-target impacts of nano-formulated pesticides.

Residential Proximity to a Commercial Pesticide Application Site and Risk of Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Importance

Environmental and occupational toxicants have been shown to be associated with an increased prevalence of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). However, few to no studies have evaluated patients for CRS using objective testing and workup protocols that fulfill guidelines for CRS diagnostic criteria. Furthermore, no study, to our knowledge, has investigated the risks of CRS in the context of residential exposure through proximity to a commercial pesticide application site.

Objectives

To evaluate associations of residential proximity to a commercial pesticide application site and the prevalence of CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and without nasal polyps (CRSwoNP).

Design, Setting, and Participants

This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who presented to a tertiary care institution for rhinology evaluation between March 1, 2018, and December 31, 2022.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The outcome variable was the clinical diagnosis of CRS (CRSwNP, CRSwoNP, or non-CRS control). Patients' residential addresses were utilized to determine pesticide exposure status based on a validated computational geographic information algorithm based on data from the California Pesticide Use Report System. The dichotomous independent variable of exposure status (exposed or non-exposed) was determined by assessing reports of any pesticide applications within 2000 m of each participant's residence in 2017. Multivariable logistic regressions assessing CRS status and CRS subtypes were conducted with pesticide exposure as the primary covariate of interest. The primary study outcome and measurements as well as study hypothesis were all formulated before data collection.

Results

Among a total of 310 patients (90 CRSwNP, 90 CRSwoNP, and 130 control), the mean (SD) age was 50 (17) years; 164 (53%) were female. Race and ethnicity information was not considered. Controlling for patient demographic information, smoking history, county of residence, and medical comorbidities, pesticide exposure was associated with an approximately 2.5-fold increase in odds of CRS (adjusted odds ratio, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.49-3.90). Pesticide exposure was associated with similar risks for CRSwNP (adjusted relative risk ratio [aRRR], 2.34; 95% CI, 1.31-4.18) and CRSwoNP (aRRR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.37-4.30).

Conclusions and Relevance

The findings of this retrospective cohort study and analysis revealed that residential exposure to commercial pesticide application within a 2000-m buffer was independently associated with an approximately 2.5-fold increase in odds of being diagnosed with CRS. If validated by additional research, this association would have substantial implications for public health.

Pesticide contamination in an intensive insect predator of honey bees

Pesticides used for plant protection can indirectly affect target and non-target organisms and are identified as a major cause of insect decline. Depending on species interactions, pesticides can be transferred into the environment from plants to preys and predators. While the transfer of pesticides is often studied through vertebrate and aquatic exposure, arthropod predators of insects may represent valuable bioindicators of environmental exposure to pesticides. A modified QuEChERS extraction coupled with HPLC-MS/MS analysis was used to address the question of the exposure to pesticides of the invasive hornet Vespa velutina, a specialist predator of honey bees. This analytical method allows the accurate quantification of nanogram/gram levels of 42 contaminants in a sample weight that can be obtained from single individuals. Pesticide residues were analyzed in female workers from 24 different hornet nests and 13 different pesticides and 1 synergist, piperonyl butoxide, were identified and quantified. In 75 % of the explored nests, we found at least one compound and in 53 % of the positive samples we could quantify residues ranging from 0.5 to 19.5 ng.g^-1. In this study, hornets from nests located in sub-urban environments were the most contaminated. Pesticide residue analysis in small and easy to collect predatory insects opens new perspectives for the study of environmental contamination and the transfer of pesticides in terrestrial trophic chains.

A new sample preparation approach for the analysis of 98 current-use pesticides in soil and herbaceous vegetation using HPLC-MS/MS in combination with an acetonitrile-based extraction

A simple acetonitrile-based extraction method for the determination of 98 current-use pesticides (CUPs) in soil and herbaceous vegetation using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS is reported. The method was optimized in terms of extraction time, buffer (ammonium formate) ratio, and graphitized carbon black (GCB) ratio for the clean-up of vegetation. The validated method yielded accuracy in terms of percentage recovery of 71-125% (soil) and 70-117% (vegetation) for the majority of 98 CUPs. The precision in terms of relative standard deviation was at 1-14% (soil), and 1-13% (vegetation). Matrix-matched calibration curves exhibited good linearities (R² > 0.99). The limits of quantitation ranged between 0.008 and 21.5 μg kg^-1 in soil and vegetation. The reported method was applied to soils and vegetation from 13 agricultural sites across Germany. Overall, 44 of the 98 common CUPs were detected in our samples and the qualitative load is well above the average for arable soils in the EU.

Potential Risk of Residues From Neonicotinoid-Treated Sugar Beet Flowering Weeds to Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.)

In 2018 the European Union (EU) banned the three neonicotinoid insecticides imidacloprid, clothianidin (CLO), and thiamethoxam (TMX), but they can still be used if an EU Member State issues an emergency approval. Such an approval went into effect in 2021 for TMX-coated sugar beet seeds in Germany. Usually, this crop is harvested before flowering without exposing non-target organisms to the active ingredient or its metabolites. In addition to the approval, strict mitigation measures were imposed by the EU and the German federal states. One of the measures was to monitor the drilling of sugar beet and its impact on the environment. Hence we took residue samples from different bee and plant matrices and at different dates to fully map beet growth in the German states of Lower Saxony, Bavaria, and Baden-Württemberg. A total of four treated and three untreated plots were surveyed, resulting in 189 samples. Residue data were evaluated using the US Environmental Protection Agency BeeREX model to assess acute and chronic risk to honey bees from the samples, because oral toxicity data are widely available for both TMX and CLO. Within treated plots, we found no residues either in pools of nectar and honey crop samples (n = 24) or dead bee samples (n = 21). Although 13% of beebread and pollen samples and 88% of weed and sugar beet shoot samples were positive, the BeeREX model found no evidence of acute or chronic risk. We also detected neonicotinoid residues in the nesting material of the solitary bee Osmia bicornis, probably from contaminated soil of a treated plot. All control plots were free of residues. Currently, there are insufficient data on wild bee species to allow for an individual risk assessment. In terms of the future use of these highly potent insecticides, therefore, it must be ensured that all regulatory requirements are complied with to mitigate any unintentional exposure. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:1167-1177. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

Plant growers' environmental consciousness may not be enough to mitigate pollinator declines: a questionnaire-based case study in Hungary

BACKGROUND

Pesticides are one of the most important anthropogenic-related stressors. In times of global pollinator decline, the role of integrated farming and urban gardens in supporting wild pollinators is becoming increasingly important. We circulated an online questionnaire to survey plant protection practices among Hungarian farmers and garden owners with a particular emphasis on pollinator protection.

RESULTS

We found that plant growers rely heavily on pesticide use, and pesticides are used widely in otherwise pollinator-friendly gardens. Whether pesticide use practices were driven by expert opinion and respondent gender were the best predictors of pesticide use. Although most respondents supported pollinators, pesticides are also used widely among home garden owners, which can pose a non-evident ecological trap for pollinator populations in the gardens.

CONCLUSION

Special attention should be paid to implementing measures to reduce pesticide use not only in farmland, but also in home gardens. Environmental education and financial support through agroecological schemes could efficiently promote the transition away from pesticide use. However, whereas farmers can be encouraged to reduce pesticide use mostly by expert advice, garden owners are likely to rely on more conventional information channels. The attitudes of Hungarian plant growers can provide an insight into pesticide use practices of Central and Eastern European countries, but similar surveys are needed across Europe for a complete understanding of broad-scale processes. This work lays the foundations for similar studies that can inform and facilitate the transformation to pesticide-free farming and gardening. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Pesticide use in banana plantations in Costa Rica - A review of environmental and human exposure, effects and potential risks

Biodiversity is declining on a global scale. Especially tropical ecosystems, containing most of the planetary biodiversity, are at risk. Agricultural monocrop systems contribute to this decline as they replace original habitats and depend on extensive use of synthetic pesticides that impact ecosystems. In this review we use large-scale banana production for export purposes in Costa Rica as an example for pesticide impacts, as it is in production for over a century and uses pesticides extensively for more than fifty years. We summarise the research on pesticide exposure, effects and risks for aquatic and terrestrial environment, as well as for human health. We show that exposure to pesticides is high and relatively well-studied for aquatic systems and humans, but hardly any data are available for the terrestrial compartment including adjacent non target ecosystems such as rainforest fragments. Ecological effects are demonstrated on an organismic level for various aquatic species and processes but are not available at the population and community level. For human health studies exposure evaluation is crucial and recognised effects include various types of cancer and neurobiological dysfunctions particularly in children. With the many synthetic pesticides involved in banana production, the focus on insecticides, revealing highest aquatic risks, and partly herbicides should be extended to fungicides, which are applied aerially over larger areas. The risk assessment and regulation of pesticides so far relies on temperate models and test species and is therefore likely underestimating the risk of pesticide use in tropical ecosystems, with crops such as banana. We highlight further research approaches to improve risk assessment and, in parallel, urge to follow other strategies to reduce pesticides use and especially hazardous substances.

A Roundup herbicide causes high mortality and impairs development of Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Glyphosate has and is being used extensively in herbicide formulations worldwide. Thus, glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) substantially add to the environmental load of pesticides and warrant a strict risk assessment. Ecotoxicological testing of herbicides focuses on non-target plants and higher animals while direct effects on arthropods are only cursory tested on the premise of contact exposure. However, oral exposure, as we show in our case, can be highly relevant for systemic pesticides, such as GBH. Specifically, in crop systems including genetically modified crops that are tolerant to GBH, these herbicides and their breakdown products are present both internally and externally of the crop plants and, therefore, are ingested by the crop-associated arthropod fauna. We tested the effects of oral uptake of the Roundup formulation WeatherMax on larvae of the lacewing Chrysoperla carnea, a model organism in ecotoxicity testing programs. Long-term oral exposure of C. carnea larvae throughout its juvenile life stages was tested with concentrations ranging from 0.001 to 1 % dilution, thus, lower than the 1.67 % recommended for field applications. Inhibition of metamorphosis was observable at 0.1 % but at a concentration of 0.5 %, GBH significantly impaired cocoon formation and led to massive lethal malformations. At GBH concentration of 1 % half of the individuals remained permanent larvae and no adult hatched alive. The effects observed followed a clear dose-response relationship. The hazard caused by direct insecticidal action of GHB after oral uptake is highly relevant for the environmental safety and reveals a gap in regulatory risk assessments that should urgently be addressed, specifically in light of the on-going insect decline.

Future of DNA-based insect monitoring

Insects are crucial for ecosystem health but climate change and pesticide use are driving massive insect decline. To mitigate this loss, we need new and effective monitoring techniques. Over the past decade there has been a shift to DNA-based techniques. We describe key emerging techniques for sample collection. We suggest that the selection of tools should be broadened, and that DNA-based insect monitoring data need to be integrated more rapidly into policymaking. We argue that there are four key areas for advancement, including the generation of more complete DNA barcode databases to interpret molecular data, standardisation of molecular methods, scaling up of monitoring efforts, and integrating molecular tools with other technologies that allow continuous, passive monitoring based on images and/or laser imaging, detection, and ranging (LIDAR).

Unexpected air pollutants with potential human health hazards: Nitrification inhibitors, biocides, and persistent organic substances

To better understand the influence of land use and meteorological parameters on air pollutants, we deployed passive air samplers in 15 regions with different land use in eastern Austria. The samplers consisted of polyurethane PUF and polyester PEF filter matrices, which were analyzed for 566 substances by gas-chromatography/mass-spectrometry. In a previous article, we highlighted a widespread contamination of ambient air with pesticides that depends on the surrounding land use and meteorological parameters. Here we report that, in addition to agricultural pesticides, eight other substances were frequently detected in ambient air: Nitrapyrin, a nitrification inhibitor used to increase nitrogen use efficiency of fertilizers and banned in Austria since 1993; biocides against insects (DEET and transfluthrin) used mainly outside agriculture; piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a synergist mixed into pesticide formulations; and four industrially used polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), long banned worldwide. Concentrations of the detected substances were positively related to air temperature, but only slightly related to agricultural land use in the sampler's vicinity. The city center showed the highest concentrations of biocides, PCBs and PBO, but also medium concentrations of nitrapyrin. Four sites had no air contamination with these substances; including two national parks dominated by grassland or forest, but also two sites with mixed land use. The potential human toxicity of the detected substances based on globally harmonized hazard classifications was high: seven substances had specific organ toxicity, six were cancerogenic, and two were acutely toxic; however, several substances had incomplete information of hazard profiles. Moreover, all substances were acutely and chronically toxic to aquatic life. We recommend that substances of different origins be included in the air pollution monitoring portfolio to comprehensively assess the potential hazards to humans and the environment.

Strategies and techniques to mitigate the negative impacts of pesticide exposure to honey bees

In order to support food, fiber, and fuel production around the world, billions of kilograms of pesticides are applied to crop fields every year to suppress pests, plant diseases and weeds. These fields are often home to the most important commercial pollinators, honey bees (Apis spp.), which improve yield and quality of many agricultural products. The pesticides applied to support crop health can be detrimental to honey bee health. The conflict of pesticide use and reliance on honey bees contributes to significant honey bee colony losses across the world. Recommendations for reducing impact on honey bees are generally suggested in literature, pesticide regulations, and by crop consultants, but without a considerable discussion of the realistic limitations of protecting honey bees. New techniques in farming and beekeeping can reduce pesticide exposure through reduction in bee exposure, reduced toxicity of pesticides, and remedies that can be in response to exposure. However, lack of assessment of those new techniques under a systematical, comprehensive framework may overestimate or underestimate these techniques' potential to protect honey bees from pesticide damage. In this review, we summarize the current and arising strategies and techniques with the goal to inspire the development and adoption of pesticide mitigation practices for both agriculture and apiculture.

Pesticide occurrence in protected surface waters in nature conservation areas of Germany

A complete ban on pesticide use in sensitive areas, such as nature conservation areas (NCA), is currently being debated in the EU as part of the Sustainable Use Regulation. NCA are strictly protected landscapes in Germany with minimal agricultural activity (<4.5 %) that serve as vital ecological refuges. However, it is largely unknown whether surface waters in German NCA are contaminated by pesticides. The current study uses extensive monitoring data (n = 3,822,553 measurements, 1998-2020, 208 pesticides) from the federal state of Saxony (18,416 km²), Germany, to characterize pesticide occurrence, contamination levels and risks (defined as exceedance of regulatory threshold levels) for surface waters in NCA (n = 68,277 measurements, mean size = 2.5 km²) in comparison to unprotected areas (n = 3,754,276). Pesticide detection frequencies show strong correlation between NCA and unprotected areas (UPA, R²= 0.70-0.92), but concentrations to be ∼40 % lower in protected areas. Ecological risk distributions for three major species groups are similar between NCA and UPA (fish = 79.8 % overlap in density distribution, invertebrates = 78.6 %, plants = 81.9 %). Threshold exceedances differ greatly among groups (fish = 0.9 %, aquatic invertebrates = 14.7 %, plants = 20.4 %). Based on principal component analysis, ecological risks for aquatic plants and aquatic invertebrates are strongly correlated with upstream agricultural land use (80.5-82.4 %) and are negatively correlated with upstream (semi)-natural land cover (90.1-97.3 %). Fluvial transport appears to be the most important pathway for contaminants into NCA surface waters, likely due to small conservation area size. Overall, surface waters in NCA are exposed to numerous organic contaminants causing ecological risks, highlighting the need to improve protection of these valuable water resources.

Wild Bee Exposure to Pesticides in Conservation Grasslands Increases along an Agricultural Gradient: A Tale of Two Sample Types

Conservation efforts have been implemented in agroecosystems to enhance pollinator diversity by creating grassland habitat, but little is known about the exposure of bees to pesticides while foraging in these grassland fields. Pesticide exposure was assessed in 24 conservation grassland fields along an agricultural gradient at two time points (July and August) using silicone band passive samplers (nonlethal) and bee tissues (lethal). Overall, 46 pesticides were detected including 9 herbicides, 19 insecticides, 17 fungicides, and a plant growth regulator. For the bands, there were more frequent/higher concentrations of herbicides in July (maximum: 1600 ng/band in July; 570 ng/band in August), while insecticides and fungicides had more frequent/higher concentrations in August (maximum: 110 and 65 ng/band in July; 1500 and 1700 ng/band in August). Pesticide concentrations in bands increased 16% with every 10% increase in cultivated crops. The bee tissues showed no difference in detection frequency, and concentrations were similar among months; maximum concentrations of herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides in July and August were 17, 27, and 180 and 19, 120, and 170 ng/g, respectively. Pesticide residues in bands and bee tissues did not always show the same patterns; of the 20 compounds observed in both media, six (primarily fungicides) showed a detection-concentration relationship between the two media. Together, the band and bee residue data can provide a more complete understanding of pesticide exposure and accumulation in conserved grasslands.

Pesticide drift mitigation measures appear to reduce contamination of non-agricultural areas, but hazards to humans and the environment remain

Pesticide drift onto non-agricultural land is a common problem in intensively farmed regions, and national action plans have been established across Europe to prevent it. Here, we analyzed official data on pesticide residues in grass samples collected over six years to determine whether implemented measures to reduce pesticide drift were effective. We used 306 samples collected between 2014 and 2020 on non-agricultural land in one of the most intensively managed apple and wine growing regions in Europe, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano-South Tyrol, Italy. Samples were analyzed for up to 314 substances by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Percentage of sites with multiple pesticides and number of pesticides decreased between 2014 and 2020. Fungicides were most often detected, with fluazinam found on 74 % and captan on 60 % of the contaminated sites (53 sites out of a total of 88 sites were contaminated). The most frequently found insecticide, phosmet, was detected in 49 % of the contaminated sites. Only one herbicide, oxadiazon, was detected in <1 % of the sites; glyphosate was not analyzed. The percentage of residues with human hazard properties increased significantly across years regarding reproductive toxicity (from 21 % of the detected substances in 2014 to 88 % in 2020) and specific target organ toxicity (0 % in 2014 to 21 % in 2020). Percentages of substances associated with endocrine-disruption (89 % of substances across years) or carcinogenic properties (45 % of substances across years) remained constant. The percentage of sites where concentrations in grass samples exceeded the surrogate maximum residue levels (MRLs) for lettuce also remained constant. Potential ecotoxicological hazards of detected residues regarding acute contact toxicity to honeybees remained high over the study years, while the acute and chronic toxicity to earthworms decreased. Our results suggest that while drift mitigation measures contributed some reduction in pesticide contamination, they were not sufficient to eliminate substantial risks to human health and the environment in nontarget areas.

Alpine butterflies want to fly high: Species and communities shift upwards faster than their host plants

Despite sometimes strong codependencies of insect herbivores and plants, the responses of individual taxa to accelerating climate change are typically studied in isolation. For this reason, biotic interactions that potentially limit species in tracking their preferred climatic niches are ignored. Here, we chose butterflies as a prominent representative of herbivorous insects to investigate the impacts of temperature changes and their larval host plant distributions along a 1.4-km elevational gradient in the German Alps. Following a sampling protocol of 2009, we revisited 33 grassland plots in 2019 over an entire growing season. We quantified changes in butterfly abundance and richness by repeated transect walks on each plot and disentangled the direct and indirect effects of locally assessed temperature, site management, and larval and adult food resource availability on these patterns. Additionally, we determined elevational range shifts of butterflies and host plants at both the community and species level. Comparing the two sampled years (2009 and 2019), we found a severe decline in butterfly abundance and a clear upward shift of butterflies along the elevational gradient. We detected shifts in the peak of species richness, community composition, and at the species level, whereby mountainous species shifted particularly strongly. In contrast, host plants showed barely any change, neither in connection with species richness nor individual species shifts. Further, temperature and host plant richness were the main drivers of butterfly richness, with change in temperature best explaining the change in richness over time. We concluded that host plants were not yet hindering butterfly species and communities from shifting upwards. However, the mismatch between butterfly and host plant shifts might become a problem for this very close plant-herbivore relationship, especially toward higher elevations, if butterflies fail to adapt to new host plants. Further, our results support the value of conserving traditional extensive pasture use as a promoter of host plant and, hence, butterfly richness.

Different roles of concurring climate and regional land-use changes in past 40 years' insect trends

Climate and land-use changes are main drivers of insect declines, but their combined effects have not yet been quantified over large spatiotemporal scales. We analysed changes in the distribution (mean occupancy of squares) of 390 insect species (butterflies, grasshoppers, dragonflies), using 1.45 million records from across bioclimatic gradients of Switzerland between 1980 and 2020. We found no overall decline, but strong increases and decreases in the distributions of different species. For species that showed strongest increases (25% quantile), the average proportion of occupied squares increased in 40 years by 0.128 (95% credible interval: 0.123-0.132), which equals an average increase in mean occupancy of 71.3% (95% CI: 67.4-75.1%) relative to their 40-year mean occupancy. For species that showed strongest declines (25% quantile), the average proportion decreased by 0.0660 (95% CI: 0.0613-0.0709), equalling an average decrease in mean occupancy of 58.3% (95% CI: 52.2-64.4%). Decreases were strongest for narrow-ranged, specialised, and cold-adapted species. Short-term distribution changes were associated to both climate changes and regional land-use changes. Moreover, interactive effects between climate and regional land-use changes confirm that the various drivers of global change can have even greater impacts on biodiversity in combination than alone. In contrast, 40-year distribution changes were not clearly related to regional land-use changes, potentially reflecting mixed changes in local land use after 1980. Climate warming however was strongly linked to 40-year changes, indicating its key role in driving insect trends of temperate regions in recent decades.

Toxicological Comparison of Pesticide Active Substances Approved for Conventional vs. Organic Agriculture in Europe

There is much debate about whether the (mostly synthetic) pesticide active substances (AS) in conventional agriculture have different non-target effects than the natural AS in organic agriculture. We evaluated the official EU pesticide database to compare 256 AS that may only be used on conventional farmland with 134 AS that are permitted on organic farmland. As a benchmark, we used (i) the hazard classifications of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), and (ii) the dietary and occupational health-based guidance values, which were established in the authorization procedure. Our comparison showed that 55% of the AS used only in conventional agriculture contained health or environmental hazard statements, but only 3% did of the AS authorized for organic agriculture. Warnings about possible harm to the unborn child, suspected carcinogenicity, or acute lethal effects were found in 16% of the AS used in conventional agriculture, but none were found in organic agriculture. Furthermore, the establishment of health-based guidance values for dietary and non-dietary exposures were relevant by the European authorities for 93% of conventional AS, but only for 7% of organic AS. We, therefore, encourage policies and strategies to reduce the use and risk of pesticides, and to strengthen organic farming in order to protect biodiversity and maintain food security.

Beyond Human Nutrition of Edible Insects: Health Benefits and Safety Aspects

Nowadays, edible insects are considered an outstanding source of nutrients, primarily because they contain high-quality protein, amino acids, and vitamins. Insects are considered a promising alternative protein source towards alleviating future global food shortage problems due to their production considered as being more sustainable by using less agricultural land and water, as well as releasing a smaller amount of greenhouse gas emissions. However, other important aspects to consider about the consumption of edible insects include their health benefits and some safety aspects, which has been relatively overlooked. In this sense, edible insects contain bioactive compounds that can provide diverse bioactivities, such as antioxidant, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory with a positive impact on human health. On the other hand, edible insects are a nutrient-rich food that can provide a perfect growth medium for diverse microorganisms, as well as possess some anti-nutritive factors. These two main aspects could represent food safety concerns for consumers. In this context, recent scientific evidence indicates that preservation methods, mainly thermal treatments, utilized in the cooking or processing of edible insects decreased the microbial levels and anti-nutritive factors, which suggests that edible insects do not represent a critical biological risk to humans. Besides, edible insects could have a positive effect on gut microbiota, either by their pre-biotic effect or their antimicrobial activity towards pathogens. Thus, this review is focused on studies related to the health benefits of edible insects and their isolated components, as well as discussion about potential issues related to their microbial content and anti-nutritive factors; this review will provide a synopsis on whether edible insects may be considered safe for human consumption.

Fluctuating insect diversity, abundance and biomass across agricultural landscapes

Habitat destruction and deterioration of habitat quality caused a severe decline of biodiversity, such as insect diversity. In this study, we analyze insect diversity and biomass across agro-environments. We collected flying insects with 20 malaise traps across a landscape mosaic consisting of organic (eight traps) and conventional (four traps) farmland, as well as across agricultural land that has been recently converted from conventional to organic farming (eight traps). Sampling was conducted over 2 years, in 2019 and 2020, with in total 340 sampling events. We measured the dry weight of the captured organisms and identified species diversity by analyzing Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) and Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) via metabarcoding. The results obtained show temporal dynamics. The number of OTUs were always higher than the number of BINs. OTUs and BINs were moderately to highly correlated, while the number of OTUs and BINs were only moderately positively correlated with dry biomass. OTUs and BINs as well as biomass were highest in the recently transformed farmland if compared with pure organic and conventional farmland sites, which showed no significant differences in respect of insect diversity. OTU and BIN numbers but not the OTU/BIN ratio significantly decreased with increasing distance from the nearest forest fringe. The numbers of OTUs, BINs and the OTU/BIN proportion, as well as OTU and BIN/biomass proportions varied strongly over seasons, irrespective of agricultural practice. Based on our findings, we suggest to combine data on insect species richness and biomass measured over a period of time, to derive a largely complete and meaningful assessment of biodiversity for a specific region.

Analysis of pesticide and persistent organic pollutant residues in German bats

Bats are strictly protected throughout Europe. They are a highly diverse order of mammals in terms of body size, body weight, migratory behaviour, trophic niche specialisation and habitat use. The latter ranges from urban areas and arable land to forest. Due to their low reproductive rate, environmental stressors can have a major impact on bat populations. Pesticides in particular are discussed as an important driver of bat population declines. In this work, we analysed nearly 400 animals of five different species (Eptesicus serotinus, Myotis myotis, Nyctalus noctula, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, and Plecotus auritus) from all over Germany for residues of 209 pesticides and persistent organic pollutants. Residue analysis was conducted with a previously developed method using a miniaturized quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) sample preparation and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for separation and detection. These analytical data were statistically correlated with the known data on the animals (e.g. age, sex, place and time of finding). Of 209 pesticides and pollutants investigated, 28 compounds were detected, the most frequent being organochlorine insecticides and polychlorinated biphenyls, which have been banned for decades by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. Detection of more recent pesticides that were legally used for the last decade included azole antifungals and the insecticide fipronil. The bats contained between four and 25 different residues. Statistical data analyses showed that the distribution throughout Germany is largely comparable, and single exceptions were observed in specialized ecological niches. In conclusion, this work provides the largest dataset of pesticide and persistent organic pollutant residues in European bats to date.

Pesticides in ambient air, influenced by surrounding land use and weather, pose a potential threat to biodiversity and humans

Little is known about (i) how numbers and concentrations of airborne pesticide residues are influenced by land use, interactions with meteorological parameters, or by substance-specific chemo-physical properties, and (ii) what potential toxicological hazards this could pose to non-target organisms including humans. We installed passive air samplers (polyurethane PUF and polyester PEF filter matrices) in 15 regions with different land uses in eastern Austria for up to 8 months. Samples were analyzed for 566 substances by gas-chromatography/mass-spectrometry. We analyzed relationships between frequency and concentrations of pesticides, land use, meteorological parameters, substance properties, and season. We found totally 67 pesticide active ingredients (24 herbicides, 30 fungicides, 13 insecticides) with 10-53 pesticides per site. Herbicides metolachlor, pendimethalin, prosulfocarb, terbuthylazine, and the fungicide HCB were found in all PUF samplers, and glyphosate in all PEF samplers; chlorpyrifos-ethyl was the most abundant insecticide found in 93% of the samplers. Highest concentrations showed the herbicide prosulfocarb (725 ± 1218 ng sample^-1), the fungicide folpet (412 ± 465 ng sample^-1), and the insecticide chlorpyrifos-ethyl (110 ± 98 ng sample^-1). Pesticide numbers and concentrations increased with increasing proportions of arable land in the surroundings. However, pesticides were also found in two National Parks (10 and 33 pesticides) or a city center (17 pesticides). Pesticide numbers and concentrations changed between seasons and correlated with land use, temperature, radiation, and wind, but were unaffected by substance volatility. Potential ecotoxicological exposure of mammals, birds, earthworms, fish, and honeybees increased with increasing pesticide numbers and concentrations. Human toxicity potential of detected pesticides was high, with averaged 54% being acutely toxic, 39% reproduction toxic, 24% cancerogenic, and 10% endocrine disrupting. This widespread pesticide air pollution indicates that current environmental risk assessments, field application techniques, protective measures, and regulations are inadequate to protect the environment and humans from potentially harmful exposure.

Do pesticide and pathogen interactions drive wild bee declines?

There is clear evidence for wild insect declines globally. Habitat loss, climate change, pests, pathogens and environmental pollution have all been shown to cause detrimental effects on insects. However, interactive effects between these stressors may be the key to understanding reported declines. Here, we review the literature on pesticide and pathogen interactions for wild bees, identify knowledge gaps, and suggest avenues for future research fostering mitigation of the observed declines. The limited studies available suggest that effects of pesticides most likely override effects of pathogens. Bees feeding on flowers and building sheltered nests, are likely less adapted to toxins compared to other insects, which potential susceptibility is enhanced by the reduced number of genes encoding detoxifying enzymes compared with other insect species. However, to date all 10 studies using a fully-crossed design have been conducted in the laboratory on social bees using Crithidia spp. or Nosema spp., identifying an urgent need to test solitary bees and other pathogens. Similarly, since laboratory studies do not necessarily reflect field conditions, semi-field and field studies are essential if we are to understand these interactions and their potential effects in the real-world. In conclusion, there is a clear need for empirical (semi-)field studies on a range of pesticides, pathogens, and insect species to better understand the pathways and mechanisms underlying their potential interactions, in particular their relevance for insect fitness and population dynamics. Such data are indispensable to drive forward robust modelling of interactive effects in different environmental settings and foster predictive science. This will enable pesticide and pathogen interactions to be put into the context of other stressors more broadly, evaluating their relative importance in driving the observed declines of wild bees and other insects. Ultimately, this will enable the development of more effective mitigation measures to protect bees and the ecosystem services they supply.

Spatial variation of rodenticides and emerging contaminants in blood of raptor nestlings from Germany

Wildlife exposures to pest controlling substances have resulted in population declines of many predatory species during the past decades. Many pesticides were subsequently classified as persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) and banned on national or global scales. However, despite their risks for non-target vertebrate wildlife, PBT substances such as anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are still permitted for use in Europe and have shown to threaten raptors. Whereas risks of ARs are known, much less information is available on emerging agrochemicals such as currently used PPPs and medicinal products (MPs) in higher trophic level species. We expect that currently used PPPs are relatively mobile (vs. lipophilic) as a consequence of the PBT criteria and thus more likely to be present in aqueous matrices. We therefore analyzed blood of 204 raptor nestlings of three terrestrial (red kite, common buzzard, Montagu's harrier) and two aquatic species (white-tailed sea eagle, osprey) from Germany. In total, we detected ARs in 22.6% of the red kites and 8.6% of the buzzards, whereas no Montagu's harriers or aquatic species were exposed prior to sampling. ΣAR concentration tended to be higher in North Rhine-Westphalia (vs. North-Eastern Germany) where population density is higher and intense livestock farming more frequent. Among the 90 targeted and currently used PPPs, we detected six substances from which bromoxynil (14.2%) was most frequent. Especially Montagu's harrier (31%) and red kites (22.6%) were exposed and concentrations were higher in North Rhine-Westphalia as well. Among seven MPs, we detected ciprofloxacin (3.4%), which indicates that risk mitigation measures may be needed as resistance genes were already detected in wildlife from Germany. Taken together, our study demonstrates that raptors are exposed to various chemicals during an early life stage depending on their sampling location and underpins that red kites are at particular risk for multiple pesticide exposures in Germany.

Succinate Dehydrogenase, Succinate, and Superoxides: A Genetic, Epigenetic, Metabolic, Environmental Explosive Crossroad

Research focused on succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and its substrate, succinate, culminated in the 1950s accompanying the rapid development of research dedicated to bioenergetics and intermediary metabolism. This allowed researchers to uncover the implication of SDH in both the mitochondrial respiratory chain and the Krebs cycle. Nowadays, this theme is experiencing a real revival following the discovery of the role of SDH and succinate in a subset of tumors and cancers in humans. The aim of this review is to enlighten the many questions yet unanswered, ranging from fundamental to clinically oriented aspects, up to the danger of the current use of SDH as a target for a subclass of pesticides.

The potential of metabarcoding plant components of Malaise trap samples to enhance knowledge of plant-insect interactions

The worldwide rapid declines in insect and plant abundance and diversity that have occurred in the past decades have gained public attention and demand for political actions to counteract these declines are growing. Rapid large-scale biomonitoring can aid in observing these changes and provide information for decisions for land management and species protection. Malaise traps have long been used for insect sampling and when insects are captured in these traps, they carry traces of plants they have visited on the body surface or as digested food material in the gut contents. Metabarcoding offers a promising method for identifying these plant traces, providing insight into the plants with which insects are directly interacting at a given time. To test the efficacy of DNA metabarcoding with these sample types, 79 samples from 21 sites across Germany were analysed with the ITS2 barcode. This study, to our knowledge, is the first examination of metabarcoding plant DNA traces from Malaise trap samples. Here, we report on the feasibility of sequencing these sample types, analysis of the resulting taxa, the usage of cultivated plants by insects near nature conservancy areas and the detection of rare and neophyte species. Due to the frequency of contamination and false positive reads, isolation and PCR negative controls should be used in every reaction. Metabarcoding has advantages in efficiency and resolution over microscopic identification of pollen and is the only possible identification method for the other plant traces from Malaise traps and could provide a broad utility for future studies of plant-insect interactions.

Comparative Effect of UV, UV/H2O2 and UV/H2O2/Fe on Terbuthylazine Degradation in Natural and Ultrapure Water

Different advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) (ultraviolet radiation, hydrogen peroxide photolysis and photo-Fenton) were applied to test the degradation of terbuthylazine in three types of water: (a) ultrapure water, (b) surface water from the Gaditana area (Los Hurones reservoir, Cádiz, Spain) and (c) groundwater from the Tempul spring in Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz, Spain). The experiments were carried out on a laboratory scale, using two different types of reactors, batch and semi-continuous. In batch reactors, the most efficient process for the experiments carried out with both ultrapure water and underground groundwater was ultraviolet radiation, whereas for surface water from the Gaditana area, the process that obtained the best results was the photolysis of hydrogen peroxide with 2.5 mg L⁻¹ of H₂O₂. In semi-continuous reactors, the most efficient process was the photolysis of hydrogen peroxide with 2.5 mg L⁻¹ of H₂O₂ for all the matrices studied. In both types of reactors, terbuthylazine degradation percentages higher than 90% were achieved; the main difference was in the reaction time, which varied from minutes in the batch reactor to seconds in the semi-continuous reactor. In all the applied AOPs, N-terbutyl-6-hydroxy-N′ethyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine (TBA-212) was generated as a reaction intermediate.

Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals in insects: Current state of research and where to from here?

The ongoing decline in the biomass, abundance, and species number of insects is an established fact. Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals (PBTs) - persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and, in the case of our study, mercury (Hg) - play an important role, but their effect on insect populations is insufficiently investigated. Here, the current state of research on PBTs related to insects is examined with a systematic literature study using Web of Science™. We investigate time trends of research intensity compared with other organisms, insect orders and chemicals analyzed, chemicals' effects on insects, and geographical aspects. We show that research intensity increased in the early 1990s, but studies on PBTs in insects are still underrepresented compared with other organisms. The taxonomic focus lies strongly on dipterans. The predominance of studies on DDT suggests its relevance in the context of disease-vector management. Phenotypic and acute effects on insects were more often investigated than genotypic and chronic effects. Laboratory-bred insects and wild-bred insects were examined equally often, pollutant exposure and analysis were conducted predominantly in the laboratory. Mostly habitats with a medium or high human impact were studied, and natural and near-natural habitats are understudied. The sources of the substances are often unknown. Most studies were carried out in economically rich continents, including North America, Europe, and Australia. The numbers of publications dealing with Asia, South America, and Africa are comparatively low, although the control of vector-borne diseases with POPs is still intensively practiced there. We identify gaps in the research - among others, refined analytical methods for biomarkers and for the examination of chronic effects, combinations of field and laboratory experiments to analyze the same problem, and a global approach for the monitoring of PBTs will be needed for accelerating the dearly needed progress in the research of PBTs in insects.

Natura 2000-sites: Legal requirements for agricultural and forestry land-use

The agricultural and forestry use of land does not only mark large parts of the European Union, but also a significant share of land within the European ecological network Natura 2000. Member States, therefore, try to exempt as far as possible these land uses from the protection regime of Natura 2000-sites. However, at the same time, Member States latest reports on habitats and wild species of Community importance indicate that, in particular, the intensification of agriculture and forestry in recent decades has made it more difficult to improve conservation statuses or even worsened them. Hence, the aim of this article is to examine in detail the extent to which the protection regime of Article 6(2 and 3) Habitats Directive is applicable to land-use in agriculture and forestry. In this context, of particular relevance is the question of when the use of land in agriculture and forestry or individual management measures within and near Natura 2000-sites are projects for which an appropriate assessment is necessary before implementation; and which, in the case that significant adverse effects to a site cannot be ruled out, are permitted only under the reasons for exemption given in Article 6(4) Habitats Directive. The analysis includes the case law of the European Court of Justice, as well as decisions of the German Federal Constitutional Court and the German Federal Administrative Court.

Reusable Extractant and Direct Catalytic Mediation of Water/Oil/Chlorodifluoromethane Nano-Emulsion in Natural Gas Condensate for Efficient Conversion of Chloride Impurities Into the Dicopper Chloride Trihydroxide Nanoparticles

This research introduces an oil-in-water (O/W) nano-emulsion (oil-water-CHClF2) as the reusable extractant phase using liquid–liquid extraction methodology for the removal efficiency of Cl⁻ and Hg(0) [between 90% and ∼100%, deepening on the nature of the natural gas condensate (NGC)] at a brief separation time (<3.0 min). The achieved safety of the NGC using this nano-emulsion results in efficient reduction in the corrosion rate during testing iron-based fragments (vs. the untreated ones as controls) and increase in the NGC economic value. Another advantage of the synthesized nano-emulsion is its capability and catalytic mediating behavior to efficiently separate and synthesize highly pure dicopper chloride trihydroxide nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by different analytical methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectrometry, and direct visualization by some electron microscopies. Direct synthesis, fast synthetic time (<3.0 min), high purity (>99%), and scalability are the main advantages of this synthetic method. This nanoparticle is not only safe but also is efficiently applicable in different industries, especially as an eco-friendly agricultural pesticide for different plants and tress such as pistachio. Consequently, this method is accepted as direct, simple, low-cost, and scalable conversion of some upstream industries with the downstream ones. All these possibilities are attributed to the intermediate transport properties of the introduced O/W nano-emulsion. At this condition, this reagent plays role as a recycled motor for the NGC purification and conversion of these impurities into the safe and usable products. To the best of knowledge, this research is considered as the first report that shows application of this O/W medium for both chloride and mercury removal from the NGC and its direct use as top element in the synthesis of eco-friendly nanoparticles. This system is applicable in some parts of the fuel and oil centers of the “Middle East.”

Assessing Climate Change Impacts on Island Bees: The Aegean Archipelago

Pollinators’ climate change impact assessments focus mainly on mainland regions. Thus, we are unaware how island species might fare in a rapidly changing world. This is even more pressing in the Mediterranean Basin, a global biodiversity hotspot. In Greece, a regional pollinator hotspot, climate change research is in its infancy and the insect Wallacean shortfall still remains unaddressed. In a species distribution modelling framework, we used the most comprehensive occurrence database for bees in Greece to locate the bee species richness hotspots in the Aegean, and investigated whether these might shift in the future due to climate change and assessed the Natura 2000 protected areas network effectiveness. Range contractions are anticipated for most taxa, becoming more prominent over time. Species richness hotspots are currently located in the NE Aegean and in highly disturbed sites. They will shift both altitudinally and latitudinally in the future. A small proportion of these hotspots are currently included in the Natura 2000 protected areas network and this proportion is projected to decrease in the coming decades. There is likely an extinction debt present in the Aegean bee communities that could result to pollination network collapse. There is a substantial conservation gap in Greece regarding bees and a critical re-assessment of the established Greek protected areas network is needed, focusing on areas identified as bee diversity hotspots over time.

SAD but True: Species Awareness Disparity in Bees Is a Result of Bee-Less Biology Lessons in Germany

Bee and insect mortality has recently moved to the forefront of current nature conservation debates and experiences intensive media coverage worldwide. In order to understand the complexity, it is necessary to raise awareness of the diversity of bees. This study investigated whether students are aware of the species diversity of bees. We are guided by the concept of ‘plant blindness’ and show that it cannot be assumed that people are only ’plant-blind’. Therefore, we introduce the concept of Species Awareness Disparity (SAD) in bees to describe a phenomenon which can be defined as the failure to appreciate the significance of wild bee species and the inability to distinguish between individual species of the Apidae family. A total of 421 German students in grades 5–7 participated. The majority of students did not associate a diversity of species with the term ‘wild bee’ but rather consider the honeybee as the bee. Only 2.7% (N = 421) of the students were able to correctly identify pictures of wild bees and the honeybee. This highlights the importance of educating students about the identity and nature of bees in their environment so that they become aware of their meaning from both a personal and an ecological perspective.