worldwide integrated assessment first meta-analysis of systemic pesticides - neonics 800 peer...
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WORLDWIDE INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT
First meta-analysis of systemic pesticides - neonics
800 peer reviewed publications
29 independent scientists
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Summer 2014
MAIN FINDINGS
Clear evidence of harm sufficient to trigger regulatory action
Neonics persist for months/years
Toxicity increased by the duration of exposure
Effects of exposure range from instant and lethal to chronic
Chronic can include:
• impaired sense of smell or memory
• reduced fecundity
• altered feeding behaviour & reduced food intake
• altered tunneling behaviour
• difficulty in flight
• increased susceptibility to disease
ECOSYSTEM
Impacts cascade through the ecosystem weakening its stability
Persistence and solubility has led to large scale contamination of:
• soils and sediments• ground and surface water• treated and non-treated vegetation
This provides multiple routes for chronic and acute exposure of non-target species
SPECIES
Levels resulting from authorized uses frequently exceed ‘lowest observed
adverse effect concentrations’ for wide range of non-target species
BEES
Neonics pose a serious risk of harm to honey bees and other pollinators
Field realistic concentrations adversely affect:• individual navigation• learning• food collection• longevity• resistance to disease and fecundity
Bumblebee colony-level effects - slower colony growth, significantly fewer queens
GAPSLittle data about quantities applied, nor much
screening of concentrations in the environment
Toxicity to most organisms not investigated. Tests only carried out on 4 out of 25,000 bee species
Toxicity to vertebrates (eg. birds that may eat treated seeds) only conducted in handful of species
Sub-lethal effects not studied in most organisms
.
CONCLUSIONSPresent scale of use not sustainable
Continued use can only accelerate global decline of important invertebrates and risk reduction in levels of diversity security and
stability of ecosystem services
Large scale, prophylactic use must be reconsidered