Impacts of Neonico2noid Insec2cides on Biodiversity

Transcription

1 Impacts of Neonico2noid Insec2cides on Biodiversity Cynthia Palmer Manager, Pes2cides Program American Bird Conservancy Collaborators include US commercial beekeepers, Beyond Pes2cides, Center for Food Safety, Earthjus2ce, The Endocrine Disrup2on Exchange, Friends of the Earth, Pes2cide Research Ins2tute, Pierre Mineau Consul2ng, The Program for Preserving the Natural World, The Xerces Society, Na2onal Pes2cide Reform Coali2on Credits: Western Meadowlark, USFWS; Tractors, istockphoto; Bee in sunflower, stock.xchng

2 Characteris2cs of neonico2noids Less acutely hazardous to workers than some of the insecccides they replaced. BUT Highly toxic to broad range of invertebrates and to birds. Significant effects at low doses. CumulaCve and near- irreversible mode of accon. Very persistent in soils, from months to years. Systemic throughout plants. Water soluble and prone to run- off and groundwater infiltracon. Credits: Canola crop, Christy Morrissey; CulCvaCng sunflower field, Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org; Prairie wetlands, Chantel Michelson

3 Impacts on bees Acutely toxic in minute amounts. One coated corn seed has enough clothianidin to kill over 80,000 bees. Sub- acute effects: Reduced memory and learning Immune problems Developmental shortcomings Impaired foraging ability Diminished navigacon and homing ability 85 percent lower produccon of bumblebee queens Synergism: Thiacloprid (neonic) + triflumizole (fungicide) = 1141 x toxicity Honey bee, Glen A. Fox; Bu_erfly and bee, Kasia Majewski

4 Acute toxicity to birds Imidacloprid 0.1 No. of corn seeds to lethality (LD50) in sensi2ve birds Clothianidin 1.8 Thiamethoxam 3.0 PLUS: * DebilitaCon at very low doses * Delayed effects not easy to invescgate Credits: Horned lark and chicks, Middleton Evans; Corn field, stock.xchng, sxc.hu; Calico pennant dragonfly, David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org

5 Reproduc2ve toxicity to birds Insec2cide No. of corn seeds needing to be ingested daily to cause reproduc2ve effects Imidacloprid 0.03 Clothianidin 0.09 Thiamethoxam 0.24 Credits: Bobolink pair, Kent Mason, USFWS; Altricial chicks, wikimedia.org; California Quail chick, precocial, wikimedia.org

6 Effects on aqua2c and terrestrial invertebrates, other wildlife Aqua2c invertebrates ContaminaCon levels already beyond threshold to kill many aquacc invertebrates. Terrestrial invertebrates Lethal to diverse range of species that provide biological control and ecosystem engineering services earthworms, predatory ground beetles, ants, etc. Other wildlife Link to immune effects in fish, amphibians, bats and birds? Mammals/people Preliminary research underway. Stay tuned. Credits: Li_le brown bats, 9brandon/ flickr; Banded Pennant dragonfly, Joe Berry, Bugwood.org; Frog, Larry Wan

7 ABC requests to EPA Ban use as seed treatments Suspend all applicacons to allow for proper sciencfic review by independent panel Expand range of non- targets included in risk assessment; consider cumulacve and synergiscc effects; study prolonged low- dose exposures Require that registrants develop tools to diagnose wildlife poisonings Upgrade EPA incident reporcng requirements Credits: Grasshopper sparrow, Luke Seitz; Chaplin Lake, Christy Morrissey