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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
Figure with special thanks to Morrisey, Noome and Whitehorn.
MICROBES
INSECTS
TERRESTRIAL INVERTEBRATES
AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES
AMPHIBIANS
REPTILES
FISH
BIRDS
MAMMALS
LEGEND
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
GAPS
Little 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
CONCLUSIONS
Present 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
CONCLUSIONS
Regulatory agencies should apply more
precautionary principles and further tighten
regulations and
start planning for a global phase-out or, at
least,
start formulating plans for a strong reduction
of the global scale of use