Underestimating neonicotinoid exposure: how extent and magnitude may be affected by land-use change.
Potential detrimental impacts of neonicotinoids on non-target organisms, especially bees, have been subject to a wide debate and the subsequent ban of three neonicotinoids by the EU. While recent research has fortified concerns regarding the effects of neonicotinoids on ecosystem service (ES) providers, potential impacts have been considered negligible in systems with a relatively small proportion of arable land and thus lower the use of these pesticides. In this paper we argue that there is not sufficient information to assess magnitude and extent of neonicotinoid application, as well as potential non-target impacts on ES providers in grass-dominated systems with frequent land-use change. Using Ireland as an example, we show that the highly dynamic agricultural landscape, in conjunction with estimated persistence times of neonicotinoids in soils, may lead to a much larger area (18.6 ± 0.6% of the Irish agricultural area) exposed to these pesticides than initially assumed. Furthermore we present a number of important gaps in current research regarding the impacts of neonicotinoids on ES providers in such systems.
['Zimmermann|Jesko|J|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2143-1232', 'Stout|Jane C|JC|']
D000383:Agriculture D000818:Animals D001516:Bees D017753:Ecosystem D004781:Environmental Exposure D004785:Environmental Pollutants D007494:Ireland D010575:Pesticides D012987:Soil
Neonicotinoids Land-use change Ecosystem services Pesticides Arable farming Grassland Persistence in soil