10.5061/DRYAD.9P7T664
Humann-Guilleminot, Ségolène
University of Neuchâtel
Binkowski, Łukasz
University of Neuchâtel
Jenni, Lukas
Swiss Ornithological Institute
Hilke, Gabriele
Swiss Ornithological Institute
Glauser, Gaétan
University of Neuchâtel
Helfenstein, Fabrice
University of Neuchâtel
Data from: A nation-wide survey of neonicotinoid insecticides in
agricultural land with implications for agri-environment schemes
Dryad
dataset
2019
Ecological focus area
environmental contamination
insecticide
neonicotinoids
Hazard quotient
non-target species
Organic farming
2019-04-02T10:26:16Z
2019-04-02T10:26:16Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13392
90424 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
1. Neonicotinoids are the most widely used class of insecticides globally.
However, the link between farming practices and the extent of
contamination of soils and crops by neonicotinoid insecticides, as well as
and the extent of such contamination in organic fields and ecological
focus areas (EFAs) are currently unclear. 2. We measured the
concentrations of five neonicotinoid insecticides (imidacloprid,
clothianidin, thiamethoxam, thiacloprid, acetamiprid) in 702 soil and
plant samples in 169 cultivated fields and EFAs from 62 conventional,
integrated production and organic farms distributed over the entire
lowland of Switzerland. 3. We detected neonicotinoids in 93% of organic
soils and crops, and more than 80% of EFA soils and plants – two types of
arable land supposedly free of insecticides. We also tested 16 samples of
organic seeds, of which 14 were positive for neonicotinoids. 4. Finally,
we calculated hazard quotients (HQs) and potentially affected fractions
for 72 beneficial and 12 pest species. Under a field-realistic scenario,
we found that between 5.3 and 8.6% of above-ground invertebrate species
may be exposed to lethal concentrations of clothianidin, and 31.6 to 41.2%
to sublethal concentrations, in “integrated production” and conventional
fields. We also found that 1.3 to 6.8% (up to 12.5% based on HQs) of the
beneficial invertebrate species may be exposed to sublethal concentrations
of neonicotinoids in EFAs and organic fields. In contrast, no pest species
would be exposed to lethal concentrations, even under a worst-case
scenario. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our study suggests that diffuse
contamination by neonicotinoids may harm a significant fraction of
non-target beneficial species. The use of neonicotinoids on crops may
threaten biodiversity in refuge areas, while also potentially jeopardizing
the practice of organic farming by impeding the biological control of
pests. Based on our results, we call for a reduction in the dispersion and
overuse of neonicotinoid insecticides in order to prevent any detrimental
effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services associated with
agroecosystems.
Raw databaseConcentrations of the five NNIs in soil, plant and organic
seeds samples and associated location (GPS), slope, watershed and date of
sampling.JAPPL-2018-01037_R2_Raw_database.xlsxR codeR script for all the
analyses conducted in this study.JAPPL-2018-01037_R2_R_code.R