A non-invasive method to monitor farmland bird exposure to triazole fungicides

Fernández‐Vizcaíno, Elena; Mougeot, François; Mateo, Rafael; Camarero, Pablo R.; Alcaide, Vicente; Ortiz‐Santaliestra, Manuel E.

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138316

Cited by 3 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…2,3 A recent experimental study during which partridges were fed with wheat seeds treated with the recommended doses of tebuconazole for seed coating showed detection rates of this active ingredient after recent ingestion of 100% and 80% in digestive contents and feces, respectively. 14 If this ratio between detectability in digestive contents and feces is applied to the fecal samples collected during the present study, we can estimate a 20.8% prevalence in the digestive contents of the sampled partridges, consistent with previously reported exposure levels. 2,3 Outside the sowing season, pesticide detection in partridge feces was limited to a single case of difenoconazole in spring, probably related to a foliar application of crops with this fungicide.…”

Section: ■ Materials and Methodssupporting

confidence: 89%

“…In addition, the prevalence of tebuconazole in seed samples (47.5%) was also higher than that of prothioconazole (20.8%). Detection rates of tebuconazole and prothioconazole in the feces of partridges experimentally fed with Raxil Plus-treated seeds during 6 days were 80 and 73%, respectively . This suggests a quicker metabolism of prothioconazole compared to tebuconazole, although the difference does not seem high enough to explain why the prevalence of tebuconazole was higher than that of prothioconazole in seeds and feces collected from the plots as part of the present study.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 50%

“…Flutriafol and prothioconazole, despite their relatively high frequencies of use as seed treatments, were not detected in partridgeś feces. This could be explained by the different metabolisms of these compounds in birds. , Flutriafol is quickly metabolized by partridges after its uptake as seed treatment, with a detection rate in feces that is only 28.6% immediately at the end of a 6 day period feeding exclusively on flutriafol-treated seeds. By contrast, the detection rate of one of its metabolites, 1,2,4-triazole, in the same fecal samples was 60% .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This could be explained by the different metabolisms of these compounds in birds. , Flutriafol is quickly metabolized by partridges after its uptake as seed treatment, with a detection rate in feces that is only 28.6% immediately at the end of a 6 day period feeding exclusively on flutriafol-treated seeds. By contrast, the detection rate of one of its metabolites, 1,2,4-triazole, in the same fecal samples was 60% . This can explain why flutriafol, despite being used as seed treatment in our study area at a similar frequency as tebuconazole, was not detected in partridge feces and highlights the importance of considering the analysis of metabolites in fecal samples as a relevant addition to that of parent compounds for assessing exposure.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies in Spain have shown detectable levels of eight pesticides (including five triazoles) in ca. 30% of digestive contents from hunted redlegged partridges, 2,3 and Fernańdez-Vizcai ́no et al 14 recently showed that 18.6% of fecal samples from wild partridges contained triazole fungicides used for seed treatment in central Spain.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diet and Spatial Ecology Influence Red-Legged Partridge Exposure to Pesticides Used as Seed Treatment

Fernández-Vizcaíno,

Mougeot,

Cabodevilla

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Seed treatment with pesticides is an extended agricultural practice with a high risk to granivorous birds that consume those seeds. To characterize that risk, it is necessary to understand the ecological factors that determine the exposure chances of birds to treated seeds. We investigated how pesticide uptake by red-legged partridges was related to cultivated plant ingestion and to the use of recently sown fields. We analyzed pesticide residues in 144 fecal samples from 32 flocks and determined the plant diet composition using DNA metabarcoding. Habitat use was studied through the monitoring of 15 GPS-tagged partridges. We confirmed, through the analysis of seeds, that >80% of cereal fields from the area had seeds treated with triazole fungicides. Tebuconazole was detected in 16.6% of partridges’ feces. During the sowing season, cultivated plants accounted for half of the plant diet, but no association was found between cultivated plant consumption and pesticide intake. GPS tracking revealed that tebuconazole was detected in feces when partridges had recently used sown fields, whereas nonexposed partridges showed no overlap with recently sown areas. Our results highlight the need to incorporate field ecology into the characterization of pesticide exposure to improve the efficacy of environmental risk assessment.

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Section: ■ Materials and Methodssupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 50%