Effects of Pesticides on Songbird Productivity in Conjunction With Pecan Cultivation in Southern Georgia: A Multiple-Exposure Experimental Design

Patnode, Kathleen A.; White, D.H.

doi:10.1897/1552-8618(1991)10[1479:eoposp]2.0.co;2

Cited by 6 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…Patnode and White [3] pooled their reproduction results in pecan orchards for three species, northern mockingbird ( Mi ‐ mus polyglottus ), northern cardinal ( Cardinalis cardinalis ), and brown thrasher ( Toxostoma rufum ), and found that daily egg and chick survival rates varied significantly as calculated pesticide toxicity scores increased. This score was similar to ours in that it was determined as the product of the acute toxicity of the compound sprayed and the number of times it was sprayed, with a divisor of the number of days that the nest was active.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In both years, chick survival was also reduced significantly in the nests with the highest toxicity scores. Patnode and White [3] reported that the most toxic compounds used in pecan orchards were the OP and CARB pesticides. Like Fleutsch and Sparling [2], they attributed effects to OP and CARB use in the orchards, although they did not measure OCs in eggs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Apple orchards are used by many passerine species for feeding and nesting [1, 2]. Pesticide applications in orchards, particularly cholinesterase‐inhibiting insecticides, have been implicated in lowered reproductive success in some bird species that nest there [2, 3]. These effects and other sublethal health impacts on birds in orchards are of particular concern due to the continual loss of natural habitats, which increases the likelihood that birds will utilize seminatural agricultural areas [1] such as fruit orchards.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although organophosphorous (OP) and carbamate (CARB) insecticides have been sprayed in orchards for decades, only recently have researchers applied more subtle analyses that examine daily survival rates of eggs and chicks relative to the toxicity of individual pesticides to birds [2, 3]. Where decreased egg and chick survival was found, the compounds of greatest toxicity to reproduction appeared to be the OP and CARB chemicals.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reproduction of cavity‐nesting birds in pesticide‐sprayed apple orchards in southern Ontario, Canada, 1988–1994

Bishop

Collins²,

Mineau³

et al. 2000

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Abstract-Egg fertility, clutch size and egg and chick survival and pesticide exposure of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) were measured annually using nest boxes in sprayed and nonsprayed apple orchards in southern Ontario, Canada, during 1988Canada, during -1994. Associations were examined between reproductive rates and historical organochlorine residues in eggs as well as the degree of exposure and toxicity of pesticides applied during the study period. Because many pesticides in current use are not persistent in wildlife tissues, a toxicity score was developed to describe the exposure for each nest. The toxicity score was calculated as the product of the extent of the orchard sprayed and the application rate of the chemicals, divided by an acute reproductive toxicity index of each chemical. Total organochlorine concentrations in tree swallow eggs were 0.74 to 3.47 g/g, and in eastern bluebird eggs, these values ranged from 0.47 to 106.3 g/g. More than 90% of the residue in eggs was ppЈDDE. There was a significant increase in unhatched eggs in bluebirds as organochlorine levels increased in eggs. There were significant associations between toxicity scores of current-use pesticides and at least one avian reproductive parameter in every year of the study, but the reduction in reproductive rates associated with pesticides did not exceed 14%, for either species, in any year. Reduced reproduction occurred in 6 years in tree swallows but for bluebirds, this occurred in only 4 years.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reproduction of cavity‐nesting birds in pesticide‐sprayed apple orchards in southern Ontario, Canada, 1988–1994

Bishop

Collins²,

Mineau³

et al. 2000

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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“…For the two species under study, high mortality rates were recorded following applications of dimethoate, with the extent of losses depending on the stage of development of eggs (both in the oviduct and in the nest) or young birds. Patnode and White (1991) and Kilbride et al (1992) also reported significant differences in egg and nesting success among various pesticides applications.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Effects of insecticide use on breeding birds in Christmas tree plantations in Quebec

Rondeau

DesGranges

1995

Ecotoxicology

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: This research, which was carried out in the spring of 1989 and 1990 in seven balsam fir (Abies balsamea) plantations in southeastern Quebec, examines potential deleterious effects of three insecticides (i.e. dimethoate, diazinon and insecticidal soap) on breeding American Robins (Turdus migratorius) (n=87 nests) and Song Sparrows (Melospizsa melodia) (n=41 nests). Through analyses of blood serum cholinesterases (AChE and BChE) activity both prior to and the second day following applications of the two organophosphorus insecticides, we showed that adult American Robins, Song Sparrows and Chipping Sparrows (Spizella passerina) breeding in the treated plantations were exposed to diazinon and dimethoate (p<0.05). Signs of exposure to diazinon (p<0.05) were also found in young American Robins. However, despite sharp reductions in blood ChE (and, in some cases, marked inhibition confirmed by 2-PAM reactivation), no cases of adult mortality were recorded following the treatments. Cases of complete or partial mortality were recorded in American Robin and Song Sparrow nests, even among control birds (non-exposed birds). No mortality was recorded for broods exposed to the insecticidal soap. Abandonment of nests and egg infertility were ruled out as possible causes of mortality. The cases of total mortality observed in American Robin and Song Sparrow broods exposed to dimethoate were similar to those recorded for control nests (18 and 25% compared to 14 and 21%, respectively). However, among American Robin and Song Sparrow nestlings exposed to diazinon, essentially twice as many cases of total mortality (31 and 38%, respectively) were recorded as for the control nests. It appears that American Robin eggs are sensitive to diazinon and dimethoate, particularly when spraying is carried out early in the incubation stage. In the case of the Song Sparrow, it is mainly the nestlings that succumb after diazinon is sprayed on them or when dimethoate applications are made during the egg stage.

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Cholinesterase inhibition in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) exposed to organophosphorus insecticides in apple orchards in Ontario, Canada

Burgess

Hunt

Bishop

et al. 1999

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Apple orchards occupy approximately 12,565 ha of land in Ontario, Canada, and are treated with the greatest number and applications of pesticides among all agricultural crops within the province. The potential for exposure to wildlife from frequent organophosphorus (OP) spray applications is therefore considerable. This study investigated the impact of agricultural spray applications of azinphos‐methyl, diazinon, phosalone, and phosmet in apple orchards on the cholinesterase (ChE) activity of wild birds nesting in orchards. These four OP pesticides ranked among the most widely used insecticides used on all fruit crops in Ontario in 1988. Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) were chosen as monitor species because they commonly breed and forage within apple orchards, utilize different feeding strategies, and are readily attracted to nest boxes. Brain and plasma ChE activities were determined for nestling bluebirds and swallows, and plasma ChE was measured in adult swallows for comparison with nestling data. In adult tree swallows, mean plasma ChE levels were significantly inhibited 41% compared to controls 12 h after a second application of azinphos‐methyl. Mean plasma ChE activity in another group of adult tree swallows dropped by 21 and 19% following a multiple phosmet application. In nestlings, brain ChE activities obtained postspray often fell below predicted activities calculated from control siblings. This trend was especially apparent in the younger nestlings, less than 6 d old. However, for bluebirds the rates of increase of brain ChE with age in nestlings from treated sites was significantly lower than in nestlings from control sites. Brain ChE activity of two nestlings found dead following a phosalone application gave no indication that insecticide exposure was responsible. No other dead or moribund birds were discovered during the course of the study. Sequential plasma sampling of siblings, before and after OP application, was beneficial in reducing the required number of nests sampled by one half, but plasma ChE was less reliable overall than brain ChE in indicating exposure. Results of depressed ChE levels in tree swallows and eastern bluebirds inhabiting apple orchards are consistent with avian species in other orchard monitoring studies. No indication was found that OP exposure due to agricultural spraying in apple orchards adversely affected the survival of the birds we monitored.

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Effects of Pesticides on Songbird Productivity in Conjunction With Pecan Cultivation in Southern Georgia: A Multiple-Exposure Experimental Design

Cited by 6 publications

References 0 publications

Reproduction of cavity‐nesting birds in pesticide‐sprayed apple orchards in southern Ontario, Canada, 1988–1994

Reproduction of cavity‐nesting birds in pesticide‐sprayed apple orchards in southern Ontario, Canada, 1988–1994

Effects of insecticide use on breeding birds in Christmas tree plantations in Quebec

Cholinesterase inhibition in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) exposed to organophosphorus insecticides in apple orchards in Ontario, Canada

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