Trends of Total Applied Pesticide Toxicity in German Agriculture

Abstract

Expressing temporal changes in the use of pesticides, based not only on amounts (masses) but also on their toxicity for different species groups, was proposed as a sensible approach for evaluating potential environmental risks. Here, we calculated the total applied toxicity (TAT) between 1995 and 2019 for Germany, mapped it, and compared it to the US TAT and other risk indicators. Results show that the German TAT for terrestrial vertebrates decreased over time by about 20%. The TAT increased by a factor of three for fishes, largely due to insecticides, by a factor of two for soil organisms, largely due to fungicides and insecticides, and, to a lower extent, for terrestrial plants, solely due to herbicides. Other species groups showed no trends in TAT, which for pollinators likely results from neonicotinoid use restrictions. Many TAT trends from Germany and the US differ, partly due to different insecticide and fungicide uses. TAT, SYNOPS risk indicators, and the EU Harmonized Risk Indicators, currently being used to assess the German National Action Plan’s goal to reduce risks by 30% by 2023, lead to clearly different risk perceptions. Validated approaches are needed for evaluation of risk quantifications at the national scale.

Weather explains inter-annual variability, but not the temporal decline, in insect biomass

“…For example, agriculture intensification is a likely driver of insect biomass, especially pesticide use [5][6][7] , but neither Hallmann et al nor Müller et al could model its effect because spatio-temporal metrics are missing 2 . However, we know that, the total applied pesticide toxicity in Germany exhibits a strong temporal and spatial variations 8 , which can lead to confounding effects with climate change. However, since data on these potential drivers over time and space are missing, they cannot be included.…”

Naar minder impact van pesticiden op natuur en mens

“…In Duitsland werd de TAT indicator (Total Applied Toxicity) uitgetest, een indicator die ook in de Verenigde Staten wordt gehanteerd. 18 De resultaten tonen, voor de periode van 1995 tot 2005, een variatie aan trends. Voor gewervelde landdieren is de toxiciteit met 20% is gedaald.…”

“…Ook voor planten was er toename van de toxiciteit, ten gevolge van de gebruikte herbiciden. 18 We mogen er dus van uitgaan dat de HRI1 heel wat deeltrends maskert.…”