Preliminary Study of Pesticide Drift into the Maya Mountain Protected Areas of Belize

Abstract

In Belize, Central America, many farms surrounding the Protected Areas of the Maya Mountains rely heavily on the application of agrochemicals. The purpose of this study was to test whether orographic drift of glyphosate and organophosphates into the nearby Maya Mountain Protected Areas occurred by collecting phytotelmic water from seven sites over 3 years. Regardless of location within the Maya Mountain Protected Areas, glyphosate was present; organophosphates were more common at ridge sites. Although glyphosate concentrations were low, due to the number of threatened species and the human use of stream water outside the Maya Mountain Protected Areas, better understanding of these effects is warranted.

Questions concerning the potential impact of glyphosate‐based herbicides on amphibians

“…The concentrations in rain, reported for the first time, were generally low (glyphosate maximum of 2.5 µg acid equivalent [a.e. ]/L, aminomethylphosphonic acid maximum of 0.48 µg/L ) but demonstrate that environmental contamination of glyphosate by drift and exposure to amphibians in this way is a realistic scenario .…”

“…Maximum drift rates of 9.1 ng/m 3 for glyphosate and 0.97 ng/m 3 for aminomethylphosphonic acid were reported . It is notable that both glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid were also found in rainfall and even in minipools of rainforest plants (phytotelmata) . The concentrations in rain, reported for the first time, were generally low (glyphosate maximum of 2.5 µg acid equivalent [a.e.…”

Glyphosate Residues in Groundwater, Drinking Water and Urine of Subsistence Farmers from Intensive Agriculture Localities: A Survey in Hopelchén, Campeche, Mexico

“…The concentrations of glyphosate in groundwater ranged from <0.13 to 18.43 μg/L and from <0.13 to 36.71 μg/L in superficial water (river). Similarly, in a study carried out over a period of 3 years in an area near a Maya mountain protected area in Belize, glyphosate residues were found in the phytotelmic water at seven sites where the range of glyphosate concentrations was from 0.22 to 1.7 μg/L [ 13 ]. The authors mention that at least part of the population acquires its drinking water from systems coming from the Maya Mountain Protected Areas, and therefore populations could be chronically exposed to glyphosate.…”

Letter to the editor

“…Exposure routes must be considered; for instance, the red‐eyed treefrog we tested deposits eggs on leaves, where herbicide or fungicide exposures might be considerably higher than for other species that deposit eggs in ponds and streams. Many tropical amphibians use small pools of water held by epiphytic plants in the rainforest as retreat sites, and these canopy pools can accumulate contaminants . Many tropical amphibians never encounter water bodies but live their entire lives in terrestrial environments.…”