Review of the effects of organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides on vertebrates. Are there implications for locust management in Australia?

Story, Paul; Cox, M. M.

doi:10.1071/wr99060

Cited by 60 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 88 publications

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“…Indeed, increasing chemical pesticide resistance has become a major obstacle to migratory locust control in recent years (Yang et al 2009). During an outbreak in Australia in which locusts were sprayed with organophosphorous insecticides, locusts in weakened or dying states were the primary food item for several bird species (Story and Cox 2001). In fact, due to concerns about insecticide toxicity, humans are discouraged from eating locusts in outbreaks that have been treated with insecticides (Showler 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavior of geladas and other endemic wildlife during a desert locust outbreak at Guassa, Ethiopia: ecological and conservation implications

2010

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Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) outbreaks have occurred repeatedly throughout recorded history in the Horn of Africa region, devastating crops and contributing to famines. In June 2009, a desert locust swarm invaded the Guassa Plateau, Ethiopia, a large and unusually intact Afroalpine tall-grass ecosystem, home to important populations of geladas (Theropithecus gelada), Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis), thick-billed ravens (Corvus crassirostris), and other Ethiopian or Horn of Africa endemics. During the outbreak and its aftermath, we observed many animals, including geladas, ravens, and a wolf, feeding on locusts in large quantities. These observations suggest surprising flexibility in the normally highly specialized diets of geladas and wolves, including the potential for temporary but intensive insectivory during locust outbreaks. To our knowledge, Guassa is the highest elevation site (3,200-3,600 m) at which desert locusts, which require temperatures >20 degrees C for sustained flight, have been reported. Continued monitoring will be necessary to determine whether the June 2009 outbreak was an isolated incident or part of an emerging pattern in the Ethiopian Highlands linked to global warming. The intensive consumption of desert locusts by geladas, wolves, and ravens during the outbreak at Guassa raises concerns about pesticide-based locust control strategies and potential unintended adverse effects on endemic and endangered wildlife.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavior of geladas and other endemic wildlife during a desert locust outbreak at Guassa, Ethiopia: ecological and conservation implications

2010

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“…However, an understanding of the appropriate assay conditions for individual species is required to measure ChE activity as well as obtain the most reliable results from reactivation. Despite this, there is little published information on ChE activity in species of Australian native birds, or Australian terrestrial vertebrates generally (Story and Cox 2001;Bain et al 2004;Fildes et al 2006;Buttemer et al 2008). This lack of data must be remedied for the biomonitoring of sublethal pesticide effects to be incorporated into risk assessments of anti-ChE chemical exposure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasma Cholinesterase characteristics in native Australian birds: significance for monitoring avian species for pesticide exposure

Fildes

Szabo

Hooper

et al. 2009

Emu - Austral Ornithology

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Cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides are applied throughout Australia to control agricultural pests. Blood plasma cholinesterase (ChE) activity is a sensitive indicator of exposure to organophosphorus insecticides in vertebrates. To aid biomonitoring and provide reference data for wildlife pesticide-risk assessment, plasma acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activities were characterised in nine species of native bird: King Quails (Excalfactoria chinensis), Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus), White-plumed Honeyeaters (Lichenostomas penicillatus), Yellow-throated Miners (Manorina flavigula), Willie Wagtails (Rhipidura leucophrys), Australian Reed-Warblers (Acrocephalus australis), Brown Songlarks (Cincloramphus cruralis), Double-barred Finches (Taeniopygia bichenovii) and Australasian Pipits (Anthus novaeseelandiae). Plasma ChE activities in all species were within the range of most other avian species and all but one contained AChE and BChE; no AChE was present in King Quail, which has not previously been reported for any species. The lowest detectable plasma AChE activity was 0.10 mu mol min(-1) mL(-1) in Budgerigars and the highest was 0.86 mu mol min(-1) mL(-1) in Australian Reed-Warblers. BChE in the plasma ranged from 0.37 mu mol min(-1) mL(-1) in Double-barred Finches to 0.90 mu mol min(-1) mL(-1) in White-plumed Honeyeaters and Australian Reed-Warblers. The lowest proportion of AChE was found in Budgerigars (12.8%) and highest in Willie Wagtails (67.8%). No differences were detected in ChE activity at any time of day in Budgerigars and Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata), although there was a significant difference in all ChE activity between seasons in Zebra Finches. Abstract. Cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides are applied throughout Australia to control agricultural pests. Blood plasma cholinesterase (ChE) activity is a sensitive indicator of exposure to organophosphorus insecticides in vertebrates. To aid biomonitoring and provide reference data for wildlife pesticide-risk assessment, plasma acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activities were characterised in nine species of native bird: King Quails (Excalfactoria chinensis), Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus), White-plumed Honeyeaters (Lichenostomas penicillatus), Yellowthroated Miners (Manorina flavigula), Willie Wagtails (Rhipidura leucophrys), Australian Reed-Warblers (Acrocephalus australis), Brown Songlarks (Cincloramphus cruralis), Double-barred Finches (Taeniopygia bichenovii) and Australasian Pipits (Anthus novaeseelandiae). Plasma ChE activities in all species were within the range of most other avian species and all but one contained AChE and BChE; no AChE was present in King Quail, which has not previously been reported for any species. The lowest detectable plasma AChE activity was 0.10 mmol min À1 mL À1 in Budgerigars and the highest was 0.86 mmol min À1 mL À1 in Australian Reed-Warblers. BChE in the plasma ranged from 0.37 mmol min À1 mL À1 in Doublebarred Finches to 0.90...

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“…The aerial spraying could have influenced fledgling quality negatively through direct non-lethal toxic effects (Grue & Shipley, 1981;Day et al, 1995) or by reducing food availability (mainly Orthoptera) along the nestling growth period (Howe et al, 1996;Boatman et al, 2004;Morris et al, 2005); a combination of both factors may have contributed to the observed effects on breeding performance. We did not study the extent of nestling exposure to the insecticide but the presence of sprayed fields within the main foraging areas of some colonies suggests the possibility of negative effects of malathion application due to the consumption of contaminated prey (Story & Cox, 2001). In our study area, many grasshoppers were found dying or with reduced mobility in the malathion-treated fields.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

“…However, their effect on wild avian populations is still poorly understood (Sanchez-Hernandez, 2001;Story & Cox, 2001). The attempts to extrapolate the results derived from laboratory research to field conditions have usually failed even at the organism level.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…However, in spite of the advantages of OP pesticides, related to their low environmental persistence and limited bioaccumulation, they have a very high acute toxicity, and thus the potential to affect non-target species (Sanchez-Hernandez, 2001;Story & Cox, 2001). Birds are one of the primarily non-target taxa affected by OP pesticides (Story & Cox, 2001), and several dies-offs have been recorded (Mendelssonh & Paz, 1977;Keith & Bruggers, 1998;Mineau et al, 1999;Fleischli et al, 2004), sometimes accounting for population declines in species of great conservation interest (Mineau et al, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Malathion applied at standard rates reduces fledgling condition and adult male survival in a wild lesser kestrel population

Ortego

Aparicio

Muñoz

et al. 2007

Animal Conservation

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The lesser kestrel Falco naumanni is a globally threatened colonial bird that has suffered a generalized population decline in Europe. Recent studies have suggested that the land-use changes linked to agriculture intensification are the main factors accounting for the population regression. However, there has been little analysis of the role of pesticide applications. In this study, we examined the consequences of a malathion treatment in a wild population of lesser kestrels, specifically its effects on breeding performance, adult survival and population size. We found that the larger the area treated with malathion around the colony, the lower the size and the body condition of the fledglings, although no effects were found on the number of fledged chicks per pair or their sex ratio. Survival of adult males, but not females, was lower in the malathion-treated areas. These results show that organophosphorus pesticides applied at standard rates might disrupt the lesser kestrel population dynamics by reducing their breeding performance and increasing adult mortality in a sex-biased way. The proportional area treated around the colony did not affect colony size in the following year, indicating that an increased adult male mortality was not enough to lead to a detectable population size reduction and/or that the arrival of immigrants could have masked it. Both the direct malathion toxic effects and the expected reduction in prey availability due to fumigation are likely to underlie the observed effects. Hence, keeping non-treated buffer areas around kestrel colony centers should be a strictly applied conservation measure to avoid the observed negative side effects of malathion applications.

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Review of the effects of organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides on vertebrates. Are there implications for locust management in Australia?

Cited by 60 publications

References 88 publications

Behavior of geladas and other endemic wildlife during a desert locust outbreak at Guassa, Ethiopia: ecological and conservation implications

Behavior of geladas and other endemic wildlife during a desert locust outbreak at Guassa, Ethiopia: ecological and conservation implications

Plasma Cholinesterase characteristics in native Australian birds: significance for monitoring avian species for pesticide exposure

Malathion applied at standard rates reduces fledgling condition and adult male survival in a wild lesser kestrel population

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