Beyond eliminating the target species, pesticides are causing catastrophic effects on hundreds of species of microorganisms, fungi, plants, insects, fish, birds, and mammals worldwide, becoming one of the main culprits of the biodiversity crisis.
This is the conclusion of the first study that has evaluated the impact of pesticides on a wide range of species in terrestrial and aquatic habitats.
The research, carried out by an international team led by the East China University of Science and Technology, has recently been published in Nature Communications.
To conduct this meta-analysis, the team reviewed over 1,700 laboratory and field studies on the effects of 471 different types of pesticides (fungicides, insecticides, or herbicides) used in agriculture, commerce, and domestic use.
In more than 800 terrestrial and aquatic species, pesticides affected growth rates, reproductive success, and even altered behaviors such as the ability to catch prey, find food plants, move, or attract a mate.
Furthermore, pesticides can also affect the metabolism of organisms and damage cells.
These negative effects can lead to premature death of wild organisms and reduce their populations, concludes the meta-analysis.
The researchers state that, unlike previous studies that focused on specific groups of species such as bees, fish, or plants, or on specific habitats, this study has considered the entire spectrum and its relationship with a biodiversity crisis.
### Pesticides: a necessary evil and biodiversity crisis
“Our study provides an unprecedented insight into the consequences of pesticide use in the natural environment globally,” says co-author Ben Woodcock, an ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH).
“Pesticides are a necessary evil, without which global food production and farmers’ livelihoods would likely collapse. But our findings highlight the need for policies and practices to reduce their use,” warns the researcher.
“Initiatives led by farmers, such as regenerative agriculture, as well as government policies like Defra’s Sustainable Agriculture Incentive, which pays farmers to reduce insecticide use in crops, could be included,” he suggests.
For Dave Goulson, a researcher at the University of Sussex and co-author of the study, it is concerning to have discovered that pesticides “have widespread negative effects on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes, threatening the integrity of ecosystems.”
### Seeking alternatives
The study reminds that the excessive use of pesticides not only threatens non-target beneficial species but can also cause pests to develop resistance to chemicals, rendering them ineffective.
In the European Union, over 10% of agricultural land is dedicated to organic production and does not use synthetic pesticides.
As alternative options for farmers, the study proposes planting wildflowers and beetle banks to support species that feed on pests, allowing them to reduce spraying when there is a large number of these natural predators present.
Other measures, add the authors, could include advancing the planting time to avoid pests and rotating crops to disrupt species’ life cycles and reduce their numbers.
Gardeners can also contribute to reducing chemical use with natural pest control options such as introducing nematodes, ladybugs, or mites, which can be purchased online, and promoting other natural predators like frogs, birds, and hedgehogs through wildlife-friendly gardening.
Additionally, physical barriers, such as nets, can prevent damage caused by caterpillars and birds, add the authors.
“In the future, it is essential to develop agricultural methods that better respond to our natural pest controllers, such as surveillance using artificial intelligence for pests and predators with high-tech cameras,” Woodcock concludes.
*Cover photo: Canva*
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