A conceptual framework for landscape-based environmental risk assessment (ERA) of pesticides

While pesticide use is subject to strict regulatory oversight worldwide, it remains a main concern for environmental protection, including biodiversity conservation. This is partly due to the current regulatory approach that relies on separate assessments for each single pesticide, crop use, and non-target organism group at local scales. Such assessments tend to overlook the combined effects of overall pesticide usage at larger spatial scales. Integrative landscape-based approaches are emerging, enabling the consideration of agricultural management, the environmental characteristics, and the combined effects of pesticides applied in a same or in different crops within an area. These developments offer the opportunity to deliver informative risk predictions relevant for different decision contexts including their connection to larger spatial scales and to combine environmental risks of pesticides, with those from other environmental stressors. We discuss the needs, challenges, opportunities and available tools for implementing landscape-based approaches for prospective and retrospective pesticide Environmental Risk Assessments (ERA). A set of "building blocks" that emerged from the discussions have been integrated into a conceptual framework. The framework includes elements to facilitate its implementation, in particular: flexibility to address the needs of relevant users and stakeholders; means to address the inherent complexity of environmental systems; connections to make use of and integrate data derived from monitoring programs; and options for validation and approaches to facilitate future use in a regulatory context. The conceptual model can be applied to existing ERA methodologies, facilitating its comparability, and highlighting interoperability drivers at landscape level. The benefits of landscape-based pesticide ERA extend beyond regulation. Linking and validating risk predictions with relevant environmental impacts under a solid science-based approach will support the setting of protection goals and the formulation of sustainable agricultural strategies. Moreover, landscape ERA offers a communication tool on realistic pesticide impacts in a multistressors environment for stakeholders and citizens.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Environment International
Published
2024-09-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2024.108999
Citations
22
Primary Topic
Insect and Pesticide Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
11.87

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

A conceptual framework for landscape-based environmental risk assessment (ERA) of pesticides

Marc Voltz, Susana Loureiro, Sabine Duquesne, Andreas Focks et al.
22 citations
Environment International
Insect and Pesticide Research
11.87
article

A conceptual framework for landscape-based environmental risk assessment (ERA) of pesticides

Marc Voltz, Susana Loureiro, Sabine Duquesne, Andreas Focks, Colette Bertrand, Maj Rundlöf, Ayesha Siddique, Raphaël Royauté, Christopher John Topping, Olivier Crouzet, Marı́a del Carmen González, Matthias Liess, Stephen Short, Yann Devos, Johan Axelman, Mercedes de Alba-Gonzalez, Annette Aldrich, José Tarazona, Alexandra Kröll, J.L.C.M. Dorne, Pierre-François Staub, Cécile Dagès, Ralf Bernhard Schäfer, D. Spurgeon, Vanessa Mazerolles, Carole Bedos, Jes Jessen Rasmussen, Manuel E. Ortiz‐Santaliestra, Ana Fernandez-Agudo, José Paulo Sousa, Pierre Benoit
article en
22 citations

Abstract

While pesticide use is subject to strict regulatory oversight worldwide, it remains a main concern for environmental protection, including biodiversity conservation. This is partly due to the current regulatory approach that relies on separate assessments for each single pesticide, crop use, and non-target organism group at local scales. Such assessments tend to overlook the combined effects of overall pesticide usage at larger spatial scales. Integrative landscape-based approaches are emerging, enabling the consideration of agricultural management, the environmental characteristics, and the combined effects of pesticides applied in a same or in different crops within an area. These developments offer the opportunity to deliver informative risk predictions relevant for different decision contexts including their connection to larger spatial scales and to combine environmental risks of pesticides, with those from other environmental stressors. We discuss the needs, challenges, opportunities and available tools for implementing landscape-based approaches for prospective and retrospective pesticide Environmental Risk Assessments (ERA). A set of "building blocks" that emerged from the discussions have been integrated into a conceptual framework. The framework includes elements to facilitate its implementation, in particular: flexibility to address the needs of relevant users and stakeholders; means to address the inherent complexity of environmental systems; connections to make use of and integrate data derived from monitoring programs; and options for validation and approaches to facilitate future use in a regulatory context. The conceptual model can be applied to existing ERA methodologies, facilitating its comparability, and highlighting interoperability drivers at landscape level. The benefits of landscape-based pesticide ERA extend beyond regulation. Linking and validating risk predictions with relevant environmental impacts under a solid science-based approach will support the setting of protection goals and the formulation of sustainable agricultural strategies. Moreover, landscape ERA offers a communication tool on realistic pesticide impacts in a multistressors environment for stakeholders and citizens.

Environment InternationalVol. 191
European Food Safety Authority (IT), Lund University (SE), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (GB), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (ES), Swedish Chemicals Agency (SE), Federal Office for the Environment (CH), University of Aveiro (PT), University of Coimbra (PT)
Sight Research UK, European Commission, Conseil Français de l'Énergie, Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior, Fundació Catalana de Trasplantament, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Centro de Estudos Ambientais e Marinhos, Universidade de Aveiro, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme, Natural Environment Research Council, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Zero hunger
Openalex Percentile: Top 1%
Insect and Pesticide Research
11.87
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.