Conservation Blind Spots: Scenarios for Assessing the Exposure Risk of Brazilian Mammals to Pesticides

ABSTRACT Brazil is a large agricultural producer and a megadiverse country. In this context, the use of pesticides poses risks to non‐target species, including wild mammals. Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) for pesticides has been adopted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Brazil has yet to present a pesticide risk assessment for vertebrates. To design an ERA for Brazilian mammals, data is needed on the occurrence and distribution of species within and outside crops and agroecosystem types, their biological characteristics and life history traits. We analyse a comprehensive dataset of mammal occurrences in Brazilian agroecosystems. We identify the main crops studied, review if pesticides were listed as threats for mammals endangered of extinction and discuss mammal traits that lead to pesticide exposure across agroecosystems. We show that 54% of terrestrial mammals in Brazil occur in agroecosystems (319/716), with 64.3% (205/319) of these found in crop. Most studies registered mammals in large‐scale monocultures, such as annual croplands, tree plantations and pasture grazing. Small farming emerges as an important knowledge gap. We found 25 species threatened with extinction (Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable) occurring in crop in Brazilian agroecosystems. Concerning ERA for Brazilian agricultural scenarios, in the screening tier process, it is suggested to use an indicator model species (IMS) with the following traits: terrestrial, crepuscular, and large body mass for pasture‐grazing, tree plantations and annual croplands. Conversely, in agroforestry and perennial crop agroecosystems, we recommend considering at least one IMS with arboreal habits and a frugivorous and/or nectarivorous diet. Furthermore, in Tier 1, we recommend that a generic model species (GMS) emconpassing carnivorous and herbivorous mammals should be considered in pasture‐grazing systems, tree plantations and annual cropland. In agroforests and perennial croplands, GMS that represent the diet of frugivorous and nectarivorous mammals should be prioritised.