ACW | 2012
List of potential focal bird species for a refined risk assessment of
pesticides in Switzerland
Michela Gandolfi & Thomas S. Reichlin – contact:: [email protected]
Research Station Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil
Wädenswil ACW, CH-8820
CH
Wädenswil; www.agroscope.ch
Methods
Background
If a pesticide does not pass the first step of the
ecotoxicological risk assessment for birds, a
refined risk assessment is required. This
involves the use of more realistic exposure
estimates and the use of “focal species”.
These species are, other than the fictitious
first-tier species, real bird species actually
occurring and feeding in the crop at the time of
pesticide application. Therefore, using focal
species, realism can be added to the risk
assessment.
Crop type
Field crops
Stage
Bare soil
Sowing
Food type
Soil arthropods
Crop
All
Weed seeds
All
Worms
Crop seeds
All
Cereals, sugar beet, oilseed rape, vegetables
Emergence
Soil arthropods
Weed seeds
Seedlings
Vegetation
All arthropods
Weed seeds
Harvest
Orchards
All
Vineyards
All
Berries
All
Ornamentals
All
The use of focal species is recommended by
the Guidance Document for risk assessment of
pesticides to birds and mammals (EFSA
2009), however, no focal species are defined
in this document. The relevant focal species in
different crops can vary among different parts
of Europe. Thus, focal species have to be
evaluated at a national level.
In parallel to several other European countries,
Swiss experts have also investigated the
potential focal species relevant for different
crops in Switzerland.
All arthropods
Weed seeds
Soil arthropods
Foliar arthropods
Weed seeds
Worms/ fruits
All arthropods
Weed seeds
Worms / berries
Soil arthropods
Weed seeds
Worms / berries
Foliar arthropods
Soil arthropods
Foliar arthropods
Weed seeds
Worms
Focal species
Black Redstart
(spring)
Yellohammer
(autumn) (spring)
Goldfinch
Linnet (autumn)
Fieldfare
Skylark
Maize,
ize, beans, peas, sunflowers, potatoes
All
All
Cereals
Sugar beet, oilseed rape, vegetables, maize,
beans, peas, sunflowers, potatoes
Wood Pigeon
Yellohammer
Linnet
Skylark
Wood Pigeon
All
Cereals, maize, sugar beet, potatoes
Beans, peas, sunflowers
Oilseed rape
Vegetables
Cereals, maize, sugar beet, oilseed
ilseed rape,
rape potatoes
Beans, peas, sunflowers
All
All
All
All
All
All
All
All
All
All
All
Only bushes
Flowers/bushes
Grassland
Only flowers/bushes
Flowers/bushes
Grassland
All
Yellohammer
Skylark
Greenfinch
Common Quail
Wood Pigeon
White Wagtail
Yellohammer
Greenfinch
Common Redstart
Blue Tit
Goldfinch
Fieldfare
Black Redstart
Goldfinch
Starling
White Wagtail
Greenfinch
Fieldfare
Blue Tit
Fieldfare
White Wagtail
Blue Tit
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Fieldfare
Table 1: Potential focal bird species for refined risk assessments of pesticides in Switzerland.
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Agroscope
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The approach used for determining the
potential focal bird species relevant for
Switzerland, and details about the method are
presented in the Poster WE 049.
Results
The list of the potential focal bird species for
different cultures and growth stages relevant
for Switzerland are reported in Table 1.
Conclusion
The determined focal species could be used in
the future to achieve a crop-specific and more
realistic estimation of the risks of pesticides on
birds living in agricultural areas in Switzerland.
A comparison of the focal species in different
European countries should allow to reach a
better and more comparable refined risk
assessment procedure in the EU. As
pesticides are now evaluated and registered in
zones (southern, central and northern zone), a
harmonization may be achieved at least within
each zone.
Summary
For refinement of the risk of
pesticides to birds, more realistic
exposure estimates are needed,
including the use of focal species.
The poster presents the potential
focal bird species that are relevant for
Switzerland in different crops.
A comparison of focal species
between countries will be crucial for a
coordinated and harmonized refined
risk assessment procedure within
European zones.
Acknowledgement - The authors thank the
ornithologists Simon Birrer of the Swiss Ornithological
Institute Sempach and Michael Schaad of the Swiss
Association for the Protection of Birds (SVS/BirdLife)
for their valuable cooperation.
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Photo sources:
1) Wood Pigeon, www.naturfoto.cz , by Jan Sevcik; 2) Black Redstart, by Michelle & Peter Wong; 3) Greenfinch, wikipedia; 4) Blue Tit, www.fatfinch.wordpress.com;
5) Goldfinch, www.birdfood.co.uk; 6) Yellowhammer, by Andy Bright, 7) Fieldfare,, www.hedgelandtales.blogspot.com; 8) Starling nestlings, by Michela Gandolfi; 9) Skylark, by Markus Jenni
SETAC 2012, Berlin, WE 050
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