Protection of Biodiversity of Free Living Birds and Mammals in Respect of the Effects of Pesticides

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Protection of Biodiversity of Free Living Birds and Mammals in Respect of the Effects of Pesticides TEXTE 30 /2014 Protection of biodiversity of free living birds and mammals in respect of the effects of pesticides | TEXTE | 30/2014 ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH OF THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT, NATURE CONSERVATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY Project No. (FKZ) 3710 63 411 Report No. (UBA-FB) 001830 Protection of biodiversity of free living birds and mammals in respect of the effects of pesticides by Teresa Jahn Hermann Hötker Michael-Otto-Institut im NABU, Forschungs- und Bildungszentrum für Feuchtgebiete und Vogelschutz, Bergenhusen Rainer Oppermann Richard Bleil Laura Vele Institut für Agrarökologie und Biodiversität (IFAB), Mannheim On behalf of the Federal Environment Agency (Germany) UMWELTBUNDESAMT This publication is only available online. It can be downloaded from https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/publikationen/protection-of- biodiversity-of-free-living-birds . The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the official opinions. ISSN 1862-4804 Study performed by: Michael-Otto-Institut im NABU, Forschungs- und Bildungszentrum für Feuchtgebiete und Vogelschutz Goosstroot 1 248861 Bergenhusen Study completed in: May 2013 Publisher: Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) Wörlitzer Platz 1 06844 Dessau-Roßlau Germany Phone: +49-340-2103-0 Fax: +49-340-2103 2285 Email: [email protected] Internet: http://www.umweltbundesamt.de http://fuer-mensch-und-umwelt.de/ Edited by: Section IV 1.3 Plant Protection Products, Ecotoxicology, Environmental Risk Assessment Steffen Matezki Dessau-Roßlau, April 2014 Abstract Pesticides can affect wild-living bird and mammal species either directly by poisoning or indirectly by removing food and shelter. In this report we focus on indirect effects and their risk management. After agriculture in Germany has become more intensive over the past decades, many populations of farmland birds and mammals are in an unfavourable conservation status. For 27 farmland bird species and 22 farmland mammal species we compile trends, habitat (crop) selection, threats and risk management measures. There is scientific-based evidence for indirect effects of pesticides at the population level of four European farmland bird species and several mammal species outside Europe. Data on diet and on habitat selection suggest that indirect effects of pesticides may affect many more species. We develop an index of pesticide sensitivity for farmland birds and mammals in Germany. According to expert opinion pesticides are among the major causes for population declines of farmland birds and we provide supporting evidence for this view. We analyze risk management measures with respect to efficiency and acceptance by farmers and authorities. At present agri-environmental schemes aiming to compensate for the negative effects of modern agriculture cover only about 0.5 % of the arable land in Germany. We develop a scheme of umbrella species to simplify risk management. We outline different strategies for implementing an effective risk management and we calculate associated costs. A levy on PPPs targeted to the implementation of a region-specific risk management would be practicable at relatively low costs. Kurzbeschreibung Pestizide wirken auf Vögel und Säugetiere entweder direkt durch Vergiftung oder indirekt durch Reduktion der Nahrung und der Deckung. In diesem Bericht behandeln wir vor allem die indirekten Effekte und das dafür erforderliche Risikomanagement. Nach einer jahrzehntelangen Intensivierung der Landwirtschaft in Deutschland befinden sich viele Populationen von Vögeln und Säugetieren der Agrarlandschaft in einem schlechten Erhaltungszustand. Für 27 Vogel- und 22 Säugerarten der Agrarlandschaft stellen wir Daten zu Trend, Habitatwahl (Wahl der Feldfrucht), Bedrohungen und Risiko-Managementmaßnahmen zusammmen. Die indirekte Wirkung von Pestiziden auf Populationsniveau ist für vier europäische Agrarvogelarten und einige Säugerarten außerhalb Europas nachgewiesen. Daten zur Nahrungs- und Habitatwahl lassen jedoch vermuten, dass zahlreiche weitere Arten betroffen sind. Wir stellen einen Index zu Sensivität gegenüber indirekten Effekten von Pestiziden in Deutschland vor. Nach Expertenmeinung gehören Pestizide zu den wichtigsten Gründen für die Bestandsabnahmen bei Vögeln der Agrarlandschaft. Diese Sichtweise wird durch weitere in diesem Bericht zusammengestellte Indizien unterstützt. Wir untersuchen Risikomanagementmaßnahmen bezüglich ihrer Effizienz und ihrer Akzeptanz bei Landwirten und Behörden. Derzeit umfassen Vertragsnaturschutzmaßnahmen, die negative Auswirkungen der modernen Landwirtschaft kompensieren sollen, nur etwa 0.5% der Ackerfläche Deutschlands, eine offensichtlich unzureichende Fläche. Wir schlagen ein Zielartenkonzept vor um die Umsetzung des Risikomanagements zu erleichtern. Wir skizzieren verschiedene Strategien zur Implementierung eines wirkungsvollen Risikomanagements und vergleichen die Kosten. Eine Abgabe auf Pflanzenschutzmittel zur Finanzierung eines regionalen Risikomanagements erscheint als die günstigste Lösung. Protection of biodiversity of free living birds and mammals in respect of the effects of pesticides Table of Contents List of Figures List of Tables List of Abbreviations 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1.1 Selection of farmland bird and mammal species ........................................................... 1 1.1.2 Effects of pesticides on birds and mammals ................................................................... 4 1.2 Project aims & approach ......................................................................................................... 5 1.3 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. 6 1.4 References................................................................................................................................. 6 2 Development of agricultural structures in Germany ................................................................. 9 2.1 The status today ....................................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Development over the past few decades ............................................................................10 2.2.1 Development of the intensity of land use .....................................................................13 2.2.2 Development of ecologically important structures and plots ....................................14 2.2.3 Relationships between land usage and plant protection ............................................18 2.3 Use of pesticides in Germany ...............................................................................................20 2.3.1 Overview of the use of pesticides in Germany .............................................................20 2.3.2 Digression - glyphosate as most used herbicide ...........................................................22 2.4 Intensity of use on different crops ......................................................................................23 2.5 Implications of the development of agricultural structures in Germany for birds and mammals in the cultivated countryside ............................................................24 2.6 References...............................................................................................................................25 3 Bird and mammal species in agricultural landscapes .............................................................27 3.1 Population trends and conservation status ........................................................................27 3.1.1 Population trends and conservation status of birds.....................................................27 3.1.2 Population trend and conservation status of mammals ..............................................32 3.1.3 Conservation targets ........................................................................................................34 3.2 Habitat selection and crop-specific occurrence of farmland species ..............................38 3.2.1 Habitat selection and crop-specific occurrence of farmland bird species .................38 3.2.2 Habitat selection and crop-specific occurrence of farmland mammal species ........42 3.3 References...............................................................................................................................50 I Protection of biodiversity of free living birds and mammals in respect of the effects of pesticides 4 Effects of pesticides on farmland species ...................................................................................53 4.1 Review: Direct and indirect effects of pesticides on farmland bird and mammal species and the impact on their populations ....................................................53 4.1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................53 4.1.2 Direct and indirect effects on farmland bird and mammal species ..........................55 4.1.3 Pesticide impact on farmland bird and mammal species on the population level ...................................................................................................................................64
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