App-based tool quantifies pesticide toxicity in watersheds; identifies mitigation opportunities
App-based tool quantifies pesticide toxicity in watersheds; identifies ... Science Daily
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Pesticides and Aquatic Toxicity in California’s Agricultural Centers
Pesticides are a leading source of chemical hazards in aquatic environments. A study published in PLOS Water by Nicol Parker and Arturo A Keller at University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States and colleagues introduces a new tool to help evaluate toxicity at high resolution and suggests that targeting a small number of pesticides in a few watersheds could significantly reduce aquatic toxicity in California’s agricultural centers.
Introduction
Reducing pesticide toxicity in watersheds is limited by the ability to quantify pesticide use, toxicity, and impacts over spatial and temporal scales. In order to provide a framework for targeting pesticide reductions, the authors developed the Environmental Release Tool (ERT) using watershed data from the US Geological Survey. ERT is a web and desktop application that summarizes pesticide applications and toxicity by watershed. They used ERT to analyze pesticide use across 140 California watersheds receiving agricultural pesticide applications. The ERT was able to quantify the toxicity released to aquatic taxa across these watershed areas, representing approximately 20 percent of the pesticide mass in the United States and covering hundreds of commodities.
Key Findings
The ERT demonstrated that mitigation actions on just two pesticides and sixteen site types would affect about 90 percent of applied toxicity to fish, aquatic invertebrates, nonvascular plants, and vascular plants in California’s agricultural landscapes. The study also showed that 20 percent of agricultural watersheds account for 80 percent of applied toxicity, suggesting that targeting a small number of watersheds receiving high concentrations of pesticides could be effective in reducing overall applied chemical toxicity. The tool has some important limitations — for example, it does not predict risks to human health or watershed ecologies, only opportunities to decrease pesticide toxicity.
Implications and Recommendations
According to the authors, “Our study developed the Environmental Release Tool (ERT) to provide an integrated framework for targeting pesticide toxicity reductions. Results indicate that the ERT can be a valuable tool for identifying pesticide environmental toxicity and should be considered in future agricultural management strategies.”
The authors add: “The applied toxicity of agricultural pesticides in California is dominated by a handful of pesticides, and a few crops like almonds and other nuts. Careful selection of less toxic pesticides for the same crops can drastically reduce overall applied toxicity in California, and probably around the world.”
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- SDG 14: Life Below Water
- SDG 15: Life on Land
The article discusses the issue of pesticide toxicity in aquatic environments, which is directly related to SDG 6, which aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. It also connects to SDG 14, which focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources. Additionally, it is relevant to SDG 15, which aims to protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Target 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping, and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials.
- Target 14.1: Prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds.
- Target 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services.
The article highlights the need to reduce pesticide toxicity in watersheds, which aligns with Target 6.3 of SDG 6. It also emphasizes the importance of preventing and reducing marine pollution, specifically in relation to aquatic toxicity, which corresponds to Target 14.1 of SDG 14. Furthermore, the article emphasizes the need for the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems affected by pesticide toxicity, supporting Target 15.1 of SDG 15.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
Yes, the article mentions the Environmental Release Tool (ERT) developed by the authors. The ERT is a web and desktop application that quantifies pesticide applications and toxicity by watershed. It can be used to measure progress towards reducing pesticide toxicity in watersheds and evaluating the effectiveness of mitigation actions. The ERT provides indicators of pesticide use, toxicity, and impacts over spatial and temporal scales, which can be used to track progress towards the identified targets.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | Target 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping, and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials. | Environmental Release Tool (ERT) to quantify pesticide applications and toxicity by watershed. |
| SDG 14: Life Below Water | Target 14.1: Prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds. | Environmental Release Tool (ERT) to quantify pesticide applications and toxicity by watershed. |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services. | Environmental Release Tool (ERT) to quantify pesticide applications and toxicity by watershed. |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: sciencedaily.com
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