Insecticides

To examine the binding of Bacillus thuringiensis δ-endotoxins, CryIAa, CryIAb, and CryIAc, to Lymantria dispar (gypsy moth) brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV), saturation kinetic analyses were conducted according to a two-step interaction scheme for δ-endotoxin binding to BBMV, rather than the one-step reversible binding presented in prior reports. So far, all published binding studies known to us have used the Scatchard equation or the Hill equation, which analyzes binding parameters assuming a one-step reversible interaction (Reaction 1): BS + T ↔ BS*T.

The contamination of the eggs of farmland birds by currently used plant protection products (PPPs) is poorly documented despite a potential to adversely impact their breeding performance. In this context, 139 eggs of 52 grey partridge Perdix perdix clutches, collected on 12 intensively cultivated farmlands in France in 2010–2011, were analysed. Given the great diversity of pesticides applied on agricultural fields, we used exploratory GC/MS-MS and LC/MS-MS screenings measuring ca. 500 compounds. The limit of quantification was 0.01 mg/kg, a statutory reference.

The large-scale use of neonicotinoid insecticides has raised growing concerns about their potential adverse effects on farmland birds, and more generally on biodiversity. Imidacloprid, the first neonicotinoid commercialized, has been identified as posing a risk for seed-eating birds, when it is used as seed treatment of some crops, since the consumption of a few dressed-seeds could cause mortality. But evidence of direct effects in the field is lacking.

Bird flu is back, and is spreading quickly. But don't worry, the virus isn't targeting humans - yet. The H5N8 strain of bird flu reached Europe in October 2016, and since then has been detected in at least 14 countries including France, Denmark and Germany. In Germany alone, authorities have recorded more than 30 separate incidents of bird flu, leading to the cull of tens of thousands of domesticated chickens, ducks and geese, among others. In the wild, more than 500 birds are known to have been infected as well.

Wenn Frank Baum aus Staufen in seinen Garten ging, fehlte es ihm an bunter Gesellschaft. Die Schmetterlinge machten sich rar. Den kleinen Fuchs oder das Tagpfauenauge suchte der Biochemiker vergeblich. Jetzt hat Baum sich zusammen mit anderen Naturschützern an die Landesregierung gewandt, um etwas gegen das Insektensterben zu unternehmen. Sie wollen erreichen, dass bestimmte Pflanzenschutzmittel dauerhaft verboten werden. Ansonsten befürchten sie einen Frühling ohne Schmetterlinge.

Naturschützer Reinhard Vohwinkel schlägt Alarm: Viele Vogelarten könnten verschwinden. Die Vogelhäuschen bleiben leer. Das Futter wird feucht und schimmelt. Wo früher um diese Jahreszeit auch schon mal um die letzten Körner gestritten wurde, ist es in diesem Jahr beunruhigend still geworden. Bereits in den vergangenen Wochen hatten Naturschützer lautstark Alarm geschlagen. Über die Gründe wurde gerätselt: Optimisten waren davon ausgegangen, dass viele Vögel bei der milden Witterung in den Wäldern ausreichend Nahrung finden und zusätzliche Futterstellen verschmähen würden.

Die deutsche Chemieindustrie ist mit über 190 Milliarden Euro Umsatz im Jahr 2015 die größte in Europa. BASF und Bayer gehören zu den fünf weltgrößten Herstellern von Agrarchemikalien. Die Branche weiß ihre Interessen in Brüssel und Berlin zu vertreten. Der „European Chemical Industry Council“, ihr europäischer Spitzenverband, gibt mit Abstand das meiste Geld für Lobbytätigkeit in Brüssel aus. Im Jahr 2015 waren es 10,2 Millionen Euro.

"Dead or dying herring found on shore should not be collected, consumed or used by the public for any reason, as a variety of factors could affect the food safety of fish, such as toxins, diseases or environmental contaminants", warned the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in a statement. Officials are now testing for pesticide content and checking water oxygen levels, in hopes of getting to the bottom of the situation.

The bee findings were not what Syngenta expected to hear. The pesticide giant had commissioned James Cresswell, an expert in flowers and bees at the University of Exeter in England, to study why many of the world’s bee colonies were dying. Companies like Syngenta have long blamed a tiny bug called a varroa mite, rather than their own pesticides, for the bee decline. Dr. Cresswell has also been skeptical of concerns raised about those pesticides, and even the extent of bee deaths. But his initial research in 2012 undercut concerns about varroa mites as well.