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Phil Chandlers interview with Henk Tennekes on systemic insecticides

Phil Chandler is author of The Barefoot Beekeeper and has a busy discussion forum for natural beekeeping on his web site at http://www.biobees.com. The subject of Phil Chandlers latest podcast is Dr Henk Tennekes, who was born in The Netherlands, and after graduating from the Agricultural University of Wageningen in 1974, he performed his Ph.D. work at Shell Research Ltd in the UK. He later worked for 5 years at the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg. The culmination of Dr Tennekes' research was his recent discovery that the way the neonicotinoid insecticides work has much in common with that of chemical carcinogens - cancer-causing agents.

Controversial pesticides linked to 'total ecological collapse' of insects and birds

Widespread use of insecticides is affecting bee populations but also causing decline in numbers of birds, butterflies and moths, warns Dutch toxicologist. A new book is blaming the significant decline of bird and bee numbers across Europe on the use of certain pesticides in agriculture. In The Systemic Insecticides: A Disaster in the Making, toxicologist Dr Henk Tennekes suggests that dangerous insecticides known as neonicotinoids are seriously affecting bird and insect life, and their continued use could result in an ‘environmental catastrophe’.

None flew over the cuckoo's nest: A world without birds

Could we be facing a future without birds? Our reliance on pesticides has cut a swathe through their numbers. We must act now, argues Kate Ravilious. It is nearly 50 years since Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring, the book that warned of environmental damage the pesticide DDT was causing. Today, DDT use is banned except in exceptional circumstances, yet we still don't seem to have taken on board Carson's fundamental message. According to Henk Tennekes, a researcher at the Experimental Toxicology Services in Zutphen, the Netherlands, the threat of DDT has been superseded by a relatively new class of insecticide, known as the neonicotinoids. In his book The Systemic Insecticides: A Disaster in the Making, published this month, Tennekes draws all the evidence together, to make the case that neonicotinoids are causing a catastrophe in the insect world, which is having a knock-on effect for many of our birds.

A Disaster in the Making: A new book on the hazards of imidacloprid

A 72-page 2010 publication raises new and troubling questions about a widely used insecticide's potential for harm to bees, beneficial insects, and bird populations. Using imidacloprid as an example, Dutch toxicologist Dr. Henk Tennekes reports on the hazards of imidacloprid to insects and birds. Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid chemical, and has systemic action in plants. Other European researchers have linked this insecticide to significant risks for honey bee populations, including possible links to Colony Collapse Disorder.

Dr. Tennekes' findings indicate that imidacloprid (and possibly other neonicotinoid-type insecticides) can bind irreversibly to critical receptors in an insect's nervous system. If these receptors are permanently blocked, the insecticide would not follow a typical dose-response curve. He provides evidence that long term low level to imidacloprid exposure can lead to neurological problems and eventual death of insects.

Studies have shown imidacloprid to be highly persistent in the environment (RCC Compendium of Pesticide Information). In his book, Tennekes presents data showing that imidacloprid has contaminated most of the waterways in the Netherlands.

Systemic activity in plants combined with long-term persistence in the environment and toxicity at low concentrations can be a dangerous combination. Many vulnerable species over large areas could be exposed to this insecticide on land, in surface water following runoff from treated areas and in groundwater due to its potential for leaching through certain soil types.

Several previous studies have shown that imidacloprid is highly toxic to various forms of wildlife, including honey bees, certain beneficial insects, upland game birds, and crustaceans

Tennekes further suggests that imidacloprid has led to a general decline in the insect populations in the Netherlands, and this lack of food in turn has been responsible for declines in bird populations.

Die Wauwiler Ebene: Chronologie der Verluste von Vogelarten im Laufe des 20. Jahrhunderts

Nur aus wenigen Gebieten der Schweiz liegen gut dokumentierte ornithologische Daten über das gesamte 20. Jahrhundert vor. Die Wauwiler Ebene wurde schon zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts regelmässig von Ornithologen besucht. Sehr grosse Verluste waren bei den Vögeln des Landwirtschaftgebietes im Laufe des 20. Jahrhunderts zu verzeichnen.

Top ten of European birds in greatest decline from 1980 to 2005

Five of the ten bird species that have shown the greatest decline in Europe from 1980 to 2005 are species characteristic for farmland: Crested Lark Galerida cristata (-95%), Grey Partridge Perdix perdix (-79%), Eurasian Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur (-62%), Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus (-51%) and European Serin Serinus serinus (-41%). The other five bird species that have shown the greatest decline in Europe from 1980 to 2005 were: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor (-81%), Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe (-70%), Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla (-74%), Willow Tit Parus montanus (-58%), and Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos (-63%).

Vögel in Deutschland 2007

In den letzten 15 Jahren sind von 64 in Deutschland weit verbreiteten Vogelarten 23 seltener geworden. Die vier häufigsten Gebäudebrüter in Deutschland - Haussperling Passer domesticus, Mauersegler Apus apus, Mehlschwalbe Delichon urbicum und Rauchschwalbe Hirundo rustica zeigen seit den 1990er Jahren weitgehend parallele Bestandsrückgänge. Die Bestandsentwicklung von Kiebitz Vanellus vanellus, Feldlerche Alauda arvensis und Wiesenpieper Anthus pratensis steht stellvertretend für viele am Boden brütende Vogelarten der Agrarlandschaft, die auch in den letzten 15 Jahren noch von anhaltenden Rückgängen betroffen waren. Noch stärker gefährdet sind die Arten der Feuchtwiesen: Alpenstrandläufer Calidris alpina und Kampfläufer Philomachus pugnax stehen in Deutschland unmittelbar vor dem Aussterben; der binnenländische Brutbestand der Uferschnepfe Limosa limosa ist auf weniger als die Hälfte geschrumpft, der des Grossen Brachvogels Numenius arquata weist starke Rückgänge auf. Arten die an Meeresstränden brüten, sind besonders stark gefährdet: Seeregenpfeifer Charadrius alexandrinus und Zwergseeschwalbe Sterna albifrons benötigen gezielte Schutmassnahmen, um in Deutschland überleben zu können. Seit 10 Jahren nehmen im Wattenmeer rastende Vogelarten, wie Knutt Calidris canutus und Eiderente Somateria mollissima, die sich überwiegend von Muscheln ernähren in alarmierender Weise ab.

Voor veel bedreigde vogelsoorten is de mestfauna een belangrijke voedingsbron

Ongewervelden die zich in de mest bevinden, zoals larven van vliegen en mestkevers, zijn een voedingsbron voor insectenetende vogels maar vaak ook een belangrijke eiwitbron voor de jongen van vogels waarvan de volwassenen zaadetend zijn: spreeuwen Sturnidae, kraaiachtigen (o.a. roek Corvus frugilegus, kauw Corvus monedula, zwarte kraai Corvus corone en ekster Pica pica), leeuweriken Alaudidae, gierzwaluwen Apus apus, zwaluwen (o.m. huiszwaluw Delichon urbicum en boerenzwaluw Hirundo rustica) en kwikstaarten Motacillidae (witte kwikstaarten Motacilla alba eten Sphaeroceridae).

Gefährdete und geschützte Vögel im Kanton Aargau

Vom Aussterben bedroht: Bekassine Gallinago gallinago, Grosser Brachvogel Numenius arquata, Raubwürger Lanius excubitor, Rebhuhn Perdix perdix, Rotkopfwürger Lanius senator, Steinkauz Athene noctua, Wachtelkönig Crex crex. Stark gefährdet: Auerhuhn Tetrao urogallus, Bienenfresser Merops apiaster, Flussuferläufer Actitis hypoleucos, Kiebitz Vanellus vanellus, Knäkente Anas querquedula, Kolbenente Netta rufina, Lachmöwe Larus ridibundus, Schnatterente Anas strepera, Schwarzkehlchen Saxicola rubicola, Wiedehopf Upupa epops, Ziegenmelker Caprimulgus europaeus, Zwergdommel Ixobrychus minutus, Zwergsumpfhuhn Porzana pusilla.

De stille lente: neergang van insecten en broedvogels in Kortrijk sinds 1949

Zestig jaar lang heb ik de vogels in een studieterrein op het grondgebied van Kortrijk (100 ha) bestudeerd. Er heeft een aanzienlijke vermindering van vele soorten insecten (het best gedocumenteerd voor vlinders, sprinkhanen en meikevers) plaatsgevonden en ook de flora is aanzienlijk verarmd. Er was een algemene vermindering van de avifauna. Het zijn vooral de kleine zangvogels die achteruit gegaan zijn. Het aantal koppels kleine zangvogels is van 494 in 1950 gedaald tot 130 in 2000. De zangvogels vinden simpelweg onvoldoende voeding om hun voortplanting op peil te houden.