Insecticides are key drivers of a global freshwater biodiversity crisis

This thesis by Sebastian Stehle analyses the agriculture–environment linkages for pesticides at the global scale and it thereby contributes to a new research frontier in global ecotoxicology. The overall findings substantiate that agricultural insecticides are potential key drivers for the global freshwater biodiversity crisis and that the current regulatory risk assessment approaches for highly toxic anthropogenic chemicals fail to protect the global environment. This thesis provides an integrated view on the environmental side effects of global high-intensity agriculture and alerts that beside worldwide improvements to current pesticide regulations and agricultural pesticide application practices, the fundamental reformation of conventional agricultural systems is urgently needed to meet the twin challenges of providing sufficient food for a growing human population without destroying the ecological integrity of global ecosystems essential to human existence.
Source: Sebastian Stehle (2015) A META- AND RISK-ANALYSIS OF GLOBAL INSECTICIDE CONTAMINATION OF AGRICULTURAL SURFACE WATERS. Accepted Dissertation thesis for the partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Doctor of Natural Sciences. Fachbereich 7: Natur- und Umweltwissenschaften Universität Koblenz-Landau.
Thesis examiners:
Referee: Prof. Dr Ralf Schulz, Landau
Co-referee: Prof. Dr. Ralf B. Schäfer, Landau
Co-referee: Adjunct Professor Dr. Pierre Mineau, Ottawa

Date of oral examination: 04.12.2015