Resumen

BERNARDOS, Jaime  y  ZACCAGNINI, M. Elena. Insecticides in agricultural crops and their potential risks for the birds of the Pampas Region. Hornero [online]. 2011, vol.26, n.1, pp.55-64. ISSN 0073-3407.

The use of insecticides for pest control in agricultural crops of the Pampa Region caused more than 36 documented events of wildbirds mortality between 1996 and 2000. However, there is enough evidence suggesting that these are very incomplete records which probably underestimate the real magnitude of insecticides impact on bird populations. There was an increase in insecticide doses and treated area during the last decade. Pyrethroids were the most used insecticides between 1998 and 2002, exceeding 60% of the treated area, while they were reduced to 44.9% of the treated area in 2007, with a significant increase in organophosphates and cyclic esters. This change in the active ingredients used resulted in a 20% increase in the area under bird mortality risk between 1998 and 2007. This trend might be reversed by the development of training programs for people doing agrochemical applications that consider the environmental performance of each active ingredient used, and by building a strong commitment to maintaining a healthy productive environment.

Palabras clave : Ecotoxicological assessment; Insecticides; Mortality; Pampa Region; Risk.

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