Pesticides on the peaks: Alpine study made the Top 25 of 2024 in Communications Earth & Environment.
Continue readingTop 25 papers of 2024: pesticides spread in an Alpine Valley
Tag Archives: pesticides
Polluted surface waters, not just a problem for aquatic organisms: Biomagnification of flood-borne pesticides in plant-feeding aphids
Surface waters are polluted with a variety of contaminants, including synthetic pesticides. A study by Franziska Fiolka and colleagues from the RTG SystemLink in Landau, recently published in the journal “Chemosphere”, is the first to examine if repeated flood events lead to an increase in pesticide concentration in the riparian zone, including plant-feeding insects. It shows that pesticide concentrations in soil and nettle increase with an increase in flooding frequency, and further, that aphids feeding on contaminated riparian plants are able to take up these pesticides.
Continue readingPh.D. position in the field of insect ecology and pesticide analytics
The Institute of Environmental Sciences Landau of the RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau is looking for a dedicated researcher (m/f/d) in the field of chemical analysis of pesticides and the ecology of insects to start 1. August 2025 (limited until 31. July 2028).
Continue readingNon-Target Casualties: The Overlooked Impact of Neonicotinoids on Grassland Plant Bugs – Investigating Agrochemical Exposure in a Prominent but Overlooked Group of Insects
Modern agro-ecosystems are extensively contaminated with pesticides, but the effects of these chemicals on insect biodiversity are poorly understood. Jan Erik Sedelmeir reports in this blog post about a new study, carried out at the Department of Applied Entomology at the University of Hohenheim under the direction of Georg Petschenka.
Continue readingA cocktail of pesticides eradicates biodiversity – PAN Europe Interview to Prof. Dr Carsten Brühl
“Insects and other arthropods are disappearing at an alarming rate all over Europe and pesticides play a major role.” Recently the European Pesticide Action Network (PAN) interviewed Professor Dr. Carsten Brühl, specialist in ecotoxicology.
Continue readingCurrent-use pesticides in vegetation, topsoil and water reveal contaminated landscapes of the Upper Rhine Valley, Germany
Landau, 12.03.2025 – A new study by the RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, published in Communications Earth & Environment, shows extensive pesticide contamination in the landscape of the Upper Rhine Region. Pesticides disperse across the entire landscape, contaminating soil, vegetation, and water far beyond agricultural zones. The findings shed new light on the potential environmental impacts of conventional agriculture. According to the researchers, pesticide use must be reduced urgently in order to protect non-target areas around fields, orchards and vineyards.
Continue readingPosition in the ecotoxicology area at the Umweltbundesamt
The Umweltbundesamt is looking to fill two positions in the ecotoxicology and environmental risks of plant protection products area: Environmental Risk Assessor and Research Associate
Continue readingHighlights of 2024 (Part 3)
With this third and last part of our series ‘Highlights of 2024’ we finish saying goodbye to 2024 and we welcome a new year of studying and research. Today we welcome a new member to the EcotoxBlog, and recap studies on riparian soil and macroinvertebrates.
Continue readingHighlights of 2024 (Part 1)
In the first part of the ‘Highlights of 2024’, we give our readers a recap of the scientific publications we covered this year.
Continue readingPhD position ‘Harnessing compost microbes for new crop protection products against foliar diseases’
Do you want to develop new sustainable plant protection products based on microorganisms and their metabolites? The University of Basel has an open position for a 4-year PhD position to work on new crop protection products.
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