We describe the theory and current development state of the pesticide process module of the USDA-Agricultural Research Service Root Zone Water Quality Model, or RZWQM. Several processes which are significant in determining the fate of a pesticide application are included together in this module for the first time, including application technique, root uptake, ionic dissociation, soil depth dependence of persistence, volatilization, wicking upward in soil and aging of residues. The pesticide module requires a large number of parameters to run (as does the RZWQM model as a whole) and it is becoming clear that RZWQM will find most interest and use as part of a 'scenario' in which all data requirements are supplied and the predictions of the system compared with a real (usually partial) data set. Such a scenario may then be modified to examine the response of the system to changes in inputs. It also has significant potential as a technology transfer or teaching tool, providing detailed understanding of a specific agronomic system and its potential impacts on the environment.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ps.814 | DOI Listing |
Pathogens
January 2025
Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA.
Bumblebees, the most important wild pollinators in both agricultural and natural ecosystems, are declining worldwide. The global decline of bumblebees may threaten biodiversity, pollination services, and, ultimately, agricultural productivity. Several factors, including pesticide usage, climate change, habitat loss, and species invasion, have been documented in the decline of bumblebee species, but recent studies have revealed the dominating role of pathogens and parasites over any of these causes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInsects
January 2025
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
The four honeybee species native to Cambodia-, , , -play a vital role in ecosystem health and agricultural productivity through their pollination activities. Beekeeping in Cambodia has primarily developed around the introduced species . However, it remains underdeveloped compared to neighboring countries, with wild honey collection continuing to play a significant role.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFParasit Vectors
January 2025
National Laboratory of Virology, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
Background: Mosquitoes, as vectors of various pathogens, have been a public health risk for centuries. Human activities such as international travel and trade, along with climate change, have facilitated the spread of invasive mosquitoes and novel pathogens across Europe, increasing the risk of mosquito-borne disease introduction and their spread. Despite this threat, mosquito control in Hungary still relies predominantly on chemical treatments, which poses the risk of developing insecticide resistance in local populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
January 2025
Department of Economics, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403.
The advent of herbicide-tolerant genetically modified (GM) crops spurred rapid and widespread use of the herbicide glyphosate throughout US agriculture. In the two decades following GM-seeds' introduction, the volume of glyphosate applied in the United States increased by more than 750%. Despite this breadth and scale, science and policy remain unresolved regarding the effects of glyphosate on human health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Total Environ
January 2025
Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea (IOW), Marine Chemistry Department, Seestraße 15, 18119 Rostock, Germany; IOW, Seestraße 15, 18119 Rostock, Germany. Electronic address:
The Baltic Sea, a semi-enclosed marginal sea with a catchment area four times its size, acts as a sink and continues to show detectable levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in its sediments. This is attributed to the synthesis and industrial use of commercial polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) products, as well as the widespread use and discharge of certain chlorinated pesticides into the natural environment during the last century. Our study investigates chlorinated hydrocarbon pollutants, the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites as well as hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in sediments based on several short sediment cores from different basins covering almost the entire Baltic Sea.
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