Pesticides against insects, weeds and fungi are considered indispensable in conventional agriculture. But the poisons not only harm the organisms against which they are directed, but also endanger hundreds of other species in the water and on land. This is now confirmed by a study based on a meta -analysis of over 1700 research work on the subject. In order to protect the global biodiversity, researchers advocate reducing pesticide use and, if possible, relying on alternatives.
Pesticides are used worldwide to secure agricultural yields and avoid harvesting losses. The toxins are usually directed against certain types of insects, weeds or mushrooms, but in many cases also work beyond. For example, numerous studies have shown that so -called neonicotinoids, which are used against feed insects, also endanger pollinating insects such as bees and also disturb the reproduction of amphibians. Some neonicotinoids are therefore already prohibited in the EU for the field of field. Other pesticides are also suspected of being involved in the decline in insects and many field birds.
Extensive effects
“Earlier meta-analyzes of the effects of pesticides on non-target types have either only viewed certain taxonomic groups such as fish or bees or certain habitats such as aquatic ecosystems,” explains a team around Nian-Feng WAN from the East China University of Science and Technology in Shanghai. In order to create a comprehensive, global overview, Wan and his team have now evaluated in 1705 laboratory and field studies that examined the influence of 471 different pesticides on 830 types of animals, plants and microorganisms.
“Our study offers an unprecedented insight into the consequences of pesticide use for the natural environment worldwide,” says co-author Ben Woodcock from the UK Center for Ecology and Hydrology in Wallingford. As the meta-analysis shows, the pesticides have far-reaching negative effects on more than 800 non-target types in the water and on land. Among other things, they influence reproduction, metabolism and the behavior of numerous animals and also affect growth and increase in plants and fungi. “It is often assumed that pesticides are primarily poisonous for the target pest and closely related organisms, but that is clearly not the case,” says co-author Dave Goulson from the University of Sussex. “It is worrying that we have determined far -reaching negative effects on plants, animals, fungi and microbes that threaten the integrity of the ecosystems.”
New pesticides not necessarily better
The researchers found no differences between habitats in the water and on land, not even if they included the different stress with different pesticides. In contrast, the effects are different in different regions of the world: “The negative effects were more pronounced in moderate regions than in tropical regions,” reports the research team. One reason for this could possibly be that the toxins in warm areas with high UV radiation are broken down faster and therefore spread less in the environment.
Since many old, demonstrated harmful pesticides are now being replaced by new, supposedly more targeted funds in accordance with the legal requirements, WAN and his team also examine the extent to which the effects of old and new pesticides differ on non -target organisms. “However, we only found limited evidence that the negative environmental impact of pesticides on biological diversity were reduced by the development and approval of new active ingredients,” report the researchers. Based on the previous results, it is doubtful whether new pesticides are actually less harmful than old.
Enter environmental risks
According to the research team, pesticides considerably threaten the biological diversity. Due to the development of resistance, there is also a risk that certain remedies against their actual target organisms will become ineffective. “Our results underline the need for measures and practices to reduce pesticide use,” says Woodcock. This can include, for example, natural methods of pest control, such as the promotion of beneficials as well as mixed cultures and change of fruit that contain the spread of pests.
State incentives could also make sense from the researcher’s point of view: “The low costs of pesticides do not take into account the hidden costs for wildlife and ecosystems,” explains the team. “This makes sustainable practices less attractive to farmers who may continue to use pesticides as a preventive measure.” It is therefore important to raise the environmental risks of pesticides more reliably and to take into account in the promotion of sustainable agriculture.
Source: Nian-Feng Wan (East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China) et al., Nature Communications, DOI: 10.1038/S41467-025-56732-X