title: Prioritizing stream types according to their potential risk to receive crop plant material--A GIS-based procedure to assist in the risk assessment of genetically modified crops and systemic insecticide residues.
abstract: Crop plant residues may enter aquatic ecosystems via wind deposition or surface runoff. In the case of genetically modified crops or crops treated with systemic pesticides, these materials may contain insecticidal Bt toxins or pesticides that potentially affect aquatic life. However, the particular exposure pattern of aquatic ecosystems (i.e., via plant material) is not properly reflected in current risk assessment schemes, which primarily focus on waterborne toxicity and not on plant material as the route of uptake. To assist in risk assessment, the present study proposes a prioritization procedure of stream types based on the freshwater network and crop-specific cultivation data using maize in Germany as a model system. To identify stream types with a high probability of receiving crop materials, we developed a formalized, criteria-based and thus transparent procedure that considers the exposure-related parameters, ecological status--an estimate of the diversity and potential vulnerability of local communities towards anthropogenic stress--and availability of uncontaminated reference sections. By applying the procedure to maize, ten stream types out of 38 are expected to be the most relevant if the ecological effects from plant-incorporated pesticides need to be evaluated. This information is an important first step to identifying habitats within these stream types with a high probability of receiving crop plant material at a more local scale, including accumulation areas. Moreover, the prioritization procedure developed in the present study may support the selection of aquatic species for ecotoxicological testing based on their probability of occurrence in stream types having a higher chance of exposure. Finally, this procedure can be adapted to any geographical region or crop of interest and is, therefore, a valuable tool for a site-specific risk assessment of crop plants carrying systemic pesticides or novel proteins, such as insecticidal Bt toxins, expressed in genetically modified crops.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, D-76829 Landau, Germany. Electronic address: bundschuh-r@uni-landau.de.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bundschuh
authors.affiliation: TIEM Integrierte Umweltüberwachung GbR, Hohenzollernstr. 20, D-44135 Dortmund, Germany; Büro Kuhn, Voltastr. 77, D-28357, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, D-76829 Landau, Germany; Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lennart Hjelms väg 9, S-75007, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mirco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bundschuh
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, D-76829 Landau, Germany.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Naegele
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, D-76829 Landau, Germany; REE-Mix GmbH, Fortstrasse 7, D-76829 Landau, Germany.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elsaesser
authors.affiliation: TIEM Integrierte Umweltüberwachung GbR, Hohenzollernstr. 20, D-44135 Dortmund, Germany; Sachverständigenbüro Schlechtriemen, Hohenzollernstr. 20, D-44135 Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schlechtriemen
authors.affiliation: ETH Zurich, Integrative Biology, Universitätstr 16, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Bernadette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oehen
authors.affiliation: ETH Zurich, Integrative Biology, Universitätstr 16, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hilbeck
authors.affiliation: Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Konstantinstrasse 110, D-53179 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otto
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, D-76829 Landau, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.affiliation: TIEM Integrierte Umweltüberwachung GbR, Hohenzollernstr. 20, D-44135 Dortmund, Germany; Ökologiebüro Hofmann, Rennstieg 25, D-28205, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Frieder
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hofmann
mesh_terms: D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D005858:Germany; D007306:Insecticides / Q000032:analysis*; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000032:analysis; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D018570:Risk Assessment; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Crop plant material; Exposure probability; Geographic information systems; Prioritization procedure; Stream types; Transgenic crops