title: Single and Combined Effects of Pesticide Seed Dressings and Herbicides on Earthworms, Soil Microorganisms, and Litter Decomposition.
abstract: Seed dressing, i.e., the treatment of crop seeds with insecticides and/or fungicides, aiming to protect seeds from pests and diseases, is widely used in conventional agriculture. During the growing season, those crop fields often receive additional broadband herbicide applications. However, despite this broad utilization, very little is known on potential side effects or interactions between these different pesticide classes on soil organisms. In a greenhouse pot experiment, we studied single and interactive effects of seed dressing of winter wheat (Triticum aestivumL.var. Capo) with neonicotinoid insecticides and/or strobilurin and triazolinthione fungicides and an additional one-time application of a glyphosate-based herbicide on the activity of earthworms, soil microorganisms, litter decomposition, and crop growth. To further address food-web interactions, earthworms were introduced to half of the experimental units as an additional experimental factor. Seed dressings significantly reduced the surface activity of earthworms with no difference whether insecticides or fungicides were used. Moreover, seed dressing effects on earthworm activity were intensified by herbicides (significant herbicide × seed dressing interaction). Neither seed dressings nor herbicide application affected litter decomposition, soil basal respiration, microbial biomass, or specific respiration. Seed dressing did also not affect wheat growth. We conclude that interactive effects on soil biota and processes of different pesticide classes should receive more attention in ecotoxicological research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Van Hoesel
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tiefenbacher
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: König
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Verena M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Dorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Julia F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hagenguth
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Urša
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Prah
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Theresia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Widhalm
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Viktoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wiklicky
authors.affiliation: Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of CologneCologne, Germany; Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum JülichJülich, Germany.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koller
authors.affiliation: Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lagerlöf
authors.affiliation: Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety GmbH (AGES) Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ratzenböck
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Johann G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Zaller
keywords: agrochemicals; agroecology; glyphosate-herbicide; neonicotinoids; non-target effects; pesticide; seed coatings; soil organisms