Abstract
Neonicotinoid insecticides have been reported to occur widely in surface waters, including those of wetlands within the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR). In the US portion of the PPR, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has established Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) in an effort to enhance waterfowl production. Most WPAs have an area of protected upland surrounding wetlands that can act as a buffer to reduce the transport of contaminants, including pesticides. We assessed the extent that neonicotinoid insecticides occurred in the ponded water of wetlands within WPAs located along a gradient of agricultural influence throughout west-central Minnesota. Of the five neonicotinoids we tested for, two were not detected. However, at least one of the other three, imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam, were detected in 29% of our wetland water samples. Additionally, both the occurrence and total concentrations of neonicotinoids were higher in sites with higher surrounding crop use. Neonicotinoid insecticides, if persistent for long periods of time, have the potential to affect aquatic-invertebrate communities within PPR wetlands. Our research indicates that areas often perceived as protected may still be at risk to neonicotinoid contamination, emphasizing the importance of maintaining effective grassland buffers around wetlands.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Sara Vacek and Josh Eash for their assistance and technical support with sample collection for our study. Additionally, we thank the staff at the Morris Wetland Management district for the use of facilities and the hosting of sampling within their district. We would also like to thank Dawn Macdonald and Vince Capeder for their assistance in troubleshooting equipment while in the field. Funding for analyses of our wetland water samples were provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Findings and conclusions in this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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Williams, N., Sweetman, J. Distribution and Concentration of Neonicotinoid Insecticides on Waterfowl Production Areas in West Central Minnesota. Wetlands 39, 311–319 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-018-1090-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-018-1090-x