The impact of organophosphate pesticides in orchards on earthworms in the Western Cape, South Africa

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dc.contributor.authorReinecke S.A.
dc.contributor.authorReinecke A.J.
dc.date.accessioned2011-05-15T16:01:36Z
dc.date.available2011-05-15T16:01:36Z
dc.date.issued2007
dc.description.abstractEarthworm population density was measured in and adjacent to an orchard in an agricultural area in the Western Cape, South Africa. Worm densities were very low in orchards (22/m2) compared to adjacent uncultivated fields (152/m2) at a distance from the orchards. The possible effect of organophosphate pesticides on the earthworms was investigated. Background soil concentrations of chlorpyrifos prior to the start of the spraying season were low (0.2-2.7 μg/kg) but persistent for up to 6 months after the last spraying event, and the pesticide was, as a result of rainfall, transported to nontarget areas by runoff. Background concentrations of azinphos methyl were higher than those of chlorpyrifos (1.6-9.8 μg/kg) but not detectable 2 weeks after a spraying event. Azinphos methyl was mostly transported by wind (spray drift) to adjacent areas. A microcosm study indicated effects of chlorpyrifos on earthworms as determined by measuring biomass change and Cholinesterase inhibition. It is concluded that earthworms were affected detrimentally by the pesticides due to chronic (chlorpyrifos) and intermittent (azinphos methyl) exposure. © 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
dc.description.versionArticle
dc.identifier.citationEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety
dc.identifier.citation66
dc.identifier.citation2
dc.identifier.issn1476513
dc.identifier.other10.1016/j.ecoenv.2005.10.006
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/12056
dc.subjectazinphos methyl
dc.subjectchlorpyrifos
dc.subjectcholinesterase
dc.subjectorganophosphate pesticide
dc.subjectchlorpyrifos
dc.subjectearthworm
dc.subjectorchard
dc.subjectorganophosphate
dc.subjectpesticide
dc.subjectpopulation decline
dc.subjectarticle
dc.subjectbiomass
dc.subjectconcentration (parameters)
dc.subjectcontrolled study
dc.subjectearthworm
dc.subjectenvironmental exposure
dc.subjectenzyme inhibition
dc.subjectmicrocosm
dc.subjectnonhuman
dc.subjectpopulation density
dc.subjectseason
dc.subjectsoil
dc.subjectSouth Africa
dc.subjectAgriculture
dc.subjectAnimals
dc.subjectAzinphosmethyl
dc.subjectBiomass
dc.subjectChlorpyrifos
dc.subjectCholinesterases
dc.subjectEnvironmental Monitoring
dc.subjectInsecticides
dc.subjectOligochaeta
dc.subjectPopulation Density
dc.subjectSoil Pollutants
dc.subjectSouth Africa
dc.subjectAfrica
dc.subjectSouth Africa
dc.subjectSouthern Africa
dc.subjectSub-Saharan Africa
dc.subjectWestern Cape
dc.titleThe impact of organophosphate pesticides in orchards on earthworms in the Western Cape, South Africa
dc.typeArticle
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