Study: In 70% of soils, there are residues of at least one pesticide.

The residues of pesticides exert a huge influence on soil life. This is evident from the new study "Pesticide residues alter taxonomic and functional biodiversity in soils," conducted by several international researchers. Manufacturer: If I cut fertilization and spraying costs, I will go bankrupt "The results show that the use of chemical preparations disrupts the natural nutrient supply function of the affected soil and additional fertilization is needed to maintain yields," says the study leader Prof. Marcel van der Heijden from the Institute of Plant and Microbiology at the University of Zurich, cited by agrarheute. Pesticide residues are widespread in soils, but their impact on soil biodiversity remains poorly studied, according to the authors. They investigated the effects of 63 pesticides on: • soil microorganisms, • bacteria, fungi, • protists such as algae, protozoa (i.e., unicellular organisms like amoebae) and slime molds, • nematodes or roundworms, • arthropods, and ...