Assessing and mitigating simulated population-level effects of 3 herbicides to a threatened plant: Application of a species-specific population model of Boltonia decurrens
Authored by Pernille Thorbek, Valery E Forbes, Amelie Schmolke, Richard Brain, Daniel Perkins
Date Published: 2018
DOI: 10.1002/etc.4093
Sponsors:
No sponsors listed
Platforms:
NetLogo
Model Documentation:
Other Narrative
Model Code URLs:
https://setac-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/action/downloadSupplement?doi=10.1002%2Fetc.4093&file=etc4093-sup-0002-SuppData-S2.zip
Abstract
Extrapolating from organism-level endpoints, as generated from standard
pesticide toxicity tests, to populations is an important step in
threatened and endangered species risk assessments. We apply a
population model for a threatened herbaceous plant species, Boltonia
decurrens, to estimate the potential population-level impacts of 3
herbicides. We combine conservative exposure scenarios with
dose-response relationships for growth and survival of standard test
species and apply those in the species-specific model. Exposure profiles
applied in the B. decurrens model were estimated using exposure modeling
approaches. Spray buffer zones were simulated by using corresponding
exposure profiles, and their effectiveness at mitigating simulated
effects on the plant populations was assessed with the model. From
simulated exposure effects scenarios that affect plant populations, the
present results suggest that B. decurrens populations may be more
sensitive to exposures from herbicide spray drift affecting vegetative
stages than from runoff affecting early seedling survival and growth.
Spray application buffer zones were shown to be effective at reducing
effects on simulated populations. Our case study demonstrates how
species-specific population models can be applied in pesticide risk
assessment to bring organism-level endpoints, exposure assumptions, and
species characteristics together in an ecologically relevant context.
Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1545-1555. (c) 2018 SETAC
Tags
Individual-based model
Population modeling
runoff
Communities
Vegetation
Tests
Floodplain plant
Germination
Drift
Rare
Endangered species act
Pesticide risk assessment
Pesticide risk-assessment
Terrestrial plants
Spray
drift