55
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to
Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
K. M. Gothandam et al. (eds.), Environmental Biotechnology Vol. 3,
Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World 50,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48973-1_3
Chapter 3
Toxic Effects of Pesticides on Avian Fauna
Anindita Mitra, Soumya Chatterjee, Mainak Sarkar,
and Dharmendra Kumar Gupta
A. Mitra (*) · M. Sarkar
Department of Zoology, Bankura Christian College, Bankura, West Bengal, India
S. Chatterjee
Defence Research Laboratory, DRDO, Tezpur, Assam, India
D. K. Gupta
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Indira Paryavaran Bhavan, Aliganj,
New Delhi, India
Contents
3.1 Introduction
56
3.2 Likelihood of Exposure
60
3.2.1 Cultivation Practices May Influence Likelihood of Exposure
61
3.2.2 Types of Pest That Increase Risks of Pesticide Intoxication to Birds
61
3.2.3 Crop Species Raising the Possibilities of Exposure
62
3.2.4 Formulation of Pesticides Increasing the Risk of Exposure
62
3.3 Lethal Effect of Organophosphate/Carbamate Exposure on Birds
64
3.4 Sublethal Effect of Organophosphate/Carbamate Exposure on Birds
65
3.4.1 Biochemical Biomarkers for Anticholinesterase Contaminants
65
3.4.2 Neurotoxic Effect
66
3.4.3 Effects on Endocrine System and Reproduction
68
3.4.4 Effects on Immune System
70
3.5 Pesticides and Birds
70
3.6 Conclusion
72
References
73
Abstract The best-selling book ‘Silent Spring’ (1962, by Rachel Carson) quivered the
international awareness about the role of pesticides for fatally damaging the avian population, but, after more than five decades of such information and advent of various other
functionally similar chemicals, still there are overwhelming recent reports of toxicity of
pesticides. Globally, over 5 billion pounds of conventional pesticides are used annually
for various purposes; these contaminants may act as silent killer of birds. Several studies
suggest that the different populations of birds such as songbird, peregrine falcons,
ospreys, and Swainson’s hawks are unwitting victims of pesticide contamination.
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to
Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
K. M. Gothandam et al. (eds.), Environmental Biotechnology Vol. 3,
Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World 50,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48973-1_3
Chapter 3
Toxic Effects of Pesticides on Avian Fauna
Anindita Mitra, Soumya Chatterjee, Mainak Sarkar,
and Dharmendra Kumar Gupta
A. Mitra (*) · M. Sarkar
Department of Zoology, Bankura Christian College, Bankura, West Bengal, India
S. Chatterjee
Defence Research Laboratory, DRDO, Tezpur, Assam, India
D. K. Gupta
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Indira Paryavaran Bhavan, Aliganj,
New Delhi, India
Contents
3.1 Introduction
56
3.2 Likelihood of Exposure
60
3.2.1 Cultivation Practices May Influence Likelihood of Exposure
61
3.2.2 Types of Pest That Increase Risks of Pesticide Intoxication to Birds
61
3.2.3 Crop Species Raising the Possibilities of Exposure
62
3.2.4 Formulation of Pesticides Increasing the Risk of Exposure
62
3.3 Lethal Effect of Organophosphate/Carbamate Exposure on Birds
64
3.4 Sublethal Effect of Organophosphate/Carbamate Exposure on Birds
65
3.4.1 Biochemical Biomarkers for Anticholinesterase Contaminants
65
3.4.2 Neurotoxic Effect
66
3.4.3 Effects on Endocrine System and Reproduction
68
3.4.4 Effects on Immune System
70
3.5 Pesticides and Birds
70
3.6 Conclusion
72
References
73
Abstract The best-selling book ‘Silent Spring’ (1962, by Rachel Carson) quivered the
international awareness about the role of pesticides for fatally damaging the avian population, but, after more than five decades of such information and advent of various other
functionally similar chemicals, still there are overwhelming recent reports of toxicity of
pesticides. Globally, over 5 billion pounds of conventional pesticides are used annually
for various purposes; these contaminants may act as silent killer of birds. Several studies
suggest that the different populations of birds such as songbird, peregrine falcons,
ospreys, and Swainson’s hawks are unwitting victims of pesticide contamination.