环境污染物项目On-Refuge调查的子活动:在威拉米特河流域国家野生动物保护区使用农药对水生生物的影响的综合评估
Environmental Contaminants Program On-Refuge Investigations Sub-Activity: Assessment of Impacts to Aquatic Organisms from Pesticide Use on the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex
关键词:农药;农用化学品;杀虫剂
摘 要:The primary habitat management objective for the three refuges of the Willamette Valley NWR Complex is to provide high quality forage for wintering Canada geese. To accomplish this, much of the land within the refuge is managed for grass production involving applications of herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers. Other agrochemicals such as insecticides are applied to agricultural land outside the refuge. Some agrochemicals used in the area have the potential to enter aquatic habitats of the refuge and could impact species such as amphibians, turtles, or the federally-listed Oregon chub. The objective of this investigation was to sample both biotic and abiotic matrices and use a weight-of-evidence approach to determine if agrochemicals used on or around the refuge pose a risk to aquatic species. This investigation included seven components: 1) evaluation of pesticide use practices; 2) collection of continual water quality measurements; 3) water sampling; 4) in-situ bioassay; 5) analysis of blood plasma from carp and turtles for endocrine-disrupting compound exposure; 6) fish health assessment; and 7) fish tissue analysis for organochlorine pesticides. The components of the study were used as individual lines of evidence to evaluate risk of agrochemicals to aquatic organisms on the refuge. Multiple lines of evidence create more confidence in making decisions suitable for refuge management because the approach considers all the information gathered from the investigation. By framing the assessment with this weight-of-evidence approach, risk to the receptors of concern and organizational levels is more clearly evident and the information can be used in carrying out the Fish and Wildlife Service mission to protect and conserve natural resources.