Kurzfassung

The beneficial effects of pesticides in crop production come along with the contamination of aquatic ecosystems. Spray-drift
and runoff events cause distinct concentrations peaks of pesticides in agricultural streams and potential negative effects on
non-target aquatic organisms and important ecosystem functions. In the registration process, only effects of single pesticides
on a few standard organisms are tested. Swedish monitoring results, however, show that on average 10-12 pesticides
...The beneficial effects of pesticides in crop production come along with the contamination of aquatic ecosystems. Spray-drift
and runoff events cause distinct concentrations peaks of pesticides in agricultural streams and potential negative effects on
non-target aquatic organisms and important ecosystem functions. In the registration process, only effects of single pesticides
on a few standard organisms are tested. Swedish monitoring results, however, show that on average 10-12 pesticides
(maximum 33) occur in a single water sample. Monitoring data from other countries show similar results. Although multiple
pesticides commonly occur in water, little is known about their concerted effects on aquatic communities and ecosystem
processes. Current assessment practices built on highly simplified models that disregard interactions among compounds.
IMPROVE will compile existing knowledge and data and use a predictive model approach to identify combinations of
pesticides were interactions are likely to occur indicating a potentially high risk to aquatic biota and ecosystem processes.
These mixtures will then be tested at different concentrations in higher-tier test systems that allow for the quantification of a set
of ecologically relevant end points. IMPROVE will finally develop (1) a guidance document with science-based monitoring
strategies and (2) an electronic expert system that facilitates the consideration of pesticide combination effects in risk
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