Pesticides and veterinary pharmaceuticals in neotropical avian carnivores: A scoping review

Abstract

Organic contaminants have long been known to have negative consequences for wildlife health. For avian carnivores, particular concern surrounds the use of compounds such as pesticides and pharmaceutical drugs, derived from global agricultural and veterinary practices. Previous cases of avian poisoning in North America, Europe and Asia have received great attention, owing to significant declines in avian populations and wider consequences. By contrast, the Neotropics, comprised of Latin America and the Caribbean, has received relatively little attention, despite an extensive agricultural sector and uniquely high avian biodiversity. To evaluate the available evidence on this topic, a scoping review on the effects of agriculturally derived organic contaminants on Neotropical avian carnivores was conducted. Articles from seven databases were screened using exclusion criteria. Of these, 206 primary research articles published since 1965 were identified, investigating 144 compounds in 83 species. Findings indicate substantial knowledge gaps, particularly in observational studies conducted within the Neotropics. Whilst cross-sectional studies were fairly well-represented, with transitions towards less-invasive sampling methods, there were few longitudinal studies, raising concerns of undetected chronic exposure in Neotropical populations. Multiple avian taxonomic families were underrepresented, including globally recognized sentinel species – the osprey and barn owl, as were pharmaceutical drugs in comparison to pesticides. There was a large geographical bias in observational study location, with no research outputs identified from most Neotropical countries. Further research in the Neotropics is required to better understand the pervasiveness of contaminants in native populations, along with improving our understanding of their precise consequences on avian carnivore health.