Beyond Dosage: The Need for More Realistic Research Scenarios to Understand Pesticide Impacts on Agricultural Soils
Judith Riedo, Matthias C. Rillig, Florian Walder
Abstract
Pesticides play a crucial role in modern agriculture, yet they pose considerable risks to soil health and ecosystem integrity. Current risk assessment research often relies on simplified models, focusing on single substances under standardized conditions and failing to reflect realistic exposure scenarios. We call for a paradigm shift toward incorporating agroecological research that evaluates pesticide effects under more complex and dynamic conditions, including mixtures, application frequency, diverse soil properties, and interactions with other environmental stressors. Additionally, multiseasonal exposure and long-term persistence of pesticides in soils must be considered. By integrating these multidimensional factors, such experimental research can yield valuable insights that improve environmental risk assessment frameworks, ensuring they more accurately represent the complexity of agricultural systems and support more sustainable soil management practices.