Using species sensitivity distributions to assess the toxicity of pesticides on nitrifiers and broader microbial groups: from single-species tests to soil amplicon sequencing

Maria Kolovou; Eleftheria Bachtsevani; Fotios Bekris; Alexandre Pedrinho; Michalis Omirou; Graeme W. Nicol; Christina Hazard; Evangelia S. Papadopoulou; Dimitrios G. Karpouzas

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128640

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Using species sensitivity distributions to assess the toxicity of pesticides on nitrifiers and broader microbial groups: from single-species tests to soil amplicon sequencing

Journal article

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Using species sensitivity distributions to assess the toxicity of pesticides on nitrifiers and broader microbial groups: from single-species tests to soil amplicon sequencing

Maria Kolovou, Eleftheria Bachtsevani, Fotios Bekris, Alexandre Pedrinho, Michalis Omirou, Graeme W. Nicol, Christina Hazard, Evangelia S. Papadopoulou and Dimitrios G. Karpouzas

Environmental pollution (1987), Vol.406, 128640

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128640

PMID: 42342142

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Abstract

ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOM)

amplicon sequencing

metsulfuron-methyl

pesticide ecotoxicity

Soil microbiome

species sensitivity distributions (SSDs)

Soil microorganisms are essential for ecosystem functioning, yet their responses to pesticides are inadequately captured by conventional ecotoxicological tests. Recent studies identify ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOM) as soil microbial indicators of chemical stress. Building on previous single-species tests with AOM, we investigated the effects of pyraclostrobin, glyphosate and metsulfuron-methyl on nitrification. The more consistent impact of metsulfuron-methyl led us to focus on its effects on the abundance and diversity of AOM and broader microbial groups. An integrated approach combining amplicon sequencing with species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) was applied to derive thresholds relevant for risk assessment. Metsulfuron-methyl showed negative effects on AOM and prokaryotes, while fungi were more tolerant. SSDs based on single-species AOM data and soil microcosm amplicon sequencing yielded hazard concentration 5% (HC5) values of 0.001 and 0.06 mg kg−1, respectively, verifying the conservative nature of the former. SSDs constructed from amplicon sequencing provided HC5 values of 0.042 and 0.1 mg kg−1 for prokaryotes and fungi, respectively. Calculated predicted no-effect concentrations (PNEC) suggested a potential risk only for AOM when based on single-species data, whereas no risk was indicated using soil-derived data. These findings support the complementary use of SSDs derived from single-species and soil-based approaches in pesticide risk assessment for soil microbes. Highlights • Metsulfuron-methyl inhibited nitrification and ammonia oxidizers across soils. • Amplicon sequencing revealed microbial sensitivity patterns at the community level. • Species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) integrated sequencing and single-species data. • Single-species SSDs yielded more conservative thresholds than sequencing-based SSDs. • SSDs from single-species and sequencing data support tiered pesticide risk assessment.

Details

Title: Using species sensitivity distributions to assess the toxicity of pesticides on nitrifiers and broader microbial groups: from single-species tests to soil amplicon sequencing
Authors/Creators: Maria Kolovou - University of Thessaly
Eleftheria Bachtsevani - Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1
Fotios Bekris - University of Thessaly
Alexandre Pedrinho - University of Thessaly
Michalis Omirou - Agruicultural Research Institute
Graeme W. Nicol - Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1
Christina Hazard - Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1
Evangelia S. Papadopoulou - University of Thessaly
Dimitrios G. Karpouzas - University of Thessaly
Publication Details: Environmental pollution (1987), Vol.406, 128640
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Number of pages: 13
Identifiers: 991005896975407891
Murdoch Affiliation: School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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