Monitoring changes in the cereal ecosystem.

Abstract

There is considerable interest in the effects of modern farming on wildlife, particularly in the side effects of pesticides. However, many pesticides have now been used for over 30 years, and very little is known about the ecological situation prior to their use. Fortunately, grey partridges were studied before crop spraying began. This paper shows how the side effects of herbicides have affected this species. It concludes that many unstudied species have been reduced in numbers in the past, that others will be threatened in future, and that research priorities must be shifted if we are to respond properly to the situation.