Overview:

Starting in the second half of the 20th century, agricultural intensification increasingly involved the development and widespread use of chemicals for pest control. Unfortunately, our understanding of the potential effects of these pesticides on non-target organisms generally lags behind their widespread adoption, as does our understanding of the extent to which these chemicals travel beyond the agricultural fields in which they are applied. In 2023, we began to examine non-target herbicide exposure and concentrations of pesticides in plant tissue and soil from natural areas throughout Illinois. The long-term effects of this exposure and plant injury are not known nor are the effects on insects and insectivorous birds.

About our speaker:

Dr. Thomas Benson is a principal research scientist and research associate professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois. Benson works primarily with birds and focuses on factors affecting habitat use and demography, direct effects of management practices and natural disturbances, and population trends over large spatial and temporal scales. His studies have included birds in grassland, wetland, shrubland, and forested habitats as well as applied and basic aspects of avian ecology.

About Our Monthly Programs:

Guest speakers present on a variety of topics throughout the year. Programs are typically held in the Urbana Free Library auditorium on the first Thursday of the month (no programs in January, June, July, or August).