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Pest Control Pests and pollinators

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The Ideal Pesticide The ideal pest-killing chemical has several qualities Kill only target pest Not coase genetic resistance in the target organism Disappear or break down into harmless chemicals after doing its job Be more cost-effective than doing nothing

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Pests and Pollinators Pest Organism that damages valuable crops Weed Any plant that competes with crops Pesticide Poisons that target pest organisms

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Types of Pesticides Insecticides insects Herbicides plants Fungicides fungi

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Pesticides $100 million kg (900 million lbs.) of pesticides are applied in the U.S. each year 75% agricultural land Usage increased in developing countries

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Rachel Carson Wrote Silent Spring Introduces U.S. to dangers of pesticide DDT

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Resistance Some individuals are genetically immune to pesticides They survive and pass these genes to their offspring Pesticides stop being effective Evolutionary arms race: chemicals increase chemical toxicity to compete with resistant pests

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Biological control Biocontrol Uses pests natural predators to control the pest Reduces pest population without chemicals

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Problems with Biocontrol Unpredictable effect of an introduced species non-target effect on the environment Removing biocontrol is harder than halting pesticide use

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Integrated Pest Management IPM uses multiple techniques to suppress pests Biocontrol Chemicals Population monitoring Habitat alteration Crop rotation and transgenic crops Mechanical pest removal

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Not all are pests Some insects are vital 800 cultivated plant species rely on pollinators Pollination By wind or animals Flowers are evolutionary adapted to attract pollinators Pollinators Hummingbirds Bats insects

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Conservation Native populations of pollinators have plummeted Honeybees pollinate more than 100 crops 1/3 of the U.S. diet. In 2006, hives died off To conserve bees: Reduce or eliminate pesticide use Plant flowering plants