auxins 322
bioaccumulation 324
biocides 319
biomagnification 324
carbamates 321
chlorinated hydrocarbons 320
fungicides 319
Green Revolution 318
herbicides 319 		insecticides 319
integrated pest management 331
macronutrient 319
micronutrient 319
monoculture 317
nonpersistent pesticides 319
nontarget organisms 319
organophosphates 321
persistent pesticides 319 		pests 319
pesticides 319
pheromone 332
polyculture 316
rodenticides 319
target organism 319
weeds 319

On-line Flashcards
      A decrease in pesticide applications, better productivity with less fertilizer . . . there are many benefits of genetically engineered crops. How could anyone be against this technological advancement? Why are people in such an uproar because genetically altered food is not labeled? Why did Europe ban the use of genetically modified food? Take a look at Genetically Engineered Crop Tests Evade Scrutiny by Moving to Eastern Europe and Transgenic Cotton Tested in India: Farmers Fear Introduction of "Terminator" Crops to see what we know about the effects of consuming genetically altered food and why farmers in India feel threatened.
      Why would the United States want to use a persistent herbicide on crops in Colombia? Find out how herbicides are used in the drug war by reading Colombia to Spray Coca Crops with Stronger Herbicide.
      Persistent chemicals are found not only in Colombia, they are found in Norway, far from widespread use of the specific chemicals. Look over Norway's Polar Bears Suspected Victims of PCB Contamination for a story of how the effects of biomagnification and persistence are affecting the reproductive organs of polar bears. 		      PCB contamination is also an issue in the Great Lakes. Read PCB Contamination in the Fox River for the status of a contaminated river that drains into Lake Michigan.
      What is the relationship between pesticide use and breast cancer, pesticide use and decreased sperm count? Read the Endocrine Disrupters on the Gulf Coast case study for information on how the chemicals are affecting human and wildlife health.
      Speaking of health, why should we be careful with our use of antibiotics and household antibacterial chemicals? Pesticide resistance is not only for agricultural crops. See the story of how a parasite that causes death to humans and cattle is becoming resistant to drugs in Drug-resistant Strain of Sleeping Sickness Appears in Ethiopia.
      An animation that you may have seen and that deserves a revisit is Bioaccumulation. This animation clearly explains how toxins accumulate and is a good animation to study for a better understanding of the process of bioaccumulation.
Review Questions
  1. What is monoculture?
  2. List three reasons why fossil fuels are essential for mechanized agriculture.
  3. Describe why pesticides are commonly used in mechanized agriculture.
  4. Why are fertilizers used? What problems are caused by fertilizer use?
  5. How do persistent and nonpersistent pesticides differ?
  6. What is biomagnification? What problems does it cause?

  1. How do organic farms differ from conventional farms?
  2. Name three nonchemical methods of controlling pest populations.
  3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of integrated pest management?
  4. List three uses of food additives.
  5. List three actions farmers could use to reduce the effect of pesticides on the environment.
Critical Thinking Questions
  1. If you were a public health official in a developing country, would you authorize the spraying of DDT to control mosquitoes that spread malaria? What would be your reasons?
  2. Look at Table 15.1. What caused the changes in the effectiveness of the insecticides? If you were an agricultural extension agent, what alternatives to pesticides might you recommend?
  3. Imagine that you are a scientist examining fish in Lake Superior and you find toxaphene in the fish you are studying. Toxaphene was used primarily in cotton farming and has been banned since 1982. How can you explain its presence in these fish?
  4. Are the risks of pesticide use worth the benefits? What values, beliefs, and perspectives lead you to this conclusion?
  1. Do you think that current agricultural practices are sustainable? Why or why not? What changes in agriculture do you think will need to happen in the next 50 years?
  2. Imagine you are an EPA official who is going to make a recommendation about whether an agricultural pesticide can remain on the market or should be banned. What are some of the facts you would need in order to make your recommendation? Who are some of the interest groups interested in the outcome of your decision? What arguments might they present regarding their positions? What political pressures might they be able to bring to bear on you?
  3. Why are few consumers demanding alternative methods of crop production and why are farmers not using those methods?