Environmental Studies(ES)

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Lesson 5: Food resources

Fertilizer and pesticide problem

• A significant portion of fertilizer and pesticide applied to the soil runs off into surface water or leaches into ground water.
  
  
• Spraying of pesticides had lead to ecological damage like human toxic effects, cancer and organ damage from breathing and ingesting pesticides.
  
  
• Increase in cropped area and irrigation have problems like soil erosion, water logging and steady buildup of salts.
  
  
• The biggest problem with pesticides is the development of genetic resistance by pest organisms and they will become immune to the fungicides.
  
  
• Sometimes insecticides kill natural predators and parasites which may increase new pests’ growth.
  
  
• Pesticides may accumulate in the bodies of animals which is called bio-accumulation. This problem affects animals and when that affected animal is eaten by a carnivore leading to the disease or death