Chemical pesticide approaches encompass a wide range of organic and inorganic
chemistries, which for many years have been developed––to both great success and
unintended damage to nontarget organisms, including humans. Together, these
environmental and chemical approaches are regarded as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Pesticides have been used in the management of pests and vectors for
many decades in the United States and elsewhere. The term, poison, is very broad,
referring to practically any substance that can produce sickness or death if its
concentration is high enough. Thus, even essential nutrients can be poisonous at
high concentrations. For example, copper, which is highly toxic to all forms of plant
life, and used in wood preservatives, is an essential element for plant growth at the
trace level [1].
Pesticides, for the purpose of this chapter, will include only those agents intentionally used by humans for the control of undesirable pest organisms. The pesticides identified herein are by no means an exhaustive listing of available agents. This
discussion will omit the very large group of poisonous wastes generated by industry,
government, agriculture, and various institutions such as hospitals and laboratories.
Specific pests and vectors are to be discussed within this chapter that highlight the
economic impact of such agents on human health and agricultural productivity.
2 Pests and Vectors
Among the plants and animals inhabiting the earth, there are very few taxonomic
categories that do not contain some organisms capable of producing human sickness
or of causing economic loss, or that simply may be classified as nuisances, i.e., a
“pest.” The term “pest” is a very broad term that defines organisms that are an
annoyance to humans simply because these pests inhabit places where they are
unwanted, like our homes (e.g., ants, bed bugs, lice, mosquitoes, and wasps).
Whereas, vectors are organisms that carry a pathogen with it that transmits disease
to humans or animals such as, malaria- or Zika- carrying mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.
In most circumstances, vectors are also considered pests.
One finds bacteria, fungi, and arthropods responsible for food spoilage and
economic losses through decay of natural products. In addition, there are bacteria
and fungi that are pathogenic to humans, domestic plants, animals, and wildlife.
There are pathogenic worms, as well as poisonous echinoderms, arthropods, and
reptiles. For example, the fall armyworm was reported in 2016 for the first time in
West and Central Africa, so it now threatens crops in Africa and Europe.
Mollusks harboring poisonous toxins, trash fish, disease-carrying arthropods,
rodents and nuisance birds, and creatures of various types are considered pests.
There are taste-, odor-, and slime-producing microbes, allergenic plants, plants that
are poisonous, and weeds occupying our lands and waters. Finally, pests also include
viruses with no known usefulness for humanity.
10 Environmental Control of Pests and Vectors
389
chemistries, which for many years have been developed––to both great success and
unintended damage to nontarget organisms, including humans. Together, these
environmental and chemical approaches are regarded as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Pesticides have been used in the management of pests and vectors for
many decades in the United States and elsewhere. The term, poison, is very broad,
referring to practically any substance that can produce sickness or death if its
concentration is high enough. Thus, even essential nutrients can be poisonous at
high concentrations. For example, copper, which is highly toxic to all forms of plant
life, and used in wood preservatives, is an essential element for plant growth at the
trace level [1].
Pesticides, for the purpose of this chapter, will include only those agents intentionally used by humans for the control of undesirable pest organisms. The pesticides identified herein are by no means an exhaustive listing of available agents. This
discussion will omit the very large group of poisonous wastes generated by industry,
government, agriculture, and various institutions such as hospitals and laboratories.
Specific pests and vectors are to be discussed within this chapter that highlight the
economic impact of such agents on human health and agricultural productivity.
2 Pests and Vectors
Among the plants and animals inhabiting the earth, there are very few taxonomic
categories that do not contain some organisms capable of producing human sickness
or of causing economic loss, or that simply may be classified as nuisances, i.e., a
“pest.” The term “pest” is a very broad term that defines organisms that are an
annoyance to humans simply because these pests inhabit places where they are
unwanted, like our homes (e.g., ants, bed bugs, lice, mosquitoes, and wasps).
Whereas, vectors are organisms that carry a pathogen with it that transmits disease
to humans or animals such as, malaria- or Zika- carrying mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.
In most circumstances, vectors are also considered pests.
One finds bacteria, fungi, and arthropods responsible for food spoilage and
economic losses through decay of natural products. In addition, there are bacteria
and fungi that are pathogenic to humans, domestic plants, animals, and wildlife.
There are pathogenic worms, as well as poisonous echinoderms, arthropods, and
reptiles. For example, the fall armyworm was reported in 2016 for the first time in
West and Central Africa, so it now threatens crops in Africa and Europe.
Mollusks harboring poisonous toxins, trash fish, disease-carrying arthropods,
rodents and nuisance birds, and creatures of various types are considered pests.
There are taste-, odor-, and slime-producing microbes, allergenic plants, plants that
are poisonous, and weeds occupying our lands and waters. Finally, pests also include
viruses with no known usefulness for humanity.
10 Environmental Control of Pests and Vectors
389