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Environmental Science: A Global Concern, 7/e

William P. Cunningham, University of Minnesota
Mary Ann Cunningham, Vassar College
Barbara Woodworth Saigo, St. Cloud State University

Pest Control

Practice Quizzing


1	A variety of pesticides are used and they differ from each other in
		A)	the type of organism killed.
		B)	the degree of toxicity.
		C)	the degree of persistence in the environment.
		D)	all of the above.


2	_____ kill the broadest range of organisms.
		A)	Fungicides
		B)	Insecticides
		C)	Biocides
		D)	Herbicides


3	Chemicals were first used to kill or ward off pests
		A)	thousands of years ago.
		B)	since the beginning of modern chemistry several hundred years ago.
		C)	about 70 years ago.
		D)	during World War II.


4	______ is an example of an inorganic pesticide, a category containing neurotoxins, very dangerous to humans.
		A)	DDT
		B)	Mercury
		C)	Rotenone
		D)	Carbon tetrachloride


5	Diseases which can be significantly reduced in frequency with pesticides include
		A)	malaria.
		B)	river blindness.
		C)	yellow fever.
		D)	all of the above.


6	Among the negative effects of pesticides are
		A)	the killing of important nontarget species such as honeybees.
		B)	frequent creation of pesticide-resistant pest populations.
		C)	emergence of new pests when pesticides kill off their natural predators.
		D)	all of the above.


7	The percentage of U.S. crops lost to pests since pesticide use became common is ______ than before pesticides.
		A)	much lower
		B)	somewhat lower
		C)	unchanged
		D)	greater


8	Serious nontoxic effects of pesticides on nontarget species include
		A)	increased risk of death from illness because of compromised immune systems.
		B)	interference with hormone systems.
		C)	damage to reproductive systems.
		D)	all of the above.


9	Chlorinated hydrocarbons are characterized by all of the following EXCEPT which one? They
		A)	disrupt nervous system function.
		B)	are fast acting.
		C)	accumulate in fat tissue.
		D)	degrade quickly in the environment.


10	Chlorinated hydrocarbons are particularly damaging to organisms and ecosystems because
		A)	their chemical stability allows them to persist in the environment for long periods of time.
		B)	their high solubility enables them to be broadly spread in the environment.
		C)	their high toxicity makes them particularly dangerous to a wide range of nontarget species.
		D)	all of the above.


11	Pesticide resistance
		A)	has emerged in a few species but more cases are expected.
		B)	used to be a problem but modern pesticides are typically not susceptible to this problem.
		C)	has arisen in hundreds of species.
		D)	has arisen only among insects.


12	Alternatives to using pesticides include
		A)	creating diverse habitat adjacent to farm fields.
		B)	growing crops in areas where specific pests are not naturally present.
		C)	changing cultivation timing.
		D)	all of the above.


13	Integrated pest management utilizes
		A)	zero pesticide applications.
		B)	a more expensive but equally effective alternative to pesticides.
		C)	an ecologically-based approach to pest management.
		D)	all of the above methods.


14	Of the thousands of pesticides, complete testing for acute toxicity and genetic effects has been completed on
		A)	all but a handful.
		B)	80 percent.
		C)	50 percent.
		D)	10 percent.


15	Over _______ pest species have so far evolved resistance to pesticides.
		A)	600
		B)	300
		C)	100
		D)	50


16	Suspected pesticide impacts on human health include
		A)	immune system malfunctions.
		B)	birth defects.
		C)	cancer.
		D)	all of the above.


17	Herbicides are pesticides that kill plants.
		A)	True
		B)	False


18	Use of chemicals to control pests began in the last century.
		A)	True
		B)	False


19	A substantial portion of pesticides used do not reach their intended target pests.
		A)	True
		B)	False


20	Pesticides are so ubiquitous in our environment that only people living in very remote locations have escaped contamination.
		A)	True
		B)	False


21	Problems with memory and reading comprehension are documented for children whose mothers ate pesticide-contaminated fish while pregnant.
		A)	True
		B)	False


22	Serious neurological damage has been documented among children living in areas of high pesticide use.
		A)	True
		B)	False


23	Crop rotation can be an effective alternative to pesticides to control pests.
		A)	True
		B)	False


24	Studies have shown that farms cannot succeed economically without heavy pesticide application.
		A)	True
		B)	False


25	Relying on natural predators to control pests is but one of many nonpesticide options farmers can use in an approach known as biological control.
		A)	True
		B)	False

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