Science 9 Unit 3 Topic 2

Science 9 Unit 3
Topic 2 – A growing Concern

Green Revolution
 The “Green Revolution” introduced the concept

of a single crop, high-intensity fertilizer/pesticide
method of agriculture.
 Crop yields are dramatically higher than those

usually obtained with more traditional methods.
 Forexample, the average food yield from North

American farms has increased by almost 6 times.
 India has become an exporter of food, whereas in
the early 1950s it couldn’t produce enough food
to feed its population.
 Intensive crop production also correlates to high

rates of nutrient removal from the soil, so
fertilizers are needed to restore soil fertility.
 Pesticide use controls the growth of weed
competitors for available nutrients, loss of crop
plants to insect pests, and loss of stored crop
yield to fungus and moulds.
 About 10,000 insect species complete with us for
agricultural and forest product.
 Loss of food and fibre crops due to weeds is
estimated to be 22% - 44% on average.
 Accounting for all pest species, about 1/3 of the
world’s food production is lost to our use.
Without pesticides, the loss of food products
alone would be over 50%.
 In 1998, 49% of the world pesticide use was due to
herbicides, with insecticides (27%), fungicides (20%), and
all other types accounting for the rest.
 Historically,
sulfur, natural oils, salts of metals, and even
tobacco juice were used as pesticides, but modern
synthetic chemicals are now used virtually worldwide.
 Currently there are more than 1500 individual substances
that are used to manufacture pesticides, with about
100,000 different pesticides in regular commercial use.
 Pesticides can be classified in a number of ways:
1. By target pest (herbicide (plant), insecticide

(insects), fungicide (fungal diseases))
2. By mode of action (how it affects, and which part
of the target species it affects).
3. By chemical family (organophosphates, carbonates,
synthetic pyrethroids, organochlorines).
 Malaria has proven to be one of the most troublesome of
the tropical diseases that affect human health.
 In 1897, Dr. Ronald Ross proved the link between the

Plasmodium protozoan that causes malaria, and the
Anopheles mosquito that carries the protozoan parasite
between hosts.
 Attempts to limit the life cycle of the Anopheles mosquito

met with only mixed success until the discovery of DDT.
 The use of DDT allowed for one of the most effective,
and most controversial ways of dealing with malaria –
removing the mosquito needed to transmit malaria
between hosts.
 Control programs started in the early 1950s relied heavily

on DDT pesticide, eradicating malaria in N. America and
Europe and producing remarkable decreases in the
incident of malaria in the rest of the world.
 DDTis easy to mix and apply, requiring very little
technical or mechanical knowledge.
 When sprayed onto surfaces, it leaves a white
residue.
 Thesefeatures meant that even untrained
workers with little supervision could effectively
apply DDT in indicated area.
 Economically, there are direct costs associated with
the medical treatment of malaria, and indirect
costs connected to the reduced productivity due to
illness or death.
 Socially, the disruption to family life created by the

pain and suffering of malaria produces a decrease in
the quality of life for those affected and their
families.
Assignment
 Review the food web on pg. 189 (textbook)
 The numbers on this food web are not universal,
they are at a particular location in the ocean.
Newer studies in the same location may have
different results.
 Thefeeding step of level at which each organism
appears in the food chain is referred to as a
“trophic level”.
Assignment
 Bioaccumulation of minerals and chemicals from
the environment is dependent on the rate of
excretion and/or degradation.
 Read pg. 190 “The DDT story”

 Complete pg. 191 Analysis #1-9,11. Answer in
your lab books.
 Thisis an individual assignments, however, you
can ask others for help if necessary.

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Science 9 Unit 3

Topic 2 – A growing Concern

 The “Green Revolution” introduced the concept

 Crop yields are dramatically higher than those

 Forexample, the average food yield from North

 Intensive crop production also correlates to high

1. By target pest (herbicide (plant), insecticide

 In 1897, Dr. Ronald Ross proved the link between the

 Attempts to limit the life cycle of the Anopheles mosquito

 Control programs started in the early 1950s relied heavily

 Socially, the disruption to family life created by the

 Read pg. 190 “The DDT story”

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