Pesticides in Florida and Their Impact on Environment and People

Pesticides in Florida and Their Impact on Environment and People

Introduction

Natural or human-made, pesticides are substances used to eradicate pest species like insects and rodents that bring about economic damage to ornamental plants or crop or are harmful to the domestic animals or humans' health. However, it is not astounding that several of these substances are exceedingly toxic not to the pests only, but also to other biological organisms. Pesticides are used in agricultural regions, forests, residential areas, parks, and within the home. Various pesticides are termed as fungicides, insecticides, herbicides, rodenticides, and nematicides i.e., agents principally effectual against fungi, insects, weeds, rodents and nematodes (or roundworms) respectively. (The Columbia Encyclopedia, 2008) Increased crop production, combating of insect infestations, preservation of produced crops and control of exotic species are some of the benefits of pesticides.

Pesticides can control organisms effectively, for instance, insects that transmit diseases- devastating for humans. The microorganism is carried by flees and lice that cause typhus in humans. Caused by a microorganism, malaria is also transmitted every year to millions of humans. However, in spite of their associated benefits for controlling pests, there are also a number of worst problems linked with pesticides. They can cause harm to environment, humans or animals, if not used properly. (Berg et. al., 2010) This paper is intended to get an insight of pesticides in Florida and how they affect the environment of the State.

Discussion

Near the start of the twentieth century, when agricultural methods began to be used intensively, there was a dramatic increase in pesticide application. Although pesticides evidently aid to boost agricultural production, humans and other animal species are also harmed by them. Besides, often persisting for long periods of time in soil, air, and water, they contaminate ...