SCI 1102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Soil Retrogression And Degradation, Precautionary Principle, Biological Pest Control
Document Summary
Seed bank: institution that preserves seed types as living museums of genetic diversity; seeds are collected, stored, & periodically planted; 1400 seed banks; 1-2 million distinct types of seeds worldwide. Some insects are vital to crops; 800 crop species rely on insect pollinators. Pollination: male plant sex cells fertilize female sex cells (by wind or animals) Pollinators: hummingbirds, bats, insects (bees, wasps); native bees provide bil. yearly in pollination services in the us. Honey bees: pollinate over 100 crops that make up of the us diet and contributes to. billion in services per year; populations of pollinators have plummeted. Pest: any organism that damages valuable crops. Weed: plant that competes with your crops. Pesticides: poisons that target pest organisms (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides); 900 million lb of pesticides applied yearly in us; fourfold increase in use worldwide since. Organic agriculture: growing food w/o synthetic fertilizers/pesticides; relies on biological approaches like composting & biocontrol.
