Impacts of synthetic pesticides on soil health and non-targeted flora and fauna

Abstract

The complications associated with excessive use of synthetic pesticides are well known. Synthetic pesticides are lethal to a host of living organisms, be it insect, weed, rodent, etc. At the same time, they are also accountable for degrading soil quality. The adverse impact of pesticides on non-target organisms is quite noticeable because it disrupts the entire natural ecosystems, particularly soil and aquatic ecosystems. Because of this, the application of several pesticides has been banned. Most of the pesticides like organochlorine are significantly resistant to biodegradation, and therefore, they have high risk of entering into the food chain, thus causing adverse impact on non-target species like pollinator insects, birds, fishes, beneficial microorganisms, etc. In this chapter, the emphasis has been laid upon the impacts of synthetic pesticides on the health of soil as well as non-targeted flora and fauna.