Pesticides often do not just kill the target pest but also poison
inects in and
around the fields. These insects with the pesticides can be eaten by other animals and poison them.
Some pesticides are suspected of disrupting the
of wildlife and people. These
chemicals
because they are fat soluble and get passed up the food chain
by
Unlike pesticides, fertilizers are not directly toxic but their presence in
freshwater and marine areas alters the
system, and in consequence the species
composition of specific ecosystems. Their most dramatic effect is
resulting in an
explosive growth of algae due to
nutrients. This depletes the water of dissolved
oxygen, which in turn can kill fish and other aquatic life.