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Difficulty: MediumConservation of Natural Resources and Environmental Management

Biological pest control is utilized in environmental management as a sustainable alternative to synthetic pesticides because it achieves the total eradication of target pest species from an ecosystem.

Answer: Answer

Answer

False. Biological control aims to suppress and maintain pest populations at low, harmless levels through natural ecological predator-prey dynamics rather than completely eradicating them.
The statement is false because biological control relies on natural population regulation to keep pest numbers below damaging thresholds, preserving ecological balance rather than driving the target species to local extinction.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the primary objective of biological pest management.
Biological control uses natural enemies (predators, parasites, or pathogens) to control pest populations sustainably without introducing toxic pollutants.
Establishing the mechanism helps compare biological control to chemical extermination methods.
2
Evaluate the outcome of predator-prey interactions.
Natural control mechanisms result in a dynamic population equilibrium where pest numbers remain suppressed but not zero.
Total eradication of a prey species would cause the starvation or collapse of the introduced control agent population, disrupting the broader ecosystem.

Key Concept

Biological Control and Integrated Pest Management
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Topics

Conservation of Natural Resources and Environmental Management

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