Integrated pest management (IPM) is a mix of biological, cultural, physical, and limited chemical methods used to control pest species while minimizing environmental disruption. Key tactics: biocontrol (natural predators/beneficial insects), crop rotation and intercropping, pheromone or sticky traps, mechanical removal, sterile insect technique, monitoring/scouting and using pesticides only when pest levels exceed an economic threshold (to avoid resistance). We use IPM because it reduces risks of pesticides to wildlife, water, and human health, preserves beneficial species, and slows pesticide resistance—but it can be more complex and sometimes more expensive up front than blanket pesticide use. For APES, know the examples and trade-offs (EK STB-1.C.1 and EK STB-1.D.1–2)—these show up in unit 5 questions about sustainable land use. Review the Topic 5.14 study guide for concise examples (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4) and practice problems at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

IPM (Integrated Pest Management) combines monitoring, cultural, mechanical, biological, and limited chemical controls to keep pest levels below an economic threshold while minimizing environmental disruption. Instead of blanket, routine pesticide spraying, IPM starts with scouting/monitoring, uses crop rotation or intercropping to reduce pest habitat, releases natural predators or uses pheromone traps/sterile insect technique, and only applies targeted or biopesticides when needed. Compared to just using pesticides, IPM lowers risks to wildlife, groundwater, and human health, and slows pesticide resistance—but it can be more complex and costly to plan and monitor (CED: EK STB-1.C.1, STB-1.D.1–.2). For AP questions, focus on keywords: biocontrol, economic threshold, monitoring, pesticide resistance, and crop-rotation. If you want a concise review of these concepts, check the Topic 5.14 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4) and Unit 5 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5). Practice problems are at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

IPM uses a mix of methods to control pests while minimizing environmental harm. Key methods you should know for the AP exam: - Monitoring/scouting and economic thresholds—regularly check pest levels and only act when damage/economic loss is likely. - Biological control (biocontrol)—use natural predators, parasitoids, beneficial insects, or pathogens; includes sterile insect technique and biopesticides. - Cultural controls—crop rotation, intercropping, altering planting/harvest times, and resistant crop varieties to reduce pest success. - Mechanical/physical controls—traps (including pheromone traps), barriers, hand removal, tilling, and habitat modification. - Limited chemical control—targeted, low-toxicity pesticides used sparingly to avoid resistance and non-target impacts. IPM reduces risks to wildlife, water, and human health but can be complex and sometimes costlier (CED STB-1.C & STB-1.D). For a focused review, check the Topic 5.14 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4). For more practice, see the Unit 5 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5) and APES practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

IPM is better because it controls pests while minimizing environmental disruption. Instead of relying only on broad chemical pesticides, IPM uses monitoring/scouting, economic thresholds, biological controls (natural predators, beneficial insects, biocontrol), cultural practices (crop rotation, intercropping), mechanical/physical methods (pheromone traps, sterile insect technique), and only limited, targeted chemical use (CED EK STB-1.C.1). That mix reduces pesticide runoff and contamination of water, lowers harm to wildlife and beneficial species, and cuts human-health risks from chronic exposure (CED EK STB-1.D.1). IPM also slows pesticide resistance because chemicals are used less and more strategically. Drawbacks: it can be more complex and costly to implement and requires good monitoring and knowledge (CED EK STB-1.D.2). For a quick AP review, see the Topic 5.14 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4) and Unit 5 resources (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5). For extra practice, try the AP problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Biocontrol (biological control) is using living organisms or their products to reduce pest populations—think releasing ladybugs to eat aphids, introducing parasitic wasps, using Bacillus thuringiensis (a biopesticide), or sterile insect technique to lower breeding. In IPM, biocontrol is one of several tools (biological, cultural, mechanical, and limited chemical) used together. You scout/monitor pests, compare to an economic threshold, then apply the least disruptive method first—often biocontrol—so you minimize pesticide resistance and risks to wildlife, water, and humans (CED EK STB-1.C.1, STB-1.D.1). IPM can be complex and sometimes costly, but it’s more sustainable long-term. For AP review, know examples (beneficial insects, biopesticides, sterile insect technique), how monitoring/economic thresholds guide action, and pros/cons for free-response questions. See the Topic 5.14 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4) and Unit 5 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5). Practice more with problems at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Biological methods use living organisms or products of organisms to control pests—e.g., releasing natural predators/parasites, biocontrol microbes, or using pheromone traps and the sterile insect technique. They’re targeted and reduce pesticide risks (wildlife, water, human health) but can be slow, complex, or non-specific if not well tested. Physical (mechanical/cultural) methods are nonchemical actions: hand removal, traps, barriers, mulches, crop rotation, intercropping, or tilling. They’re immediate and low-impact but labor-intensive and may not scale. Chemical methods in IPM are “limited” and targeted: biopesticides or spot/small-dose synthetic pesticides used only when monitoring reaches an economic threshold. Chemicals act fast but can cause pesticide resistance, non-target harm, and pollution. IPM combines all three with scouting/monitoring to minimize environmental disruption (EK STB-1.C; reduces pesticide risks EK STB-1.D). For more exam-aligned review, see the Topic 5.14 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4) and Unit 5 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5).

Crop rotation helps control pests by interrupting their life cycles and reducing the steady supply of their preferred host plants. If you plant different crops in a field each season (e.g., corn one year, soybeans the next), many insect pests and crop-specific pathogens can’t build up large, continuous populations. Rotation also lowers the chance of soilborne diseases and reduces nutrient depletion (you can rotate in a nitrogen-fixing legume), which keeps crops healthier and less vulnerable to pests. That means farmers can rely less on chemical pesticides, lowering pesticide resistance and environmental risks—exactly the IPM goal in the CED (EK STB-1.C and STB-1.D). For more on how crop rotation fits into Integrated Pest Management, check the Topic 5.14 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

IPM’s big benefits: it controls pests using a mix of biological, cultural, mechanical, and limited chemical methods (biocontrol, natural predators, crop rotation, intercropping, pheromone traps, sterile insect technique), so it reduces pesticide risk to wildlife, water, and human health and minimizes environmental disruption (CED EK STB-1.C.1, EK STB-1.D.1). It also slows pesticide resistance and can improve long-term sustainability. Main drawbacks: IPM is more complex to design and requires regular monitoring/scouting, knowledge of economic thresholds, and sometimes more labor or upfront cost. It can be slower to give results and may need site-specific adjustments; those complexities and expenses can limit adoption (CED EK STB-1.D.2). For AP prep, know examples and tradeoffs so you can explain how IPM reduces environmental/human health impacts but is costly/complex (use these terms on the exam). Review the Topic 5.14 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4), the Unit 5 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5), and practice Qs (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Intercropping is planting two or more crops together so pests don’t find or feed on their preferred host as easily. It works by (1) confusing or repelling pests with mixed signals (different scents, shapes, or growth times), (2) reducing the chance a pest will spread quickly because hosts are separated, and (3) supporting beneficial insects and natural predators that eat pests (a biological control). Together these cultural and biological methods lower pest populations and reduce reliance on chemical pesticides, which matches the IPM goal in the CED to minimize environmental disruption (EK STB-1.C.1). Intercropping pairs well with crop rotation and monitoring so you only treat pests when they exceed an economic threshold. For more review on IPM and intercropping, see the Topic 5.14 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4) and Unit 5 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5). Practice questions: (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

IPM is more expensive and complex because it’s not just “spray and forget.” IPM uses multiple strategies—monitoring/scouting, biological controls (natural predators, biocontrol), cultural methods (crop rotation, intercropping), mechanical traps, pheromone/sterile-insect techniques, and targeted, limited pesticides—so you need trained people, regular field checks, and planning to apply the right method at the economic threshold. That takes time, record-keeping, equipment, and often upfront costs (buying beneficial insects, installing traps, changing planting patterns). Results can be slower and more site-specific than broad pesticide spraying, which is cheaper and simpler short-term but increases pesticide resistance and environmental/human health risks (CED EK STB-1.C & STB-1.D). For AP review, know the tradeoffs: IPM minimizes ecosystem disruption but requires monitoring, integrated methods, and higher initial investment. For a quick Topic 5.14 refresher, check the Fiveable study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4).

Natural predators are organisms (often insects, birds, or other arthropods) that eat or parasitize pest species. In IPM they’re a form of biological control or “biocontrol”—think ladybugs eating aphids, parasitic wasps laying eggs in caterpillars, or birds eating locusts. They help by reducing pest populations naturally, lowering the need for chemical pesticides and thus minimizing harm to wildlife, water supplies, and human health (CED EK STB-1.C.1 and EK STB-1.D.1). Benefits: targeted pest reduction, less pesticide resistance, and fewer environmental disruptions. Drawbacks: establishing predators can be complex, may be expensive, and sometimes nonnative biocontrol agents harm nontarget species (CED STB-1.D). For AP review, know natural predators as a biological IPM method and be ready to explain trade-offs on free-response questions. For more on IPM, see the Topic 5.14 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

IPM protects water supplies and human health by cutting pesticide use and relying on biological, cultural, and mechanical controls (biocontrol, crop rotation, intercropping, beneficial insects, pheromone traps). Fewer synthetic pesticides means less runoff and leaching into groundwater and surface water, so aquatic wildlife and drinking-water quality are less threatened. Lower pesticide application also reduces human exposures—fewer residues on food, less drift for farmworkers and nearby communities, and lower risk of pesticide resistance that can force heavier chemical use. Because IPM uses monitoring, economic thresholds, and targeted, limited chemical methods (including biopesticides), it minimizes ecosystem disruption while still controlling pests. For more AP-aligned review, see the Topic 5.14 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4) and Unit 5 resources (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5). Practice questions are at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

IPM minimizes environmental disruption by using multiple targeted strategies so you don’t rely on broad, repeated pesticide spraying. Instead of blanket chemical use, IPM emphasizes monitoring/scouting and using an economic threshold to only treat when pest levels actually threaten crops. It substitutes or adds low-impact tools—biological control (natural predators or biocontrol organisms), cultural practices (crop rotation, intercropping), physical/mechanical controls (pheromone traps, barriers, sterile insect technique), and selective/biopesticides when needed. That combination lowers pesticide amounts and frequency, which reduces risks to wildlife, groundwater, and human health (EK STB-1.C.1; EK STB-1.D.1). IPM also slows pesticide resistance because different control methods reduce selection pressure. For AP review, focus on those keywords and the benefit/drawback tradeoff (effective + less environmental harm but can be complex/expensive). For a quick recap, see the Topic 5.14 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4) and try practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

IPM is used all over the world—here are concrete examples tied to AP terms so you can see how they fit the CED: - Biological control: release of parasitic wasps to control greenhouse whiteflies; ladybugs released for aphids. - Biopesticides: Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) sprays or Bt crops target caterpillars with lower non-target impact. - Sterile insect technique: sterile screwworms released to eradicate outbreaks in the U.S./Latin America; also used against Mediterranean fruit fly. - Cultural controls/crop planning: crop rotation and intercropping (e.g., “push-pull” system in East Africa) reduce pest build-up. - Mechanical/monitoring methods: pheromone traps for monitoring/placing action at an economic threshold (used for gypsy moth, codling moth); hand removal and barriers in orchards. - Integrated programs in vineyards and cotton use scouting, thresholds, biologicals, and targeted spot spraying to limit broad pesticide use and slow resistance. Remember EK STB-1.C and STB-1.D: IPM combines methods to lower risks to wildlife, water, and human health but can be complex and costly. For AP review, see the Topic 5.14 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4) and grab practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).

Good question—farmers pick IPM even though it’s more complex and can cost more up front because the long-term benefits often outweigh those costs. IPM uses biological, cultural, mechanical, and limited chemical methods (think biocontrol, crop rotation, intercropping, pheromone traps, monitoring and economic thresholds) to cut pest damage while protecting wildlife, water, and human health (CED EK STB-1.C & STB-1.D). That lowers pesticide resistance, preserves beneficial insects, and reduces contamination of groundwater—which can save money later on and avoid regulatory fines or lost markets. IPM also supports ecosystem services (pollination, soil health) that improve yields over time and can fetch premium prices from consumers wanting sustainable produce. For AP review, make sure you can describe methods and pros/cons (STB-1.C/D); see the Topic 5.14 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-environmental-science/unit-5/integrated-pest-management/study-guide/qT1rsJ89dPMIyQHRaWz4) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-environmental-science).