Question

List five things that could go wrong with biocontrol agents

Answer 1

Biocontrol agents can have non-target effects, fail to control pests in different environments, entail high costs, become unpredictable and harmful themselves, and pose risks to human health and safety.

Step-by-step explanation:

There are several concerns that can arise with the use of biocontrol agents. Here are five potential issues:

1. Non-target effects where biocontrol agents attack or negatively impact species other than the intended target, sometimes leading to biodiversity loss or extinctions.
2. Failure to control the pest population effectively in different environments, as seen with the introduction of weevils for water hyacinth control in Florida.
3. High costs associated with the production and implementation of biocontrol methods.
4. Unpredictability of biocontrol agents which may become pests themselves, further harming the ecosystem.
5. Risks to human health and safety when culturing large numbers of organisms, and the potential for these organisms to cause infections rather than providing biocontrol.