Oklahoma Applicators License Core Practice Exam

Which is NOT a benefit of using Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?

1. Better pest control effectiveness

2. Reduced chemical usage

3. Increased pest diversity

4. Lower resistance development

The correct answer is: Increased pest diversity

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a holistic approach to pest control that emphasizes the use of a variety of strategies to manage pests in an effective, economical, and environmentally sound manner. Benefits typically associated with IPM include better pest control effectiveness, reduced chemical usage, and lower resistance development among pest populations. The option that indicates increased pest diversity is not a benefit of IPM because IPM strategies focus on managing pest populations rather than increasing their diversity. In fact, effective IPM might sometimes result in decreased diversity of pest populations since it aims to control them through a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and chemical methods. This can lead to a healthier ecosystem with fewer dominant pest species that might otherwise cause significant harm. By employing integrated methods, the goal is not to encourage the proliferation of pests but to maintain a balanced ecosystem that limits the opportunity for one species to thrive excessively, while still supporting beneficial organisms.