24.

5 Arthropods and Humans

KEY CONCEPT
Arthropods and humans interact in many ways.
24.5 Arthropods and Humans
Arthropods and humans share many of the same
resources.
• Many arthropods are
herbivores that eat plants
humans also depend on.
– Arthropods cause millions of
dollars of crop damage.
– Insecticides have unwanted
side effects.
24.5 Arthropods and Humans

• Scientists have developed safer insecticide alternatives.

– arthropod-specific insecticides
– integrated pest management (IPM)
– genetically modified crops
24.5 Arthropods and Humans

Some arthropods can spread human diseases.

• Vectors are organisms that carry disease from one host
to another.
24.5 Arthropods and Humans

• Disease spread by arthropods have serious effects on

human populations.
– Bubonic plague is caused by a bacterium carried by
fleas.
– Yellow fever is caused by a virus carried by mosquitoes.
– Malaria is caused by a protozoan parasite carried by
mosquitoes.
– West Nile virus is caused by a virus carried by
mosquitoes.