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.