Beneficial organism

From Freepedia

In agriculture and gardening, a beneficial organism is any animal, insect or other living organism, including microorganisms, that provides an advantage in the growing process. These services fall in three broad categories: pest control, pollination, and general soil maintenance. The opposite of beneficial organisms are pests, organisms that are deemed detrimental to the growing process. The distinction between beneficial and pest is arbitrary, subjectively determined by examining the effect of a particular organsim in a specific growing situation.

• Beneficial insects are probably the most common reference. These are insects that are predators of pest insects, also, pollinators, such as bees, that are an integral part of the growth cycle of many crops.

• Many different soil microorganisms are responsible for nutrient recycling (for one, through decomposing plant residues) and other soil building and maintaining activities.

• Birds and other animals may by their actions improve conditions in various growing situations, and in such cases are also beneficials.

• In the broadest sense , plants that perform positive functions can also be considered beneficials (companion planting is one technique based on principle of beneficial plants).

Beneficial organisms in agriculture

In agriculture, a significant amount of controversy surrounds the concept of beneficial insects. Much of this has to do with the effect of agrichemicals, like insecticides, herbicides and large quantities of synthetic fertilizers, on what are considered beneficials. Citing the reduction or elimination of various organisms as a side effect of agrichemical-based farming, some argue that critical damage is being done to the ecosystem, to the point where conventional agriculture is unsustainable. For example, if bee populations are reduced by insecticides aimed at other pests, pollination is inhibited and crops don't appear. If soil microorgansims are killed off, natural soil regeneration is inhibited, and reliance on mechanical and chemical inputs to keep the soil viable is increased. And so forth. Such effects have been clearly documented, however, their longer term impact has not been determined to any sort of scientific or agricultural industry consensus, and little practical research has been done in biodiversity as it applies to agricultural activity. Commercial ventures currently exist that provide pollinators and biological pest control. The issue of whether beneficial insects as a commercial product, as opposed to a natural phenomenon simply to be observed and encouraged in situ, is good, bad or not of any concern either way is up in the air.