Title: The Correlation between fish fry and French Fries

 

Author: Luke Johnson

Abstract: As an effect of an ever-increasing demand for French fries, an American staple snack, eastern Idaho has seen a drastic increase in planted acres and potato harvests within the last fifty years (USDA 2009). The correlation between agriculture pollution from potato production and impacted fish populations is well established (Kraft and Stites 2003). Several datasets from the Idaho Water Science Center were used to derive a similar correlation in a particular section of the Snake River in eastern Idaho. This paper investigated the relationship between the Idaho potato industry, pesticide and fertilizer use, and five fish species. There are several other point and non-point anthropogenic influences on the five fish populations surveyed and it is difficult to separate other abiotic influences from each other with this particular dataset. The lacking data is most likely on account of insufficient monitoring requirements and further research should be conducted in order to cause more stringent regulations.

Key References: Brown, C.D.; Holmes, C.; Williams, R.; Beulke, S.; Van Beinum, W.; Pemberton, E., Wells, C. (2006). How does crop type influence risk from pesticides to the aquatic environment? Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. V. 26 P. 188-1826

Kraft, G. J., & Stites, W. (2003). Nitrate impacts on groundwater from irrigated-vegetable systems in a humid north-central US sand plain. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 100(1), 63-74. doi:DOI: 10.1016/S0167-8809(03)00172-5

Ural, M. S. & Saglam, N. (2005). A study on the acute toxicity of pyrethoid deltamethrin on fry rainbowtrout. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology. V. 83 P. 124-131.

USDA agriculture statistics service (2009, December, 15). NASS Agriculture counts: Idaho Potatoes. Retrieved on 4/12/10 http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Idaho/Publications/Potatoes/pdf/Pot%20Proc%20&%20Stocks%201209.pdf

 

 

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Date: May 2010
Student: *@willamette.edu
ENVR 327: Water Resources
Instructor: Dr. Karen Arabas
http://www.willamette.edu/~karabas/courses/envr327w