A Consideration of Insecticide Effects on Hypothetical Avian Populations

Models are constructed which indicate that species respond in variable fashion to insecticide exposure, dependent upon their breeding patterns and longevity. Direct mortality has the most drastic effect on long—lived slow breeding forms, and the least effect on short—lived rapidly breeding forms. The reverse would be true if sterility resulted from insecticide exposure. Species intermediate in respect to breeding rate and longevity are intermediate in their responses to insecticide—caused mortality or sterility.