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Silent Spring:
Rachel Carson revolutionized environmental thinking when she published her ecological book in 1962, Silent Spring.  Dying of cancer, she sought to extend her love and concern for nature, before the dangerous pesticides people used take the lives of any more of both plants and animals, including mankind.  More than any other writing piece, her book affected how people thought, and steps the government took to protect the environment thereafter.

This project is for Mr. Sehulster's TUV AP Environmental class.
by Jessica Schnell
Silent Spring

This page was last updated on: May 23, 2002

1907-1964
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The variety of pesticides-caused illnesses affecting ground squirrels
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Rachel Louise Carson

Born: May 27, 1907
Died: April 14, 1964
Cottage Graphics
Hypothesis:    The great numbers of animals that have been affected by the use of pesticides suffered various diseases and illnesses, ultimately owed to the poisonous chemicals frequently used to "eradicate" pest species.  This lab is to verify the numerous forms of death suffered by mammals, in particular ground squirrels, as a direct result of ingesting one pesticide, dieldrin.  The predicted result will be death to the majority of squirrels, with more at increasing concentrations of dieldrin; the control, ground squirrels, fed uncontaminated wheat, will not suffer adverse affects.





Materials:  Ten ground squirrels, five males and five females, are to be kept in ten separated cages for confinment during administering of the pesticide.  2 doses of dieldrin at 1 ppm,  5 ppm, 10 ppm, and 15 ppm will be used to coat the wheat grains should be prepared to coast the wheat grains.  Water and shelter will be provided as in natural setting.  One pair of squirrels will not be given any pesticides on the wheat grains -- this is the control group.





Procedure:  On the first day, ground squirrels will be fed respective wheat, with pesticides.  The control group will be fed ordinary wheat.  All squirrels will be given water.  Record observations.  Normal grain will be given for a week, then again dieldrin-coated wheat will be administered, and observe.  Repeat for three more weekly intervals.  After five weeks, determine condition of remaining squirrels.  The squirrels given dieldrin may experience muscle pain, convulsions, reproductive problems, poor immune responses, neurological abnormalities, and eventual death.





Bibliography:


In Harmony.  "Pesticides."  Online.  Available: http://www.inharmony.com/FAQ/Pesticides/Wildlife/wildlife.html.  November 1, 2001.

Palmer, William E., Peter T. Bromley, and John R. Anderson, Jr.  "Wildlife and Pesticides - Corn."  Online.  Available:  http://ipm.ncsu.edu/wildlife/corn_wildlife.html. 

Sollod, Albert and David Proulux.  "Global Contamination, Wildlife Health and Biotechnology."  Online.  Available: http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/pages/wildlife.html.  October 18, 1998.

Virchow, Dallas and Scott E. Hygnstrom.  "The Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel: Controlling Damage."  Online.  Available: http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/wildlife/g1110.htm.

Watts, Andrew.  "Species of Squirrel Around the World."  Online. Available: http://www.angelfire.com/fl/scalisti/species.html.  June 12, 1998.
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Franklin's Ground Squirrel
No animals were harmed in the designing of this lab.