Polk Small Farms: New and Revised Environment Publications, June 2011

This email lists new and revised EDIS publications that have been released to the public in June 2011. They are now available on the World Wide Web at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu. This mailing only includes publications in the Environment program area. Please see separate mailings for publications in other program areas.

Ecosystems & Species

Giant Whip Scorpion Mastigoproctus giganteus giganteus (Lucas, 1835) (Arachnida: Thelyphonida (=Uropygi): Thelyphonidae) (EENY493/IN890)

To encounter a giant whip scorpion for the first time can be an alarming experience! What seems like a miniature monster from a horror movie is really a fairly benign creature. While called a scorpion, this arachnid has neither the venom-filled stinger found in scorpions nor the venomous bite found in some spiders. This 4-page fact sheet was written by W.H. Kern Jr. and R.E. Mitchell, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, May 2011.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in890

Terrestrial Slugs of Florida (Mollusca: Stylommatophora: Veronicellidae, Phylomycidae, Agrolimacidae and Limacidae) (EENY494/IN891)

Most slugs are hermaphroditic, possessing both male and female sex organs. This makes slugs particularly dangerous as invaders because even a single individual that escapes detection can establish a population in a new environment through self-fertilization. This 11-page fact sheet discusses the slug situation in Florida, including problems with slug identification and taxonomy, as well as the behavior, ecology, and management of slugs. Written by John L. Capinera and Jodi White and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology , June 2011.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in891

Pesticide Effects on Nontarget Organisms (PI85/PI122)

Pesticides are an integral part of agriculture as Florida's climate fosters an environment conducive to major pest outbreaks throughout the entire year. Our environment also is favorable for the development and presence of beneficial organisms that positively affect our agricultural production and enhance our wildlife and plant communities. This revised 7-page guide addresses the effects of various types of pesticides on nontarget organisms, including natural enemies and beneficial organisms, such as honeybees, wildlife, fish, and nontarget plants. Written by Frederick M. Fishel, and published by the UF Department of Agronomy, April 2011.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi122

Getting Involved

Water

Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems: An Overview (SL347/SS549)

This 7-page fact sheet introduces common types of septic systems and briefly discusses onsite wastewater flow and the contaminants found in wastewater. Written by Gurpal Toor, Mary Lusk, and Tom Obreza, and published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, June 2011.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss549

Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems: Nitrogen (SL348/SS550)

In the United States, about 4,800 water bodies are impaired due to excess nitrogen (N), and septic systems are recognized as one source of N pollution. This 6-page fact sheet describes the behavior and transport of N from a conventional septic system and the summarizes the sources of N in sewage, the forms and behavior of N in septic tanks and drain fields, and the fate and transport of N in groundwater. Written by Gurpal Toor, Mary Lusk, and Tom Obreza, and published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, June 2011.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss550

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