What does the term "pesticide resistance" refer to?

The term "pesticide resistance" refers specifically to the resilience of pests to survive exposure to previously effective pesticides. This phenomenon occurs when a population of pests develops a genetic change that allows them to withstand the effects of a pesticide that once effectively controlled them. Over time, repeated use of the same pesticide can lead to a selection pressure that favors the survival of resistant individuals, ultimately resulting in a population that is largely insensitive to that pesticide.

Understanding pesticide resistance is critical in pest management because it can lead to decreased efficacy of treatment methods, resulting in the need for alternative strategies or a combination of control methods to manage pest populations effectively. In contrast, the other options touch on unrelated concepts, such as the effects of pollution on pest life, pesticide degradation, and pest reproduction under controlled conditions, which do not accurately capture the essence of pesticide resistance.