Biology Chapter 6 Flashcards
How did prehistoric hunters and gatherers change the environment?
Hunting animals to extinction
What four human activities have transformed the biosphere?
Hunting and gathering
Agriculture
Industry
Urban development
What is agriculture?
Farming
Why was the spread of agriculture an important event in human history?
The spread of agriculture provided societies with a dependable source of food
What social changes came with the cultivation of both plants and animals?
A stable food source allowed larger communities to form
What changes in agriculture occurred in the 1800s as a result of advances in science and technology?
Large-scale irrigation which allowed more harvests
What was the green revolution?
A huge effort to limit slow food production
What is the farming method called monoculture?
When the same plant type is in the same place year after year and the growth is enhanced with chemical fertilizers
True or false: The green revolution increased food production in human society
True
What did farmers gain during the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s?
New agricultural machines
From what resources do we obtain most of the energy to produce and power the machines we use?
Fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas
What is the continued spread of suburban communities across the American landscape called?
Suburban growth
What is meant by the phrase the “tragedy of the commons”?
Important natural resources will eventually disappear in areas that are not controlled open to anybody
What is the difference between a renewable and a nonrenewable resource?
A renewable resource can be replenished quickly after natural processes while a nonrenewable resource cannot
What is sustainable development?
A way of using natural resources without depleting them or harming the environment.
What are five characteristics of sustainable use?
Stability, flexibility, appropriate technology, efficiency, and productivity
What is the uppermost layer of soil called?
Humus
What is soil erosion?
The wearing away of surface soil
How does the plowing of land increase the rate of soil erosion?
Plowing removes roots that hold soil in place
What is the conversion of a previously soil-rich, productive area into a desert called?
Desertification
Why have forests been called “lungs of the Earth”?
They remove CO2 and produce oxygen
What are old-growth forests?
Forests that have never been cut down
What is deforestation, and how does it affect soil?
Loss of forests causes quick erosion
What main resource are the oceans used for?
Food
