ENVIRONMENTAL FINAL - Unit 4 Flashcards
Genetically modified organism (GMO)
transfer of a gene of one organism into the genetic material of another
GMO benefits
-higher crop yields
-higher profits
-less pesticide usage
-lower word hunger
GMO consequences
-unsure for the safety of human consumption
-loss of biodiversity
Who passed the law in 2022 requiring the disclosure of GMOs in foods
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
irrigation
any means used by humans to bring water to the land
-estimated that abt 1/2 of the world’s land is irrigated
flood
-flooding an entire field
-water soaks in evenly and more efficient (80%)
-waterlogging and hard to control
furrow
farmer digs trenches along crop rows
-easy and cheap
-67% efficient and a lot of evaporation of water
drip
-slow drip hose, on the ground or underground
-delivers water directly to the root, 95% effective, great with perennial crops
-very expensive and limits the number of farms using drip irrigation
spray
-sprinkler
-75-95% effective (with the spray pressure managed)
-very expensive and high energy use
what are some major issues with irrigation
-waterlogging
-salinization
-aquifer depletion
aquifers
pore spaces found within permeable layers of rock and sediment underneath the soil that stores groundwater (great rock: sandstone)
unconfined aquifer
porous rock covered by soil
confined aquifer
surrounded by a layer of impermeable rock or clay which impedes water flow to or from the aquifer
water table
uppermost level at which the groundwater in a given area fully saturates the rock or soil
groundwater recharge
process by which water from precipitation percolates into the soil and works its way into the groundwater
springs
natural source of water for freshwater aquatic biomes
artesian well
a well created by drilling a hole into confined aquifer
salt water intrusion
when salt water invades an aquifer (costal communities)
water footprint
total daily per capita use of fresh water for a country or the world
which element is the most abundant in the earth’s crust
oxygen
metals
elements with properties to conduct heat energy
ores
-minerals with economic value
surface mining
strip mining
open pit mining
mountaintop removal
placer mining
crustal abundance
average concentration of an element in the earth’s crust
strip mining
removal of vegetation and soil in search for metals
reserve
estimate amount of resource that is available
open-pit mining
produces a large hole for precious metals in river sediments
mine tailings
unwanted waste material
mountaintop removal
removing the entire top of a mountain with explosives
placer mining
process of looking for precious metals in river sediments
urbanization
the process of making an area more urban, increasing the density of people per unit area of land
monocropping
an agricultural method that utilizes large plantings of a single species or variety
Aqueducts
pipes and canals that move water from where it is abundant to areas where it is scarce.
Green Revolution
a shift in agricultural practices in the twentieth century that include new management techniques, mechanization, fertilization, irrigation, and improved crop varieties, that resulted in increased good output
Salinization
a form of soil degradation that occurs when the small amount of salts in irrigation water becomes highly concentrated on the soil surface through evaporation
Waterlogging
a form of soil degradation that occurs when soil remains under water for prolonged periods
Permeability
the ability of water to move through the soil
Porosity
the side of the air spaces between particles
subsistence farming
farming for consumption by the farming, family, and maybe a few neighbors
urban blight
the lack of support and deterioration for urban communities
Pesticides
A substance, either natural or synthetic that kills or controls organisms that people consider pets
Herbicides
a pesticide that targets plant species that compete with crops
What was the importance of “Meteor Crater” from the Youtube video we watched called “How Earth Was Made?”
Geologists discovered on “Meteor Crater” that meteorites are older than any rock on Earth.
