Exam 1 Study Guide Flashcards
define agriculture
the science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock
compare croplands to meadows and pastures by land area covered.
- agricultural land covers 37% of land
- 12% covered by crops
- 25% covered by meadows and pastures
identify and rank the FAO’s 6 categories of crops by area harvested.
- cereals
- oilcrops
- fruits, veggies, and nuts
- pulses
- roots and tubers
- fiber crops
identify the inputs required to produce food
land
labor
water
energy
fertilizer
what occurs when there is an increase in agricultural land use?
there is a decrease in natural ecosystem
perennial crops
continuous crop coverage
inputs: less soil disturbance but more water usage
annual crops
planted and harvested annually
inputs: soil disturbance but less water usage
how much of our global water freshwater does agriculture use?
70%
how much water do we use annually?
4 trillion cubic meters
if we were to put all the water in a large sphere, what would the size be? what about if it were only freshwater resources?
860 miles
34.9 miles
define environmental quality
the capacity of an ecosystem to function
water quality, air quality, and soil quality
define agricultural sustainability in terms of balancing the triple bottom line
the intersection of the environment, society, and economics
- when we balance the triple bottom line agriculture as a practice is working towards sustainability
list the three components of the triple bottom line
environment, social, economics
identify the commodities produced in florida
trees, cows, people, sugar, and food
what are the major crops grown in florida based on area harvested?
sugarcane
oranges
hay
peanuts
which single crop in florida has the highest production value?
oranges at 8 billion
specify 3 reasons why florida can produce so many types of agricultural commodities
- 3 climate zones
- wide varieties of soil types
- precipitation
watershed
an area whose runoff drains into any stream, lake, river, and ocean
point-source pollution
pollutant discharged from well-defined sources; pollutant regardless of weather
non-point source pollution
surface/groundwater contamination; contaminated during wet weather events
eutrophication
the enrichment of water by nutrients causing an accelerated growth of algae and higher forms of plant life to produce an undesirable disturbance to present organisms and water quality
true or false: water quality is the same as water pollution
FALSE
- water quality reflects the chemical, biological, and physical composition of a water body
- the intended purpose of the water determines water quality standards
explain the role of soil in the water cycle in terms of infiltration and evapotranspiration.
- soil acts as a filter as water passes through it
- precipitation is the flux from atmosphere to land and water
- soil acts like a sponge and rainfall soaks into the soil through infiltration
- eventually makes it way back into the atmosphere through evapotranspiration
how much precipitation infiltrates the soil?
76%
list the two major reasons why agriculture is a leading cause of water quality impairment to surface waters in the US
- area of land it covers
- mass of fertilizer used
list the conditions required for cultural eutrophication to take place
- algae needs sunlight and excess nutrients
- warm temperatures
- stratification of water bodies - lower levels do not replenish oxygen
- wet weather followed by warm, dry weather
identify the main steps in the eutrophication process
- nutrients from the land run off into the pond
- excess nutrients cause algae to grow
- dying algae sink to the bottom of the pond
- bacteria consume the algae
- oxygen is used up by the bacteria
- low oxygen dead zones harm other aquatic life
why do we use a watershed approach to manage the water quality of surface water bodies?
- to optimize quantity and quality of our water resources
- management of lands directly impact water resources
- avoid actions to harm watersheds
list the steps involved in the water quality based approach of the clean water act.
- stage 1: adopt standards by defining goals and designated use
- stage 2: monitor and assess all 71 criteria
- stage 3: list impaired waters and inform the EPA and 303(d) list
- stage 4: implementation plan with a BMAP
what is a TMDL?
a scientific determination of the maximum amount of a given pollutant that a surface water can absorb and still meet the water quality standards that protect human health and aquatic life
what types of water bodies have TMDLS in florida?
rivers and streams
lakes
springs
estuaries
what is a BMAP?
- basin management action plan
- comprehensive set of practices and strategies to manage a basin in order to reduce pollutant loads
how are BMAPS and TMDLs connected?
- BMAPS implement TMDLs
- implemented through stricter permits through the national pollution discharge elimination system and through incentives, training, research, out reach for best management practices
what are agricultural best management practices according to FDACS?
a practice or combination of practices determined by coordinating agencies based on research, field testing, and expert review to be the most effective and practicable on location for means of improving water quality in agriculture and urban discharges
what are the 3 categories of Ag. BMPs according to FDACs?
nutrient management
irrigation management
water resource protection
what is the definition of soil?
- a natural body that makes up the land surface
- made up of solid, liquid, and gas phases
- ability to support plant life and/or separate horizons from the parent material
what are the 5 soil forming factors?
parent material
climate
time
topography
vegetation
trained soil scientists can predict soil type in a landscape using their knowledge of ____
the 5 soil forming factors to understand why the soil has a particular series of horizons, textures, and colors
define soil quality in terms of soil properties important to growing crops
- porosity is how easily water moves through
- texture deals with water
- CEC is how nutrients are delivered to plant roots
list 4 ways we use soil information for practical applications
nutrients
water management
wetlands
land-use planning
list the three mineral particles in order of increasing coarseness
- sand 2 - .05 mm
- silt .05 - .002 mm
- clay less than .002 mm
compare and contrast sand and clay sized particles
- sand grains have macropores with less surface area
- clay grains have micropores with more surface area
saturation
pores filled with water with air unavailable to plants
water grains with gravity
field capacity
half water and half air
when water drains from saturation and stops. gravity no longer empties at this point
water accessible to plants
permanent wilting point
primarily air, water no longer available to plants
half of the soil volume is ____ space. during a drought, what fills this space? _____. after rain or irrigation, what fills this space? ____
pore
air
water
what factors/soil properties determine water holding capacity?
soil texture and pore size
which soil textural class has the highest water holding capacity?
clay
which soil textural class has the highest plant available water?
loam
define CEC and identify the two properties clays have that result in a high CEC
CEC is the function of minerology and surface area
- clays have more surface area and a negative surface charge
what mineral fraction has the highest CEC?
clay
a layer of soil which makes up a soil profile is called a soil ___
horizon
has a large amount of roots and decaying organic matter
A
has lost fine particles due to leaching and eluviation
E
accumulates the fine particles such as organic matter/clay that moves down the soil profile
B
