Exam 3 Study Guide Flashcards
Label the primary, secondary, and tertiary stages in a wastewater treatment process. Identify what is removed from the wastewater stream during each stage
- physical screening to get rid of any trash
- waste is pumped into settling basins with semi-solid sludge settling out to separate from water
- wastewater is pumped into a secondary treatment area
- first is turbid and then cycled back and forth between aerobic and anaerobic tanks to maximize the removal of nitrogen and carbon
- aerobic tanks: organic N = CO2 and NH4+
- anaerobic tanks: NO3- = N2 gas
- water is moved into another settling basin and then clarified, at UF it is clarified with sand and chlorine
- once the solids are removed, they are moved into a sludge building and dried, later moving to the landfill
Using terminology from the nitrogen cycle (Module 7), identify the steps that remove nitrogen from wastewater during the wastewater treatment process.
The Secondary Treatment Stage transforms organic nitrogen (in the 4 P’s—poop, pee, paper, puke) to ammonium (via mineralization) and from ammonium to nitrate (via nitrification)
Identify the pool that nitrogen goes to when nitrogen is removed from wastewater during the wastewater treatment process.
anaerobic tanks as denitrification happens here. After the aerobic turns the organic nitrogen to ammonium to nitrate, the anaerobic tank turn the nitrate to
define the two waste/resource byproducts which result from the water reclamation process.
biosolids and reclaimed water
list and define at least two benefits of land applying biosolids in agriculture and at least two challenges associated with land applying biosolids in agriculture.
benefits: source of nutrients, improved soil quality
challenges: odor, meeting regulation standards, avoiding runoff and leaching of nutrients, transportation costs, emerging contaminants
list the three requirements for land application of biosolids according to the EPA’s 503 rule
- appropriate application rates
- vector attraction reduction
- pathogen reduction
- toxic metal limits
do human/animal pathogens survive well in soils and sunlight?
- no
- Pathogens do not multiply in the biosolids or in the soil. Instead, pathogens that are exposed to sunlight or dry conditions die. Pathogens that are retained in the soil generally die off within a few weeks to at most several months due to the natural soil microbial predators.
identify the class of reclaimed water that is used for irrigation of agricultural lands.
class B
in florida, where is most of the reclaimed water used?
most of the reclaimed water in florida is used to irrigate public access areas like parks and golf courses
- less is applied to agriculture because of the infrastructure required to pump the water to farmland
what is CONSERVE II?
- a reclaimed water site in orlando, FL
- 21 miles of transmission pipeline to connect reclamation facilities with a water distribution center that is located outside of town
- from the distribution center, 70 miles of pipeline distribute water to 59 agricultural and residential customers
list and describe at least two benefits of land applying reclaimed water in agriculture and at least two challenges associated with reclaimed water in agriculture
benefits: reduces groundwater withdrawals, applied water to soil rather than to a surface water body
challenges: produces in urban areas so agricultural use is limited due to distance and cost of maintenance; reclaimed water contains salts and nutrients so much be properly managed for irrigation to avoid salt damage and over fertilization
carbon neutrality
not adding to the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Plants remove CO2 from the atmosphere during photosynthesis, store chemical energy from the sun in the carbon bonds of plant cells. Energy and carbon dioxide is released when that plant is eaten, decomposed, burned.
old carbon
carbon that was fixed by photosynthesis millions of years ago and transformed over time into fossil fuels. Use of fossil fuels adds old carbon to the atmosphere and is considered a “carbon positive” situation.
biomass
renewable energy resource derived from plant and algae based materials
what are the three biomasses used for bioenergy production?
- crops
- residues
- wastes
examples of crops as biomass
- sugar cane
- corn
- sugar beets
- industrial sweet potatoes
- switchgrass
- algae
- miscanthus
examples of residues as biomass
- corn stover
- wheat straw
- rice straw
- orchard pruning
- branches
- wood
- bark from tree harvest
examples of wastes as biomass
- manure
- fish oil
- tallow
- produce
- food processing waste
- wastewater treatment sludge
- urban wood
- disaster debris
- cooking oil and grease
what is the biomass source and feedstock for first generation biofuel production?
biomass source: crops: palm and soybean; waste: used cooking oil, animal fats
feedstock: oil
what is the biomass source and feedstock for second generation biofuel production?
biomass source: energy crops: grasses & trees / energy crops or agriculture and urban waste
feedstock: cellulosic ethanol, cellulose, hemi-cellulose / cellulosic ethanol
what is the biomass source and feedstock for third generation biofuel production?
biomass source: crop algae / crop algae
feedstock: oil / cellulosic ethanol, sugar
what is the feedstock to fuel conversion process for first generation ethanol production?
x
what is the feedstock to fuel conversion process for first generation biodiesel production?
x
Define agricultural pests
Pests are found where they are not wanted and cause damage to plants, humans, and creatures as well as economic damage
List the four categories of pests
Vertebrates
Invertebrates
Weeds
Diseases
what type of pesticide is used for vertebrates?
rodenticides
what type of pesticide is used for invertebrates?
insecticides, nematicides
what type of pesticide is used for weeds?
herbicide
what type of pesticide is used for diseases?
fungicides, biocides
what are the 4 different ways we classify pesticides?
- target organism
- chemical composition
- mode of action
- application timing
target organism
Use of a pesticide by what you want to eradicate, for example, if there are weeds, a farmer would use herbicides
chemical composition
- Example: insecticides are classified whether they are based on synthetic or organic compounds
- Could classify based on organic or inorganic compounds
- Inorganic pesticides have stopped being used due to toxic compounds such as copper, arsenic, lead, or mercury
mode of action
- Photosynthesis inhibitors
- Synthetic auxins
- Auxin transport inhibitor
- Glutamine synthetase inhibitor
application timing
- preplant
- preemergence
- postemergence
how does mode of action work for herbicides?
- is very specific to a plant process
what are some reasons why pest management is needed in agriculture?
- economic and food security
- human health and mycotoxins
- maintain standards
- replace tillage
what are the three components of a pesticide label as a legal document?
All EPA-approved pesticides must bear a label telling the consumer how to use the product correctly, legally, and safely
what are the problems that can occur with using a lot of pesticides over time?
- Pesticide resistance
- Water quality impact
- Can kill non-target organisms
Define IPM using the “house” concept provided in class.
- An IPM program is implemented using an integration of precise pest control methods
- The foundation of IPM is interdisciplinary. IPM brings together biological sciences, physical sciences, and social sciences
- The emphasis of an IPM program is to prevent insect infestation. As a result, the scientific foundation of IPM is often dominated by understanding the ecology of pests and primarily insects, as well as how insect ecology interacts with crop ecology
what disciplines are involved in IPM?
Communication, education, and management - training, data collection, and knowledge sharing
Agronomy and economics - crop rotation, pesticides, hand-weeding, and sustainability
Entomology, ecology, and biology - beneficial insects, soil ecology, and disease resistance
EIL: ______________ ______________ Level. What does it mean? How is it used in IPM?
- Economic injury level
- Damage occurs when the injury is significant enough to impact yield and the monetary value of investment
- EIL is the pest density at which the cost to control the pest equals the amount of damage it inflicts
- EIL varies by pest, commodity, location, season, and market value
- IPM takes a preventative and sustainable approach to controlling pests. If a pest is causing very minimal damage to a crop when it is not impacting yield, then in an IPM approach, it is not worth it financially to control the pest. However, if it is impacting the crops greatly, actions will need to be taken
what are the 4 pillars that are used under IPM?
- cultural
- biological
- mechanical
- chemical
what are some examples of cultural control?
Preventative methods
Cleaning equipment
Crop rotation
what are some examples of biological control?
SIT
Predatory insects
what are some examples of mechanical control?
Traps
Tilling the soil
what are some examples of chemical control?
Insecticides
Herbicides
Define transgenic crops and explain why they are used.
Transgenic plants are the ones, whose DNA is modified using genetic engineering techniques. one can produce plants with desired traits and even increased yields. Along with disease resistance
what is the role of Bt as a bacteria?
As a bacteria, Bt infects and kills insects
what is the role of Bt as an insecticide?
An an insecticide, Bt produces proteins that reacts with the cells of the gut lining of susceptible insects. Paralyzes the digestive system and stops eating within a few days. The bugs die in a few days from starvation.
what is the role of Bt crops in IPM?
Bt crops have been engineered to produce their own Bt toxins this is done by coping certain pieces of Bt DNA and put into their own DNA. Produce the Bt in their leaf tissues.
List the types of organizations involved in writing/reviewing BMP manuals (for example, the Florida Vegetable and Agronomic Crop Manual).
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- University of Florida
- Government, non-profit orgs, private businesses, and industry
What are cover crops and how do they improve soil and water resources?
- Crops that are planted between cash crops
- Cash crop provides the farmer with revenue while the cover crop protects the soil from erosion and maintains soil quality
- Compete against weeds for space and resources within the field, extensive roots to scavenge for nutrients, build organic matter
What are riparian buffers and how do they improve soil and water resources?
- Planting crops right up to a water body offers no protection from agricultural runoff and stream and bank erosion
- Permanent buffers stabilize stream banks and filter runoff water
- Sediment and nutrients entering the water are reduced significantly
What is rotational grazing?
strategically moving livestock to fresh pasture areas so that grasses and previously grazed pastures can regenerate
How does short to long grazing periods impact soil
organic matter content?
Stimulates root growth and a larger root mass stabilizes soil and promotes soil structure
List some of the benefits of sod-based rotation over a 4-year or 15-year time frame.
- 4- year: Increased soil OM, Crop rotations
- After 15-year time frame: Soil OM increased by 1.5%, Irrigation water & N-fertilizer reduced by 50% because of SOM increases, Pesticides decreased by 50% because of crop rotations (IPM cultural control strategy)
Identify BMPs within the implementation of the Clean Water Act.
- Reduce fertilizer and nutrient losses through the 4Rs of nutrient management (right source, right rate, right place, right time)
- Manage water and nutrients together to reduce leaching and erosion losses and to conserve water through irrigation BMPs
- Store & utilize animal manure safely through the 6 basic waste management functions
- Reduce pesticide use through integrated pest management
Fill out this sentence: The definition of wetlands is an area of land where ____________ ___ ______ dominates soil formation and the types of plants that can
grow in the soil.
Saturation with water
Identify if this sentence is true or false and then explain your answer: Wetlands are “wet” “land” and therefore the soils are saturated with water year-round.
False, it could be dry one day and flooded the next. When flooded, water is typically not flowing
Identify the four types of hydrology (i.e. water conditions) that result in wetland formation.
- High water table (close to sea level)
- Perched water table due to a clayey subsoil layer
- Lake fringe
- Intertidal zone
What evidence do we need to identify hydric soils?
Hydric soils have evidence of anaerobic conditions within the soil, such as accumulations of organic matter at the surface and iron oxides (red) within the soil
Identify Histosols as a hydric soil. Identify the conditions required for Histosol formation.
defines a hydric soil as a soil that formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part. More recently, these scientists have defined a group of soils that formed under wetland conditions as ‘hydric soils.’ T
Histosols are soils that consist of dominantly organic soil materials. They are formed primarily from deposition and accumulation of plant material. The anaerobic conditions of wetland soils slow decomposition of organic matter leading to accumulation of above- and below-ground plant material.
Wetland plants are adapted to what type of soil/hydrologic conditions?
Plants adapted to either periodic flooded conditions or soil saturation
Identify the 4 categories of wetland functions.
- Water quality
- Water quantity
- Habitat
- Cultural
water quality functions
- Remove nitrogen (denitrification)
- Sediment settles out of water column
- Water velocity is reduced, protecting downstream ecosystems that depend on on low energy water flow
water quantity functions
- Storage of surface water for flood protection to downstream region
- Surface water infiltration and groundwater recharge
habitat function
- High biodiversity
- Endemic plant communities
- Shoreline protection
cultural function
- Sense of place
- Recreation
- Hunting
- Fishing
What is the name of the USDA NRCS program that provides cost share assistance to farmers who convert farmland back to a wetland?
US Farm Bill established Wetlands Reserve Program
