Quiz 2 Flashcards
What is an Agroecosystem?
It is an ecosystem made and managed by humans with abiotic features
How are natural ecosystems and agroecosystems different?
Agroecosystems is managed by humans and ecosystems are sustain themselves
What is a monoculture?
It is when only 1 species are grown in a large field
How can monocultures become an issue in an agricultural ecosystem?
Monocultures increase pests, soil depletion, and erosion.
What is acid precipitation?
Precipitation that has been made more acidic than usual
Describe some of the effects of acid precipitation
It affects both aquatic and land animals with decline of their population
It also affects humans because it aggravates asthma
How can acid precipitation be reduced/neutralised?
Certain minerals like limestone can reduce acid in lakes.
What causes oil spills?
Spilling from nearby factories, and spillings from boats
What are the methods for cleaning up oil spills?
Skimming, burning, chemicals and microorganisms
Why are plastics at sea an issue?
It disrupts ecosystems and releases toxins. Also aquatic animals can get stuck in them while swimming
What is a pest?
Pests are organisms that affect ecosystems negatively
Examples of pesticides
Rodenticides, Fungicides, Herbicides and insecticides
Natural vs Synthetic pesticides
Natural pesticides don’t work as long as chemical ones. But today’s chemical pesticides don’t last as long as the ones made over 30 years ago.
Characteristics of pesticides
Pesticides can work on many different kinds of pests.
Broad vs narrow spectrum
Broad is toxic to a wide range of pests, and narrow is only toxic to one type of pest
