QUIZ #2 - Irr/Aquifers/GMO's - on 2/6 Flashcards
Which type of rock would you expect an unconfined aquifer to be made of?
sandstone
Which of the following statements is true concerning the Ogallala Aquifer?
the aquifer has declined by 12 feet due to severe drought over the past 3 years
the aquifer has declined by nearly 16 feet due to excessive withdrawals for irrigation and exceed the aquifers rate of recharge
the aquifer has risen by nearly 3 feet due to population increases in the region
the aquifer has declined by nearly 16 feet due to excessive withdrawals for irrigation and exceed the aquifers rate of recharge
If you were a farmer planting perennial crops, which type of irrigation would be best suited for you?
drip irrigation
t/f In the United States, agriculture is the second highest use of water.
false
In 2022, the USDA passed a law that _________________________________________________.
required full disclosure on the use of GMO’s in food
Flood irrigation can sometimes lead to _________________.
waterlogging
Salt water intrusion is a concern because it can raise the levels of salt in an aquifer. In which location would salt water intrusion be a potential concern?
Cape Hatteras, NC
Which country would you expect to have the highest water footprint?
India
Which country would be the most stringent on the use of GMO’s?
Italy
t/f Salinization occurs because water evaporates and leaves salts behind, which can infiltrate soils.
true
Artesian wells are designed to retrieve water from __________________.
confined aquifers
Researchers are worried that the use of GMO’s in plant species will _____________________.
lower genetic diversity
According to the Figure 27.3 on page 324 in the textbook, which region of the world has the lowest water withdrawal rates in the world?
Central and Southern Africa
The total daily water use in Canada is 3.6 x 10^13 L and the Canadian population is 38 million people. What is the daily per capita daily water use for Canada?
(3.6 x 10^13 L) / (3.8 x 10^7 people) = 0.947 x 10^5 L per person
T/F A cone of depression occurs when an area surrounding a well contains groundwater.
false
_____ is any means used by humans to bring water to the land
irrigation
it is estimated that about ___ of the worlds land is irrigated
1/2
type of irrigation: flood
What is it
-flooding an entire field
-used by Egypt, China, Mesopotamia
Advantages:
-water soaksin evenly
-more efficient (80% efficient)
Disadvantages:
-waterlogging
-hard to control
type of irrigation: furrow
What is it
-farmers dig trenches along crop rows
Advantages:
-easy
-cheap
Disadvantages:
-67% efficient
-lot of water evaporation
type of irrigation: drip
What is it
-slow drip hose on the ground or underground
Advantages:
-delivers water directly to the root
-95% effective
-great with perennial crops
Disadvantages:
-very expensive
-limited number of farms using drip irrigation
type of irrigation: spray
What is it:
-sprinkler
Advantages:
-75%-95% effective (with spray pressure managed and balanced)
Disadvantage:
-very expensive
-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
unconfined aquifer
porous rock covered by soil
(Great rock: sandstone)
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 a confined aquifer
salt water intrusion
when salt water invades an aquifer -> coastal communities
water footprint
total daily per capita use of fresh water for a country or the world
Ex: Per capita water use for the US
Total annual water use in the US = 5.1 x 10^14 L
Population of the US: 3.3 x 10^8 people
Per capita annual water use in the US:
(5.1 x 10^14 L) / (3.3 x 10^8 people) = 1.6 x 10^6 L per person
GMOs
-transfer of a gene of one organism into genetic material of another
-very different to produce a genetically modified organism
-can be done agriculturally
GMO possible benefits
-higher crop yields, better foods
-higher profits, good for agribusiness and consumers
-less pesticide usage (big savings) but higher seed prices
-lower world hunger
GMO possible consequences
-safety for human consumption
-currently little supporting evidence for this but a big worry is people suffering from allergic reactions
-loss of biodiversity - altered genes could spread to other plants and disrupt the natural plant varieties and genetic diversity
-idea of buffer zones around the GMOs
Regulations for GMOs
-United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) passed a law in 2022 requiring the disclosure of GMOs in food
-European nations more stringent on GMOs
