Test 2

Question 1

What is soil

Answer 1

meter of biochemically altered regolith

Question 2

What are the uses of soil

Answer 2

Crop growth, filter water, regulate aquifer quality, habitat for organisms, and C storage

Question 3

What are the 5 soil forming factors

Answer 3

Climate, parent material (volanic rock, ash), Steepness of terrain, Time (longer time for soil to form the better), and Biota (life that is there)

Question 4

How does the steepness of the terrain affect plant life

Answer 4

Small relief (difference in highest and lowest spot) is better for soil formation

Question 5

What is the optimal climate for soil development

Answer 5

Region with precipitation to evaporation ratio of one

Question 6

What is the P:E ratio in Virginia vs Nevada

Answer 6

In virginia its 4-5 meaning much more rain than evaporation while in Nevada its well below one meaning much more precipitation than rain

Question 7

How do grass roots help the soil

Answer 7

Grass roots are tall allowing them to grab nutrients from deep below the soil. When the grass dies the nutrients is left at the top of the soil

Question 8

What time frame was the Dust Bowl

Answer 8

early 1930s

Question 9

How much wind damage was done due to the dust bowl

Answer 9

Wind erosion damaged about 80% of the high plains removing more than 2 inches of topsoil

Question 10

What caused the chain reaction that lead to the dust bowl

Answer 10

Homestead act of 1862 which created the transcontinental railroad; banks started making money from the railroad and financing houses

Question 11

What crops were mostly used due to the homestead act

Answer 11

What which was not adapted to dry climates and does not have roots as deep as the grass that was there

Question 12

What is el nino and la nina

Answer 12

El nino is the warmer climate while la nina is the colder climate. Used to predict if a desert or rain will come, if there is cold water a desert will come, if warm water then rain; cycles are about 7-11 years

Question 13

What is evapotranspiration and how did it contribute to the dust bowl

Answer 13

When plants cool the Earth’s air by evaporating water; there were no plants leaving the climate very dry

Question 14

What was the aim of the New Deal in terms of the dust bowl

Answer 14

Help farmers that were not getting paid enough for their crops and were not getting much relief from the government and focus on the environment

Question 15

What were the societal implications of the dust bowl

Answer 15

People that fleeded the dust bowl were called okies and label as scum, dirty, and were segregated agaisnt similarly like Black people at the time

Question 16

How did the soil conservation service persuade farmers to use their tactics

Answer 16

Through education and monetary incentives

Question 17

How did the Civilian Conservation Corp help during times of the dust bowl

Answer 17

Gave work to the unemployed in which they were tasked with planting trees, stocking water sources with fish, fighting fires…

Question 18

What was the Indian Reorganization Act’s goal and how did they pursue that goal

Answer 18

To reduce the number of livestock on the Navajo reservation to an amount that the land could handle; pursued by reducing livestock rather than monetary incentives or cooperation like with farmers

Question 19

What is sustainable Agriculture

Answer 19

1. satisfies human food and fiber needs; enhancing QOL of society and farmers
2. enhances environmental quality
3. Makes the most efficient use of nonrewnewable and farmer resources
4. Sustains the economic viability of farm operations

Question 20

what are the impacts of conventional agriculture

Answer 20

high levels of erosion and water use, low N fixation in the soil, negative impacts on biodiversity and health due to chemicals used

Question 21

Why do farmers use conventional agriculture

Answer 21

engrained habits, concern about losing money if switch to other method, bad policies when it comes to crop insurance

Question 22

What is conservation agriculture

Answer 22

Using alternative techniques such as no till which causes less erosion due to less plant uptake and leaves organisms in ground

Question 23

What are the pros and cons of conservation agriculture

Answer 23

lower water, fertilization, herbicide, tractor, and fuel use but slightly lower yields

Question 24

What is stopping farmers from using conservation ag

Answer 24

takes about 5 years for soil to reach ideal environment, lack of human capital (know how) to implement system, many farmers are renting land and this takes time to give back

Question 25

What is organic ag

Answer 25

Foregoing the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers

Question 26

What are some of the cons for organic ag

Answer 26

requires large amounts of non-synthetic nutrients (animal waste, plant based nutrients), more land and labor intensive, less pesticide residue but might lead to more bacteria, higher price for food so less accessible for poorer people

Question 27

What is biodiversity

Answer 27

Variety of life encompassing all forms, levels, and combinations of natural variation

Question 28

Why is biodiversity important

Answer 28

resiliency of ecosystems from big changes (climate change), healthier ecosystems and populations of organisms living there, water filtration, can be used for medicine

Question 29

What is species richness

Answer 29

number of species in an ecological community

Question 30

What is evenness

Answer 30

measure of how evenly distributed species are in an area. Likelihood that two samples from an area give different species; high evenness = high amount of species that exist

Question 31

What are charismatic megafauna

Answer 31

large, exotic terrestrail mammals; regarded as beautiful, impressive…

Question 32

What is the problem with the endangered species act

Answer 32

protection is not necessarily given to species based on cost or chances of success but emphasis is given to charismatic megafauna

Question 33

How is biodiveristy conserved

Answer 33

Dependent on conserving habitat of species

Question 34

What does it mean for a species to be threatened

Answer 34

likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future

Question 35

What does it mean for a species to be endangered

Answer 35

species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range