Unit 5 Flashcards
Tragedy of the commons
Unregulated use of public resources will lead to depletion
Aquifer
a piece of rock or soil that contains groundwater, can be unconfined or confined
Groundwater recharge
when groundwater is replenished by precipitation
Artesian well
drilling a hole into a confined aquifer
Cone of depression
when groundwater is depleted because it is taken out faster than it can be replenished
Saltwater intrusion
when groundwater is not present to hold up the structure of coastal aquifers so saltwater rushes in
Floodplain
areas next to a river, extremely fertile
Levees and dikes
mounds that prevent water from flowing into areas
Aqueduct
something that carries water to places
Furrow irrigation
rows of water next to plants
Drip irrigation
is the most water efficient, drips water to roots of individual plants
Flood irrigation
flooding a field, results in the most salinization
Tillage
when you flip over soil to loosen it up. Allows for more percolation of water, more nutrients, and reduced weeds
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
using means other than chemicals to get rid of pests such as natural predators, GMOs, and crop rotation
Crop rotation
planting different crops each season to replenish the nutrients that are depleted in soil. Also helps to break up weeds
Soil degradation
soil quality goes down, there are barely nutrients left and less of an opportunity for plants to flourish
Externalities
things that are not calculated when you buy things
Logging
cutting all trees to their stumps
Waterlogging
when water is unable to drain in a field
Zoning
separates areas of land for different purposes: industry and residential
Energy subsidy
the amount of work in calories that goes into one calorie of food
The Green Revolution
a shift in agricultural practices (more mechanization and use of pesticides) which significantly increased the yield of crops
Monocropping
planting one type of plant over and over again - leads to depletion of nutrients in soil
Fishery collapse
a decline of at least 90% in fish populations
Desertification
when land becomes unplantable and ungrazable
Intercropping/crop rotation
uses different types of plants in the same area to replenish nutrients
Contour plowing
plowing and planting according to the shape of a piece of land. Reduces erosino
Bottom trawling nets
Fish catching nets that graze on the sea floor and destroy it
reserves
sources we can mine from
spoils
waste created by mining
tailing
bodies of water left behind by mining that contain residue and chemicals
Overburden
the soil removed from mining
agroforestry
intercropping trees with vegetables. Reduces erosion
