Unit 5 APES Flashcards
Tragedy of the Commons
Suggests that individuals will use shared resources in their own self interest rather than in keeping with the common good, thereby depleting resources.
Clearcutting Effects
Can be economically advantageous but leads to soil erosion, increased soil and stream temperatures, and flooding
Clearcutting Effects - Environmental
Forests contain trees that absorb pollutants and sore carbon dioxide. The cutting and burning of trees releases carbon dioxide and contributes to climate change.
Green Revolution
It started a shift to new agricultural strategies and practices in order to increase food production, with both positive and negative results. Some of these strategies and methods are mechanization, genetically modified organisms, fertilization, irrigation, and the use of pesticides.
What did the Green Revolution contribute?
Mechanization of farming can increase profits and efficiency for farms. It can also increase reliance on fossil fuels.
Environmental damage caused by agricultural practices
These practices include tilling, slash and burn farming, and the use of fertilizers.
What is the largest human use of freshwater?
Irrigation
Types of Irrigation
Drip, furrow, flood, and spray
Benefits and drawbacks: Flood irrigation
Benefit: Easier; 80% efficient, 20% loss
Drawback: More disruptive, can waterlog soil
Benefits and Drawbacks: Furrow Irrigation
Benefit: Easy and inexpensive, water seeps slowly into soil; 66% efficient, 33% soil runoff
Drawback: requires digging trenches.
Benefits and Drawbacks: Drip Irrigation
Benefit: Most efficient, over 95%. Avoids waterlogging and conserves water.
Drawback: Most costly of all irrigation methods.
Benefits and Drawbacks: Spray Irrigation
Benefit: More efficient and less water loss
Drawback: more expensive as it requires water to be pumped.
What is waterlogging?
Occurs when too much water is left to sit in the soil which raises the water table of groundwater and inhibits plants ability to absorb ozygen through their roots.
What is soil salinization?
Occurs when salts in groundwater remain in the soil after water evaporates. Over time it can make soil toxic to plants.
What is a danger in using aquifers in irrigation?
They can be severely depleted
A consequence of using pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, and insecticides is that organisms can become resistant to them through artificial selection.
Drawbacks of common pest control methods.
GMO Drawbacks?
Using genetically engineered crops in planting or other ways can lead to loss of genetic diversity of that particular crop.
What are the two different methods of meat production?
CAFOS and Free Range Grazing
How much less efficient is meat production compared to farming?
It takes approximately 20 times more land to produce the same amount of calories in plants.
What are CAFOs and why are they not environmentally optimal
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations are used as a way to quickly get livestock ready for slaughter. They tend to be crowded and are fed grains or feed that are not as suitable as grass. Additionally, feedlots generate a large amount of organic waste which can contaminate ground and surface water.
Why are CAFOs used
It is a less expensive way to produce meat, which allows costs for consumers to be lower.
Why is Free Range grazing more optimal?
Animals are allowed to graze on grass during their entire life cycle. Meat from these animals tends to be free from antibiotics and other chemicals used in feedlots. Organic waste from these animals acts as a fertilizer.
What is the negative part of Free Grazing?
A lot of land is required, making it a more expensive way to produce meat for both producers and consumers.
What is Overgrazing?
Occurs when too many animals feed on a particular area of land. This can cause loss of vegetation, leading to soil erosion, as well as desertification.
What would happen if people consumed less meat?
CO2 methne and N20 emmissions could be reduced. Water conservation, and the use of antibiotics and growth hormone would be reduced as well. Topsoil improvement.
Imact of overfishing
Scarcity of fish species has been associated with this, causing a decrease in biodiversity in aquatic systems and harm for people who rely on fish for food and commerce
drawback of mining
More accessible ores are mined to depletion and operations are forced to lower. This an use resources that increases waste and pollution.
What is surface mining and example.
The removal of large portions of soil and rock called overburden in order to access ore underneath. Ex. Strip mining which removes vegetation, making an area more susceptible to erosion.
ecological impact of mining
Mining wastes include the soil and rocks that are moved to gain access to the ore and the waste and tailings remain when minerals have been removed from ore. Mining helps to provide low cost energy and material necessary to make products, however, the mining of coal can destroy habitats, contaminate ground water, and release dust particles and methane.
Economic impact of mining
As coal reserves get smaller; a lack of easily accessible reserves occurs and there is a need to access coal through subsurface mining which is very expensive.
Urbanization effect
Can lead to the depletion of resources and saltwater intrusion in the hydrologic cycle.
How does urbanization affect the carbon cycle?
Through the burning of fossil fuels and landfills, the amount of co2 in the atmosphere is increased.
What is an impervious surface?
Human made structures (roads, buildings, sidewalks) that do not allow water to reach soil, leading to flooding.
What is urban sprawl
Change in population distribution from high population density to low density suburbs that spread into rural lands leading to potential environmental problems.
What is sustainability
Refers to humans living on earth and their use of resources without depletion of the resources for future generations. Environmental indicators that can guide humans to sustainability include biological diversity, food production, average global surface temperatures and CO2 concentrations, Human population, and resource depletion
What is sustainable yield
the amount of a renewable resource that can be taken without reducing the available supply
How to increase water filtration
Replace traditional pavement with permeable pavement, plant trees, and increase the use of public transportation, build up not out
What is Integrated Pest Management
The combination of methods used to effectively control pest species while minimizing the disruption to the environment. These methods include biological, physical, and limited chemical methods such as biocontrol, intercropping, crop rotation, and using natural predators of the pests.
Benefits of IPM
Reduces the risk that pesticides pose to wildlife, water supply, and human health
Drawbacks of IPM
While it minimizes human health and environments, IPM can be expensive and complex
What is soil conservation
Prevents soil erosion. Different methods to accomplish this include contour plowing, windbreaks, perennial crops, terracing, no till agriculture and strip cropping
What are strategies to increase soil fertility
Crop rotation and addition of green manure and limestone accomplish this.
What is rotational grazing
Regular rotation of livestock between different pastures in order to avoid overgrazing in a particular area.
Aquaculture
Has expanded because it is highly efficient, requires small areas of water, and little fuel
What is a drawback of aquaculture
Can contaminate wastewater; and fish that examine and fish that escape may compete or breed with wild fish. The density of fish can lead to increases in disease incidences which can be transmitted to wild fish.
How do we protect forests from pathogens and insects
Removal of affected trees as well as IPM
What is a prescribed burn
Method by which forests are set on fire under controlled condition in order to reduce the occurrence of natural fires.
