Agriculture
Identify one pro and one con for flood irrigation
cheap, easy to do
soil salinization, root rot, soil erosion
what causes ocean warming?
Excess greenhouse gases which trap heat in the atmosphere
what is the goal of IPM
to reduce the use of pesticides
Identify 2 major greenhouse gases
nitrous oxide, CO2, methane, water vapor, CFC's
Describe the process of eutrophication
excess nutrients from animal waste or fertilizer enters water ways and cause algal blooms. Bacteria eat algae and any remaining oxygen in the water. This leads to a hypoxic or "dead zone" where no life can survive
What is a negative impact of ocean acidification
weakened exoskeleton of coral, weaker shells for all organisms that need them
Identify an agricultural practice that decreases soil erosion.
terracing, no till farming, contour plowing, wind break, ground cover/cover crops, crop rotation
What is one positive about meat that comes from CAFO's
why is CO2 the greenhouse gas that scientists are most concerned about?
it makes up about 80% of all greenhouse gases, causing the most damage by intensifying the greenhouse effect. It also leads to ocean acidification
identify two technologies of the green revolution + one impact of the technology
gmos- more nutrients, anti-pests, larger crop yields industrial fertilizer- larger crop yiedls, eutrophication monocropping- more crops, soil nutrient depletion, vulnerable to pests and disease
what is a negative impact of ocean warming?
bleached coral, habitat destruction, hypoxia
what are the two stages of IPM that come before chemcial?
Physical + biological
what common greenhouse gas comes from anthropogenic sources only?
chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's)
explain the greenhouse effect
energy from the sun hits the earth and some energy is reflected back into space, some is absorbed, and some is trapped in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases. The trapped heat warms the planet
explain one pro and one con of free range meat farming
pro- healthier, better animal treatment
con- more expensive, takes more land
What is causing ocean acidification?
absorption of CO2 into the ocean, creating carbonic acid
Explain the purpose of a tree windbreak on a farm
protects the crops/soil from high winds- reduces soil erosion, helps keep soil moist
identify two negative environmental impacts of mining
contamination of water with mercury and cyanide, soil erosion, habitat destruction, depletion of fresh water
What does GWP stand for?
global warming potential
why is eating meat considered less energy efficient than a vegetarian diet
the lower you eat on the trophic level the less energy it takes to produce your food
what is a realistic law that would address the root cause of ocean warming and ocean acidification?
a law that decreases greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
identify the 4 types of irrigation and list them in order of most to least efficient
drip, spray, flood, furrow
explain how mining restoration laws might not be able to mitigate long term environmental issues.
once soil erosion or water contamination have occurred, it is extremely difficult and takes a very long time to restore and in many cases the ecosystem or habitat may never fully recover in one lifetime.
How are the greenhouse effect and climate change related?
more greenhouse gases = traps more heat= earth getting warmer