Animals
What are 3 characteristics of CAFOs
CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations)
1) livestock are concentrated in a very small area
2) given hormones/antibiotics
3) fed grains for more rapid growth for slaughter.
Name 2 reasons why it’s better to buy local food
1. less fossil fuels burned in transportation 2. support local farmers!
What are the 4 levels of IPM, from 1st to last used? Give an example of each.
Cultural (more controlled watering) - Physical (row covers; screens) - Biological (parasitic wasps; ladybugs) - Chemical (synthetic pesticides - chemicals designed to kill or control populations of pests)
What 3 crops provide more than 1/2 the calories people consume worldwide? Which is #1 in the U.S?
Wheat; rice; corn. In US: corn is #1!
What is aquaculture? Name one Pro and one Con.
the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of fish, shellfish, algae, and other organisms in all types of water environments. PRO: less fuel; habitat destruction and overfishing CON: Wastes; diseases; parasites; potential escape (and affect on wild species)
What is meant by "free-range"? What animals does it apply to?
Free-range means allowed access to outside (from peephole in cage to actually free-roaming). ONLY CHICKENS (not eggs, not other livestock!)
What is one soil conservation method that combats erosion and one method that improves the soil structure or fertility.
(Answers will vary) EX [erosion]: Contour plowing; windbreaks; perennial crops; no-till agriculture (conservation tillage); [improve soil] EX: crop rotation; [green] manure; limestone
2 ways organic fertilizers are environmentally better than synthetic
1) Less runoff to and impact on nearby streams [nutrients stay in soil 2) bulkiness improves soil structure.
What are 5 key features of the Green Revolution?
1) mechanization 2) monocultures 3) extensive irrigation 4) use of artificial fertilizers and 5) pesticides
What is meant by "fishery collapse"?
When 90 % of commercial fishery has been depleted.
Why should cows be fed grass instead of corn?
Their anatomical systems were evolved to eat grass (ruminants, 4 stomachs); less methane emissions
A reason organic food is more eco-friendly than conventional food.
EXAMPLE ANSWERS: 1. no synthetic pesticides 2. no chemical preservatives
What is the most efficient and least efficient method of irrigation? What are 3 environmental consequences of irrigation?
BEST = drip; WORST = furrow.
Cons: 1) Overuse (declining water resources 2) salinization 3) waterlogging
In the US: What percent of the carbon in our body (typical American) is from corn? What percent of corn is genetically modified?
70 % ; 92%
What are the 4 main methods of fishing?
1) Bottom trawling 2) long-lining 3) nets (purse seine and drift 4) poles.
--> Which is the "ecosystem eraser"?
How much room does a typical chicken have to move around in a typical modern chicken farm?
size of a sheet of paper
How can the impact of cattle grazing be lessened?
EXAMPLES: 1) Rotational grazing; 2) Riparian buffers
What is monoculture? Name one pro and one con or monocultures.
Monoculture is when you only plant one type of crop. PRO: Produces lots of food. CON: "all eggs in one basket" (risk of catastrophic failure).
What are GMOs? What is one environmental drawback of their use?
Organisms that have had their genes altered in a laboratory for specific purposes - by isolating a specific gene from one organism and transferring it into the genetic material of another in a lab. DRAWBACKS [answers will vary) e.g. Decreased biodiversity
What is a TED?
Turtle Exclusion Device. Designed to allow turtles to escape from nets.
Why is grass-fed beef healthier than corn-fed beef?
Grass-fed beef is leaner
What is the benefit of carp and oysters in IMTA?
They both consume waste, improving water clarity
What is an alternative to using chemical fertilizers?
using manure or compost
Term for the need for more and/or stronger pesticides as pests develop resistance
Pesticide Treadmill
What is bycatch?
unwanted fish, birds, and mammals that are caught alongside the desired fish species - juveniles and nontarget species