Agriculture
Identify TWO agricultural methods that can limit or reduce soil erosion.
No-till agriculture, windbreaks, buffer zones around fields, plant perennial crops, strip cropping, crop rotation (year-round ground-cover)
Topography-dependent: countour plowing, terracing
Define urban sprawl.
the change in population distribution from high population density areas to low density suburbs that spread into rural lands, leading to potential environmental problems.
Identify one sustainable specific forestry practice (what and where)
Selective cutting in old-growth forests
Describe one method that can be used to reduce or eliminate the negative environmental impacts of mining
(Re)plant vegetation; remove tailings from site; create impoundment dams for tailings
What is a CAFO? What method of meat production would be its opposite?
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation; opposite: free-range grazing
Identify ONE agricultural method that can be used to maintain or increase soil fertility.
Crop rotation, use of cover crops/perennials, use of compost/green manure
Define impermeable surface. Give an example of an impermeable surface.
Surface through which water can not permeate (percolate), e.g. pavement.
Describe one ADVANTAGE and one DISADVANTAGE of clear-cutting
ADVANTAGES: easy so cheaper/less labor-intensive
DISADVANTAGES: major habitat loss, loss of biodiversity
Define strip mining using the terms overburden and ore.
In strip mining, the vegetation overburden is removed in large swaths in order to access the ore underneath.
Name the aquifer underlying 8 states currently being depleted due to unsustainable withdrawals for irrigation.
Ogallala Aquifer
Describe TWO possible disadvantages of using irrigation
Loss of water through evaporation
Leads to erosion, possible contamination
Expensive
Waterlogging
Salinization
Overuse of aquifers
What is sustainable yield?
the amount of a renewable resource that can be taken without reducing the available supply
Identify TWO methods of traditional (large-scale, commercial) fishing and ONE method of sustainable fishing.
COMMERCIAL: bottom trawls, gillnets, longlines, purse seine/seine nets, dredging, trawling, pots
SUSTAINABLE (reduce bycatch): buoy gear, handlines, pole/line, aquaculture (bottom/off-bottom culture, pens, ponds, raceways, recirculating tanks), adherence to ITQ/MSY
Describe the process that leads to acid mine drainage.
I'm too lazy to type it.
Describe TWO negative environmental DISADVANTAGES of CAFOs/grazing/large herds for meat production.
Overgrazing: loss of vegetation, soil erosion. Desertification: degredation of low-precipitation environments, leading to desert conditions. Increased concentration of methane from cow farts. Requires great deal of water. Increased use of antibiotics on herds leads to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Health effects of growth hormones used on herds.
Describe one ADVANTAGE and one DISADVANTAGE to agricultural mechanization.
ADVANTAGE: increase profits, efficiency; grow more food on less land
DISADVANTAGE: increased use of fossil fuels (increased air pollution, GHGs), soil compaction
Describe sustainability and identify one indicator of sustainability (might be unit 1!).
Sustainability: human use of resources without depletion of the resources for future generations.
Indicators: biodiversity, food production, global surface temps, atmospheric CO2, population size, resource availability/depletion
Identify and describe one ADVANTAGE and one DISADVANTAGE of aquaculture.
ADVANTAGES: increase fish stocks, alleviate pressure on natural fisheries while providing protein; boost economy
DISADVANTAGES: contamination of nearby waterways with waste, uneaten food, antibiotics from fish farms; spread of bacteria, viruses, and parasites from farmed areas; escape from fish farm threatens biodiversity of nearby areas; outcompete local fishing industry
Describe ONE negative environmental impact of mining and/or tailing piles left at mine sites
Habitat destruction/loss; acid mine drainage; increased sedimentation/turbidity in streams; release of toxic metals or other pollutants/contaminants into waterway; transport of dust/particulates to other locations (leads to respiratory issues)
Describe the difference between the causes and effects of SALINIZATION and WATERLOGGING.
SALINIZATION: salts in groundwater remain in the soil after irrigation water evaporates; salts can make soil toxic.
WATERLOGGING: fields become oversaturated with irrigation water; pore spaces are filled with water, cutting off oxygen to the roots. May lead to waterlogging.
There are four basic "control" methods to an IPM. Identify them and give an example of each.
Cultural (incl. sanitation or prevention): maintain good conditions
Mechnical: prevent pest entry
Biological: use "natural" methods (e.g predators)
Chemical: minimal amounts
Identify at least TWO parts of the water cycle that can be affected by urbanization and use "increase" or "decrease" to describe HOW they are affected.
Evaporation: decrease
Transpiration: decrease
Runoff: increase
Percolation: decrease
Give an example of a 1) supporting service 2) regulating service 3) provisioning service and 4) cultural service of a orest
SUPPORTING: habitat provision; nutrient cycling and soil formation. REGULATING: carbon sequestration, air/water purification, erosion control, pollination. PROVISIONING: timber, fuel, food, medicinal resources. CULTURAL: recreation, tourism, education, spiritual value
DAILY DOUBLE!
In 2010, 33 miners became trapped underground during a cave-in at the San José copper–gold mine in the Atacama Desert in Chile. For how long were they trapped before their successful rescue?
UNIT 1 FLASHBACK! Name the racist jerk who defined the idea of the tragedy of the commons as it applies to environmental issues.
Garrett Hardin