Vocabulary
This is the technique used for farming to reduce runoff on steep slopes.
What is contour farming?
What is terrace farming?
This is when DNA is altered in a plant to produce a specific result.
What is a Genetically Modified Organism?
This has been shown to reduce temperatures, as well as increase infiltration in cities.
This is the organized growing of marine organisms for consumption.
What is aquaculture?
An Arizona farmer investigates the best method to control the Egyptian alfalfa weevil, the primary pest of alfalfa crops in southwestern Arizona. The farmer sows genetically identical alfalfa seeds on three plots of land and harvests the alfalfa for three years and uses a different pest control method on each plot. On plot A, the farmer does not use any pest control methods. On plot B, the farmer introduces a parasitic wasp that uses the alfalfa weevil as its primary host. On plot C, the farmer uses an insecticide. The farmer records the alfalfa yields for each plot after each harvest.
Identify the control group for the investigation.
What is the plot without any pesticide use?
What is Plot A?
What is "Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations"?
This is a solution for monoculture.
What is crop rotation?
What is interplanting?
This is the problem for the water cycle in cities.
What is changes to runoff/infiltration rates?
What is an increase in impermeable surfaces?
This is the meat source with the highest demand on water per kg protein.
What is beef?
An Arizona farmer investigates the best method to control the Egyptian alfalfa weevil, the primary pest of alfalfa crops in southwestern Arizona. The farmer sows genetically identical alfalfa seeds on three plots of land and harvests the alfalfa for three years and uses a different pest control method on each plot. On plot A, the farmer does not use any pest control methods. On plot B, the farmer introduces a parasitic wasp that uses the alfalfa weevil as its primary host. On plot C, the farmer uses an insecticide. The farmer records the alfalfa yields for each plot after each harvest.
Identify the general type of pest control method used on plot B.
What is a biological control?
What is a predator control?
This is the phenomena that results from overuse of shared land.
What is the Tragedy of the Commons?
This is the use of living organisms to deter pests.
What is biocontrol?
This is a building that has reduced its ecological footprint.
What is a green building?
This is the least effective method of irrigation.
What is flood irrigation?
An Arizona farmer investigates the best method to control the Egyptian alfalfa weevil, the primary pest of alfalfa crops in southwestern Arizona. The farmer sows genetically identical alfalfa seeds on three plots of land and harvests the alfalfa for three years and uses a different pest control method on each plot. On plot A, the farmer does not use any pest control methods. On plot B, the farmer introduces a parasitic wasp that uses the alfalfa weevil as its primary host. On plot C, the farmer uses an insecticide. The farmer records the alfalfa yields for each plot after each harvest.
If a fourth plot D were available, explain how the farmer could modify the investigation to include an additional pest control method.
What is using intercropping?
What is using a different insecticide or biological control?
This is a sustainable forestry example.
What is seed tree selection?
What are shelterwoods?
Why would someone clear cut a forest?
What is short-term profit?
This is the uncontrolled spread of a city.
What is urban sprawl?
This is the fishing technique where nets are dragged along the bottom of the seafloor.
What is trawling?
The semiarid climate of Arizona poses challenges for its agriculture. Most land is used to grow crops such as alfalfa and grasses for hay, vegetables such as lettuce, and cotton. To be viable, given Arizona’s dry conditions, agricultural lands must be irrigated. The two major sources of irrigation water in Arizona are the Colorado River and groundwater.
Describe specifically why Arizona farmers may use drip irrigation over other irrigation techniques.
What is drip irrigation is the most efficient irrigation technique and would have the least water lost to evaporation?
This is when the ground has acculumated an excess of water soluble minerals.
What is salinization?
This is the overall goal of Integrated Pest Management.
What is a reduction of synthetic pesticides?
What is an additional benefit to rain gardens in cities, other than increasing water infiltration?
Reduction of Carbon Dioxide
Explain how saltwater can enter a coastal aquifer AND why that is bad.
If the high point of the aquifer is depleted enough that it becomes lower than sea level, sea water will flow into the aquifer due to pressure differences. This will cause well water to be salinized as well as leading to soil salinization.
The velvet mesquite trees that populate areas of southwestern Arizona are a member of the legume family and have nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their root nodules.
Explain how a decrease in velvet mesquite trees from this ecosystem would affect the nitrogen cycle.
What is a decrease in mesquites would decrease nitrogen soil concentration, which decreases availability of nitrogen to other plants?
What is a decrease in mesquites would decrease nitrogen soil concentration, because there would be less nitrogen fixation/less nitrogen-fixing bacteria?