unit 5 apes review

methods for mitigating human impact on forests

Some of the methods for mitigating deforestation include reforestation, using and buying wood harvested by ecologically sustainable forestry techniques, and reusing wood. Methods to protect forests from pathogens and insects include integrated pest management (IPM) and the removal of affected trees. STB-1.G Prescribed burn is a method by which forests are set on fire under controlled conditions in order to reduce the occurrence of natural fires.

Agricultural practices that can cause environmental damage

include tilling, slash and-burn farming, and the use of fertilizers

Furrow irrigation

involves cutting furrows between crop rows and filling them with water. This system is inexpensive, but about 1/3 of the water is lost to evaporation and runoff.

Flood irrigation

involves flooding an agricultural field with water. This system sees about 20% of the water lost to evaporation and runoff. This can also lead to waterlogging of the soil.

Integrated pest management (IPM)

a 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 natural predators of the pests.

Free range grazing

allows animals to graze on grass during their entire lifecycle. Meat from free range animals tends to be free from antibiotics and other chemicals used in feedlots. Organic waste from these animals acts as fertilizer. Free range grazing requires large areas of land and the meat produced is more expensive for consumers.

Concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFOs)

are used as a way to quickly get livestock ready for slaughter. They tend to be crowded, and animals 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. The use of feedlots are less expensive than other methods, which can keep costs to consumers down.

Clearcutting

can be economically advantageous but leads to soil erosion, increased soil and stream temperatures, and flooding

Aquifers

can be severely depleted if overused for agricultural irrigation, as has happened to the Ogallala Aquifer in the central United States.

Mechanization of farming

can increase profits and efficiency for farms. It can also increase reliance on fossil fuels

Urbanization

can lead to depletion of resources and saltwater intrusion in the hydrologic cycle. Urbanization, through the burning of fossil fuels and landfills, affects the carbon cycle by increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Ecological footprints

compare resource demands and waste production required for an individual or a society.

Less consumption of meat

could reduce CO2, methane, and N2O emissions; conserve water; reduce the use of antibiotics and growth hormones; and improve topsoil.

Types of irrigation

drip irrigation, flood irrigation, furrow irrigation, drip irrigation, and spray irrigation.

Mining wastes

include the soil and rocks that are moved to gain access to the ore and the waste, called slag and tailings that remain when the minerals have been removed from the ore. Mining helps to provide low cost energy and material necessary to make products. The mining of coal can destroy habitats, contaminate ground water, and release dust particles and methane.

Spray irrigation

involves pumping groundwater into spray nozzles across an agricultural field. This system is more efficient than flood and furrow irrigation, with only 1/4 or less of the water lost to evaporation or runoff. However, spray systems are more expensive than flood and furrow irrigation, and also requires energy to run.

Surface mining

is the removal of large portions of soil and rock, called overburden, in order to access the ore underneath. An example is strip mining, which removes the vegetation from an area, making the area more susceptible to erosion.

Overfishing

led to the extreme scarcity of some fish species, which can lessen biodiversity in aquatic systems and harm people who depend on fishing for food and commerce.

Salinization

occurs when the salts in groundwater remain in the soil after the water evaporates. Over time, salinization can make soil toxic to plants.

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 oxygen through their roots.

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.

cutting and burning of trees

releases carbon dioxide and contributes to climate change

Green Revolution

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 (GMOs), fertilization, irrigation, and the use of pesticides.

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 the resources

Drip irrigation

uses perforated hoses to release small amounts of water to plant roots. This system is the most efficient, with only about 5% of water lost to evaporation and runoff. However, this system is expensive and so is not often used.