Unit 5 - Land Use Vocabulary

Using Figure 10-3, describe the rotation cycle of cutting trees commercially

(20-30 years or 6-10) Seedlings planted --> (15 years) Weak trees removed --> (30 years) Clear Cut

salinization

Accumulation of salts in soil that can eventually make the soil unable to support plant growth.

Using Figure 12-23, list the advantages and disadvantages of Conventional Pesticides.

Advantages: expand food supplies, raise profits, work fast, are safe if used properly Disadvantages: promote genetic resistance, can kill pests' natural enemies and harm wildlife and people, can pollute air, water, and land, are expensive for farmers

Using Figure 12-21, list the advantages and disadvantages of Aquaculture.

Advantages: high efficiency, high yield, reduced overharvesting of fisheries, jobs and profits Disadvantages: large inputs of land, grain, and fishmeal, large waste output, loss of mangrove forests and estuaries, dense populations vulnerable to disease

Using Figure 10-8, list the advantages and disadvantages of clear-cutting forests

Advantages: high timber yields, maximum profits in shortest time, can reforest with fast-growing trees Disadvantages: reduces biodiversity, destroys and fragments wildlife habitat so, can lead to water pollution/flooding/erosion especially on steep slopes

Using Figure 12-20, list the advantages and disadvantages of Feedlots.

Advantages: increased meat production, higher profits, less land use, reduced overgrazing, reduced soil erosion, protection of biodiversity Disadvantages: animals unnaturally confined and crowded, large inputs of grain/fishmeal/water/fossil fuels, greenhouse gases (CO2 and CH4) emissions, concentration of animal wastes that can pollute water, use of antibiotics can increase genetic resistance to microbes in humans

ecological restoration

Amount of biologically productive land and water needed to supply a population with the renewable resources it uses and to absorb or dispose of the wastes from such resource use. It is a measure of the average environmental impact of populations in different countries and areas.

biodiversity hotspots

An area especially rich in plant species that are found nowhere else and are in great danger of extinction. Such areas suffer serious ecological disruption, mostly because of rapid human population growth and the resulting pressure on natural resources.

pesticides

Any chemical designed to kill or inhibit the growth of an organism that people consider undesirable.

wilderness

Area where the earth and its ecosystems have not been seriously distributed by humans and where humans are only temporary guests.

Using Figure 12-32, what meat organisms require a LOT of energy / LITTLE energy?

Beef cattle requires 7 kilograms of grain per kilogram of body weight, pigs 4, chicken 2.2, fish (catfish or carp) are only 2

windbreaks

Belts of trees along field edges to reduce wind erosion

Using Figure 12-13, summarize the harmful environmental impacts of food production.

Biodiversity: Conversion of grasslands, forests, and wetlands to crops or rangeland, fish kills from pesticide runoff, killing of wild predators to protect livestock, loss of agrobiodiversity replaces by monoculture strains Soil: erosion, loss of fertility, salinization, water logging, desertification Water: aquifer depletion, increased runoff, sediment pollution, flooding from cleared land, pollution from pesticides, algal blooms and fish kills caused by runoff of fertilizers and farm wastes Air pollution: emissions of greenhouse gases CO2 from fossil fuel use, N2O from inorganic fertilizer use, and methane (CH4) from cattle, other air pollutants from fossil fuel use and pesticide sprays Human health: nitrates in drinking water (blue baby), pesticide residues in water, food, and air, livestock wastes in drinking and swimming water, bacterial contamination of meat

List the possible ecological benefits of occasional surface fires

Burn away flammable ground material diving as dry brush and help to prevent more destructive fires, free valuable mineral nutrients tied up in slowly decomposing litter and undergrowth, release seeds from the cones of tee species such as lodgepole pines, stimulate the germination of certain tree seeds such as those of the giant sequoia and Jack pine, and help to control destructive insects and tree diseases

Describe some major causes of tropical deforestation

Cattle grazing, large soybean plantations, oil palm plantations, small-scale farming and harvesting wood and fuel, global trade (illegally harvesting lumber), roads, settlements,

integrated pest management (IPM)

Combined use of biological, chemical, and cultivation methods in proper sequence and timing to keep the size of a pest population below the level that causes economically unacceptable loss of a crop or livestock animal.

polyculture

Complex form of intercropping in which a large number of different plants maturing at different times are planted together.

chronic undernutrition

Condition suffered by people who cannot grow or buy enough food to meet their basic energy needs. Most chronically undernourished children live in developing countries and are likely to suffer from mental retardation and stunted growth and to die from infectious diseases.

food security

Condition under which every person in a given area has daily access to enough nutritious food to have an active and healthy life.

food insecurity

Condition under which people live with chronic hunger and malnutrition that threatens their ability to lead healthy and productive lives.

feedlot (CAFO)

Confined outdoor or indoor space used to raise hundreds to thousands of domesticated livestock.

What are three ways to reduce overgrazing and use rangelands more sustainably?

Control the number of grazing animals and the duration of their grazing in a given area so the carrying capacity of the area is it exceeded. Rotational grazing. Suppress the growth of unwanted invader plants by the use of herbicides, mechanical removal, or controlled burning. Controlled short-term trampling by large numbers of livestock.

desertification

Conversion of rangeland, rain-fed cropland, or irrigated cropland to desert-like land, with a drop in agriculture productivity of 10% or more. It usually is caused by a combination of overgrazing, soil erosion, prolonged drought, and climate change.

conservation tillage

Crop cultivation in which the soil is disturbed little (minimum tillage farming) or not at all (no till farming) in an effort to reduce soil erosion

What three systems supply most of the world's food?

Croplands, rangelands, and aquaculture

slash-and-burn agriculture

Cutting down trees and other vegetation in a patch of forest, leaving the cut vegetation on the ground to dry, and then burning it. The ashes that are left add nutrients to the nutrient-poor soils found in more tropical forest areas. Crops are planted between tree stumps. Plots must be abandoned after a few years (typically 2-5 years) because of loss of soil fertility or invasion of vegetation from the surrounding forest

selective cutting

Cutting of intermediate-aged, mature, or diseased trees in an uneven-aged forest stand, either singly or in small groups. This encourages growth of younger trees and maintains an uneven-aged stand.

overgrazing

Destruction of vegetation when too many grazing animals feed too long on a specific area of pasture or rangeland and exceed the carrying capacity of a rangeland/pasture

overnutrition

Diet so high in calories, saturated (animal) fats, salt, sugar, and processed foods, and so low in vegetables and fruits that the consmer runs a high risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and other health hazards.

animal manure

Dung and urine of animals used as a form of organic fertilizer.

Using Figure 10-4, list the ecosystem and economic services of trees

Ecosystem: support energy flow and chemical cycling, reduce soil erosion, absorb and release water, purify water and air, influence local and regional climate, store atmospheric carbon, provide numerous wildlife habitats Economic: fuelwood, lumber, pulp to make paper, mining, livestock grazing, recreation, jobs

Using Figure 12-7, summarize the methods used by Organic agriculture.

Emphasizes prevention of soil erosion and the use of organic fertilizers such as animal manure and compost but no sewage sludge to supply plant nutrients, employs crop rotation and biological pest control, reduces fossil fuel use and increases use of renewable energy such as solar and wind power for generating electricity, produces less air and water pollution and greenhouse gases, is regionally and locally oriented, uses no antibiotics and growth hormones to produce meat and meat products

crown fire

Extremely hot forest fire that burns ground vegetation and treetops.

Why is genetic engineering beneficial to industrial agriculture?

Faster and costs less than traditional crossbreeding. Create larger products for more food. MAY be able to be resistant to heat, cold, drought, insect pests, parasites, viral diseases, herbicides, and salty or acidic soil.

chronic malnutrition

Faulty nutrition, caused by a diet that does not supply an individual with enough protein, essential fats, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients needed for good health.

List seven alternatives to conventional pesticides.

Fool the pest, provide homes for pest enemies, implant genetic resistance, bring in natural enemies (biological control), use insect perfumes, bring in the hormones, reduce the use of synthetic herbicides to control weeds (crop rotation, mechanical cultivation, hand weeding, use of cover crops and mulches)

surface fire

Forest fire that burns only undergrowth and leaf litter on the forest floor.

hydroponics

Form of agriculture in which farmers grow plants by exposing their roots to a nutrient-rich water solution instead of soil.

green manure

Freshly cut or still-growing green vegetation that is plowed into the soil to increase the organic matter and humus available to support crop growth.

Describe the effects of diet deficiencies in vitamin A, iron, and iodine.

Go blind, die (vitamin A).Having too little iron (Fe)—a component of the hemoglobin that transports oxygen in the blood—causes anemia, which causes fatigue, makes infection more likely, and increases a woman's chances of dying from hemorrhage in childbirth. The chemical element iodine (I) is essential for proper functioning of the thyroid gland, which produces hormones that control the body's rate of metabolism

aquaculture

Growing and harvesting of fish and shellfish for human use in freshwater ponds, irrigation ditches, and lakes, or in cages or fenced-in areas of coastal lagoons

plantation agriculture

Growing specialized crops such as bananas, coffee, and cacao in tropical developing countries, primarily for sale to developed countries.

Using Figure 12-34, what are the advantages of Organic Farming?

Improves soil fertility, reduces soil erosion, retains more water in soil during drought years, uses about 30% less energy per unit of yield, lowers CO2 emissions, reduces water pollution by recycling livestock wastes, eliminates pollution from pesticides, increases biodiversity above and below ground, benefits wildlife such as birds and bats

Using Figure 10-16, list some ways to grows and harvest trees more sustainably.

Include ecosystem services of forests in estimates of their economic value, identify and protect highly diverse forest areas, stop logging in old-growth forests, stop clear-cutting on steep slopes, reduce road-building in forests and rely more on selective and strip cutting, leave most standing dead trees and larger fallen trees for wildlife habitat and nutrient cycling, put tree plantations only on deforested and degraded land, certify timber grown by sustainable methods

Explain three of the benefits of buying locally grown food.

Increase food security. Support local economies and farm families. Help reduce fossil fuel energy costs for food producers. Lower greenhouse gas emissions resulting from refrigeration and transportation of food products over long distances.

rangelands

Land that supplies forage or vegetation (grasses, grasslike plants, and shrubs) for grazing and browsing animals and is not intensively managed.

pastures

Managed grassland or enclosed meadow that usually is planted with domesticated grasses or other forage to be grazed by livestock

clear-cutting

Method of timber harvesting in which all trees in a forested area are removed in a single cutting.

soil conservation

Methods used to reduce soil erosion, prevent depletion of soil nutrients, and restore nutrients previously lost by erosion, leaching, and excessive crop harvesting

irrigation

Mix of methods used to supply water to crops by artificial means

Using Figure 12-33, describe what sustainable food production looks like.

More: high-yield polyculture, organic fertilizers, biological pest control, integrated pest management, efficient irrigation, perennial crops, crop rotation, water-efficient crops, soil conservation, subsidies for sustainable farming. Less: soil erosion, soil salinization, water pollution, aquifer depletion, overgrazing, overfishing, loss of biodiversity and agrobiodiverisity, fossil fuel use, greenhouse gas emissions, subsidies for unsustainable farming

soil erosion

Movement of soil components, especially topsoil, from one place to another, usually by wind,flowing water, or both. This natural process can be greatly accelerated by human activities that remove vegetation from soil.

Using Figure 12-A, describe what is found in each soil horizon.

O horizon: leaf litter A horizon: topsoil B horizon: subsoil R horizon: parent material

organic fertilizer

Organic material such as animal manure, green manure, and compost applied to cropland as a source of plant nutrients.

compost

Partially decomposed organic plant and animal matter used as a soil conditioner or fertilizer

Using Figure 10-30, list some ways in which you can help sustain terrestrial biodiversity.

Plant trees, recycle paper and buy recycled paper products, buy sustainably produced wood and wood products and wood substitutes such as recycled plastic furniture and decking, help restore a degraded forest or grassland, landscape your yard with a diversity of native plants

alley cropping

Planting of crops in strips with rows of trees or shrubs on each side.

contour planting

Plowing and planting across the changing slope of land, rather than in straight lines, to help retain water and reduce soil erosion.

green revolution

Popular term for the introduction of scientifically bred or selected varieties of grain (rice, wheat, maize) that, with adequate inputs of fertilizer and water, can greatly increase crop yields.

Why is wilderness important?

Preserve biodiversity and create evolution

Using Figure 12-29, list ways to prevent and cleanup soil salinization.

Prevention: reduce irrigation, use more efficient irrigation methods, switch to salt-tolerant crops Cleanup: flush soil (expensive and inefficient), stop growing crops for 2-5 years, install underground drainage systems

traditional subsistence

Production of enough crops or livestock for a farm family's survival.

traditional intensive agriculture

Production of enough food for a farm family's survival and a surplus that can be sold. This type of agriculture uses high units of labor, fertilize the, and water than traditional subsistence agriculture.

industrialized agriculture

Production of large quantities of crops and livestock for domestic and foreign sale; involves use of large inputs of energy from fossil fuels (especially oil and natural gas), water, fertilizer, and pesticides

Using Figure 12-19, list the advantages and disadvantages of GM Crops.

Projected Advantages: may need less fertilizer, pesticides, and water, can be resistant to insects, disease, frost, and drought, can grow faster, may tolerate higher levels of herbicides Projected Disadvantages: have unpredictable genetic and ecological effects, may put toxins in food, can promote pesticide-resistant insects, herbicide-resistant weeds, and plant diseases, could disrupt seed market and reduce biodiversity

What are the advantages of IPM?

Reduce synthetic pesticide use and pest control costs by 50-65% without reducing crop yields and food quality. Reduce inputs of fertilizer and irrigation water. Slow the development of genetic resistance, because pests are attacked less often and with lower doses of pesticides. (POLLUTION PREVENTION)

deforestation

Removal of trees from a forested area.

waterlogging

Saturation of soul with irrigation water or excessive precipitation so that the water table rises close to the surface.

reconciliation ecology

Science of inventing, establishing and maintaining habitats to conserve species diversity in places where people live, work, or play.

What five strategies could help farmers and consumers shift to more sustainable agriculture?

Shift from using fossil fuels to relying more on renewable energy for food production. Make greater use of renewable solar energy, wind, flowing water, and biofuels produced from farm wastes in tanks called biogas digesters. Using more environmentally sustainable forms of both high-yield polyculture and high-yield monoculture, with increasing emphasis on employing organic farming methods. Help conserve and replenish topsoil, requires less water, cuts water losses, and reduces the need for fertilizers and pesticides. Reduces air and water pollution. Rely less on conventional monoculture and more on polyculture (perennial crops?).

tree plantation (farm)

Site planted with one or only a few tree species in an even-aged stand. When the stand matures it is an even-aged stand. When the sand matures it is usually harvested by clear-cutting and then replanted. These farms normally raise rapidly growing tree species for fuel wood, timber, or pulpwood.

second-growth forests

Stands of trees resulting from secondary ecological succession

What are the major environmental threats to national parks in the world and in the United States?

Too small to sustain many large animal species. Invasions by harmful nonnative species. Some national parks are degraded by the number of visitors. Some aren't protected and people illegally go in for wood, game, and other products

What is topsoil and why is it one of our most important resources?

Topsoil is a vital component of natural capital because it stores the water and nutrients needed by plants. It is the fertile top layer of many soils.

pest

Unwanted organism that directly or indirectly interferes with human activities.

Using Figure 12-7, summarize the methods used by Industrialized agriculture.

Uses synthetic inorganic fertilizers and sewage sludge to supply plant nutrients, make use of synthetic chemical pesticides, uses conventional and genetically modified seeds, depends on nonrenewable fossil fuels (mostly oil and natural gas), produces significant air and water pollution and greenhouse gases, is globally export-oriented, uses antibiotics and growth hormones to produce meat and meat products.

strip cutting

Variation of clear-cutting in which a strip of trees is clear-cut along the contour of the land, with the corridor being narrow enough to allow natural regeneration within a few years. After regeneration, another strip is cut above the first, and so on.

old-growth forests

Virgin and old, second-growth forests containing trees that are often hundreds- sometimes thousands- of years old.

Using Figure 10-11, list the harmful impacts of deforestation

Water pollution and soil degradation from erosion, acceleration of flood into, local extinction of specialist species, habitat loss for native and migrating species, and release of CO2 and loss of CO2 absorption

famine

Widespread malnutrition and starvation in particular area because of a shortage of food, usually caused by drought, war, flood, earthquake, or other catastrophic events that disrupt food production and distribution.

prescribed burn

a fire is deliberately set under controlled conditions

commercial forest

a forest in which trees are planted so that they can be cut down and sold for profit

undergrazing

absence of grazing for long periods can reduce the NPP of grassland vegetation

cover crop

crop planted to prevent soil erosion and provide green manure

strip-cropping

planting alternate strips of erosion prone crops with strips of erosion preventing crops

high-input agriculture

production of large quantities of crops and livestock for domestic and foreign sale

terracing

the creation of flat areas on mountain slopes for the purpose of farming

hunger

the natural physical drive to eat, prompted by the body's need for food

agriculture

the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock