ESPM FINAL

Describe a couple of features of what agriculture under a Green Revolution paradigm looks like.

Monocultures: large areas of one crop genotype, homogenized landscapes, high lab productivity

Name and briefly describe one ecosystem service that soils provide. Then name and briefly describe one anthropogenic threat to soil.

One important ecosystem service that soils provide is the purification of water. High-quality soil results in cleaner stream/lake water. One anthropogenic threat to soil is salinization, which happens when large amounts of salt accumulate in soils and on agricultural land.

What are the five factors involved in soil formation? How are soils classified? (not the 12 soil orders, but what properties of soil are used to classify them)

Parent material, climate, organisms, topography and time. Coarse grained soil, fine-grained soil, and highly organic soil

What is soil organic matter and what controls the quantity of it in soil?

Soil organic matter is a wide variety of organic molecules contained in soil derived from plants and processed by soil life

What is the so-called Grand Challenge? What are two broad ways of increasing food production? What are key issues with each one?

The Grand challenge is how to provide sufficient and nutrient food to the world's growing population without further destroying the environment. Two ways of increasing food production is by increasing crop yields and farming more land.

A farm grows tomatoes, basil, and lettuce together. The basil repels pests that like to eat tomatoes and both plants can increase the number of pollinators that the farm attracts. This is an example of: _________. A. Facilitation B. Temporal diversity C. Complementarity D. Buffer strips

a

Fire suppression has significantly changed the landscape. Today, 95% of areas burned are due to ______ percent of fires that escape initial attack. a. 1-2% b. 2-5% c. 5-7% d. 7-10% e. 10-15%

a

The lettuce requires low light while the basil and tomatoes require a lot of sunlight. The tomatoes are able to grow tall above the lettuce and have deeper roots, so the plants do not compete for resources such as sunlight, water, and nutrients. This is an example of: _________. A. Facilitation B. Temporal diversity C. Complementarity D. Buffer strips

c

Forceful northward flowing warm currents in the Northern Hemisphere are the a. Equatorial countercurrents. b. California and Peru currents. c. Upwelling and downwelling currents. d. Gulf Stream current and Kuroshio current.

d

True or false: Particles with small surface area to volume ratios hold more water than particles with larger ratios.

False

What percentage of fires are suppressed before they reach 5 acres in size?

98-99 percent of all wildland fires out at less than 5 acres in size

What is a fire regime? What are the 5 components of a fire regime? Compare and contrast a low and high severity fire regime.

A fire regime is a nature of fire occurring over long periods of time in a given area. The 5 components of a fire regime are frequency, seasonality, size, severity, and interactions. A low severity fire regime kills mostly small trees only, has a frequent return interval of 5-15 years and is very common in Sierra Nevada, Klamath, So Cal mountains, etc. A high severity fire regime substantially changes forest structure, and is uncommon is Sierra Nevada forests, but more common in the lodgepole pine in Yellowstone.

Why is agriculture such an important topic in the context of environmental science and environmental problems?

Agriculture is a huge contributor to climate change, and is the biggest factor in degrading soils worldwide.

Describe 3 important, negative environmental consequences of conventional agriculture on biodiversity

Agriculture is the largest contributor to biodiversity loss due to growing populations and developing systems. One factor that negatively affects biodiversity is the greenhouse gases that are released by modern agricultural practices. Another factor that negatively affects biodiversity is an increase in fertilizers which causes river pollution. Lastly, the abandonment of small-scale crop rotation coupled with the intensification of large-scale farming increases the amount of nutrients lands receive, which resultantly affects biodiversity.

What is an externality?

An externality is a positive or negative consequence of an action that directly affects a third party without their consent.

How will a growing population and changing income levels affect the demand for food? In what areas will these issues arise?

As income increases, the number of calories people eat increases and the types of food people choose to eat change to animal products. Populations will increase in areas like Africa and Asia, which are more challenging areas to grow food due to soil quality and other factors.

Describe 3 important, negative environmental consequences of conventional agriculture on water

Conventional agriculture is one of the leading causes of water pollution. A large number of chemicals, residues, and matter that farms dispose of in water bodies negatively affect both the quality of water as well as human health. The synthetic nutrients in water most often waste in local water supplies. Other chemicals from agricultural runoff such as ammonia and other pesticides degrade ecosystems by acidifying waterways, which can be dangerous to humans.

Describe 3 important, negative environmental consequences of conventional agriculture on soil

Conventional agriculture negatively affects soil and the atmosphere by reducing organic matter and releasing carbon. Furthermore, applying fertilizer to soil results in the formation and release of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide, resulting in poor soil health. Conventional agriculture may impair soil health by accumulating toxic pesticides and depleting the natural supplies of essential elements.

Define crop yield, yield potential, and yield gaps.

Crop yield: mass of crop/unit Yield potential: yield of crop with ample nutrients, water, pests, and disease control Exploitable yield gap: difference between yield potential and actual yield achieved

Instead of increasing total food production, what are two changes that could make more food available for human consumption?

Decrease the amount of crops fed to animals, decrease crop based biofuels, and reduce food waste

Prior to the industrialization of agriculture, what were farmers reliant on to sustain food production?

Ecological processes

What is fire suppression?

Fire suppression is a system used to provide cooling, control the fire and provide extinguishment of the fire incident.

What organisms live in the soil? What are some of their major functions?

Fungi Soil biota Bacteria Nematodes One of the most important roles of soil organisms is breaking up the complex substances in decaying plants and animals so that they can be used again by living plants. This involves soil organisms as catalysts in a number of natural cycles, among the most prominent being the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles

Which of the following is not a reason why converting forests to agricultural land could negatively affect the global climate? a. There is less photosynthesis to remove CO2 out of the atmosphere. b. Removed trees may be burned. c. Improved soils on farms will always increase CO2 sequestration. d. Fertilizers applied to the newly created farmland can lead to increased emission of nitrous oxide to the atmosphere.

Improved soils on farms will always increase CO2 sequestration

Imagine you're a wildlife manager overseeing a tropical forest reserve next to an agricultural area. Name and describe two steps you might take to protect the region's biodiversity.

In order to protect the biodiversity of a tropical forest, I would ensure the protection of plant and animal habitats. It is important for each plant and animal species to coexist safely with each other in their shared habitat. I would also protect the environment by protecting tree life, maintaining the soil, controlling stream sedimentation, etc.

Two ways to increase yields

Increase genetic potential and reduce yield gaps

Define intercropping. Describe two key principles underlying intercropping.

Intercropping: Growing different genotypes or species is close enough proximities that they interact with each other. Intercropping two crops can produce more than two monocultures

what are the 4 major components of soil?

Mineral (sand, silt, and clay particles) Soil biota Soil organic matter Pore space

Name and describe one management response that we could take to reduce the risk of future wildfires, including two specific steps that you would take.

One management response we could take to reduce the risk of future wildfires is using fuel reduction treatments. The first step I would take to reduce the risk of future wildfires would be to complete surveys which would provide data about where most of the recent wildfires have occurred (such as forests or other areas). After gathering this data, I would meet with an environmentalist or someone closely connected to these areas and develop a community wildfire protection & prevention plan.

Why was organic agriculture introduced? What were the early goals of the organic agriculture movement? What are the general practices of the movement? What types of inputs/practices are required? What types of inputs/practices are prohibited?

Organic agriculture was introduced in resistance to increasing focus on chemical nutrition of drops and declining soil health. Early goals were to sustain the health of soils, ecosystems, and people. Ideally, practices included diverse crop and livestock rotation, organic fertilizers and compost, biological or physical controls for disease and pest management. A;; inputs must be certified. (Seed, fertilizer, pesticides) not allowed, synthetic agrochemicals not allowed, GMO not allowed, sewage sludge as fertilizer not allowed.

Why is oil palm such a popular crop in the tropics?

Palm oil is a highly productive crop. It offers a far greater yield at a lower cost of production than other vegetable oils.

What are most tropical forests used for?

Production, conservation of biodiversity, protection of soil and water

How would you define sustainable agriculture? What are its components?

Sustainable agriculture is farming in ways that meet society's present needs without compromising the ability for current or future generations to meet their needs. A sustainable agricultural system maintains the natural resource base (soil, water, biodiversity) on which it depends, has minimal negative effects on the environment, relies on a minimum of non-renewable inputs from outside the farm system, provides fulfilling and safe livelihoods for farmers and farm workers, and Is equitable in all aspects, such as who has land to farm and food to eat.

The Green Revolution and agricultural changes have brought about some positive consequences, but there are trade-offs. In 3-5 sentences, discuss one economic, one environmental, and one social consequence that have had negative impacts.

The Green Revolution as well as the agricultural changes that resulted it caused increased production costs which affects the economy. An environmental consequence is groundwater contamination. The Green Revolution also caused lower conditions for farmworkers. Many farmworkers are forced to work under unfortunate conditions that ultimately deteriorate their health.

What characterizes the post World War II "Green Revolution"? What were the components of the package, and some of the motivations underlying it?

The Green Revolution relied on advanced crop genotypes, non renewable inputs (such as fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation), mechanization, and subsidies. Political ideologies, private foundations and the agricultural industry were the underlying motivations for the Green Revolution.

How did the Green Revolution affect crop yields, yield potential, and yield gaps? How did global food production change since the mid-20th century?

The Green revolution affected yield potential because of the breeding, and decreased yield gaps due to the fertilizers, pesticides and water that was used.

How is biodiversity unique in the tropics?

There is a diversity of species richness in the tropics, ranging from amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals. However, there is a large proportion of species that fall under the endemic category, meaning that they are only found in one area.

What is a trophic cascade and specifically a cross-boundary subsidy cascade?

Trophic cascades occur when predators limit the density and/or behavior of their prey and thereby enhance survival of the next lower trophic level. A cross-boundary subsidy cascade is a change to biotic interactions within a delimited food web triggered by resource subsidies in a spatially and ecologically distinct area.

Nitrogen fixation is most likely to occur in which of the following places? a. Bacteria in root nodules of legumes b. The digestive tracts of certain herbivores c. Chloroplasts in the leaves of alder plants d. N2O-rich portions of the troposphere

a

Which of the following are the three dimensions of sustainability? a. Environmental, social, and economic. b. Political, social and economic c. Social, psychological and economic d. Individual, economic and social

a

Which of the following biomes has the largest amount of soil carbon? a. Boreal forests b. Temperate forests c. Tropical rainforests d. Subtropical forests

a

Which of the following correctly defines sustainability? a. Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. b. Meeting presents needs at the expense of future generations c. Decreasing present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs e. It is a very vague concept, not well-defined yet.

a

Which of the following correctly describes the carbon reservoirs on earth (From the largest carbon reservoir to the smallest) a. Lithosphere > Ocean> Soils > Atmosphere> Biosphere b. Lithosphere > Ocean> Atmosphere > Soil> Biosphere c. Ocean > Lithosphere > Soils > Atmosphere> Biosphere d. Lithosphere > Soils> Ocean> Atmosphere> Biosphere

a

Which one of the following statements is NOT part of the grand challenge for Food? a. The human population is increasing most where agriculture is highly productive due to good soil and favorable climate. b. The world population is expected to grow from 7 billion today to 9 billion by 2050, and to 10 billion by the end of this century. c. Agricultural production techniques that have led to large crop production increases in the past come with social and environmental tradeoffs. d. As income increases, the number of calories people eat increases and the types of food people choose to eat change to animal products.

a

Let's consider the three following system components: Warming climate, Rate of plant growth (drought-adapted plant), and amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Which of the following correctly describes the type of feedback ? a. This is a reinforcing feedback mechanism b. This is a balancing feedback mechanism c. It depends on the sensitivity of plants d. Those 3 components don't necessarily interact with each other

b

Ocean gyre circulation is determined primarily by ___ , while oceanic thermohaline circulation is determined by ___ a. pressure gradient, Coriolis force b. wind, density variations c. gravity, pressure gradients d. friction, wind e. wind, geostrophic force

b

The melting of sea ice due to increasing surface temperatures will lead to a a. Positive feedback on surface temperature because sea ice has a lower heat capacity than the ocean b. Positive feedback on surface temperature because sea ice has a greater albedo than the ocean c. Positive feedback on surface temperature because sea ice has a lower albedo than the ocean d. Negative feedback on surface temperature because sea ice has a greater albedo than the ocean

b

Which if the following is NOT true? a. Where the ascending branch of the Ferrel cell and Polar cell form, we observe a dense cloud cover on satellite images b. Where the ascending branch of the Ferrel cell and Polar cell form, we observe almost no clouds on satellite images c. On satellite images, there a very few clouds above deserts because it corresponds to where the Hadley cell is descending, leading to the formation of a high-pressure system and clear skies d. On satellite images, the ascending branch of the Hadley cell is visible through the formation of a dense cloud cover at the equator.

b

Which of the following are the 5 components of a sustainable agricultural system: a. Sometimes depletes the natural resource base on which it depends, minimizes negative environmental effects,minimally relies on non-renewable external inputs, provides a fulfilling livelihood for farm workers, eliminates hunger and ensures food security in culturally appropriate ways b. Maintains the natural resource base on which it depends, minimizes negative environmental effects, minimally relies on non-renewable external inputs, provides a fulfilling livelihood for farm workers, eliminates hunger and ensures food security in culturally appropriate ways c. Maintains the natural resource base on which it depends, masks positive environmental effects, minimally relies on non-renewable external inputs, provides a fulfilling livelihood for farm workers, eliminates hunger and ensures food security in culturally appropriate ways d. Maintains the natural resource base on which it depends,minimizes negative environmental effects, greatly relies on non-renewable external inputs, provides a fulfilling livelihood for farm workers, eliminates hunger and ensures food security in culturally appropriate ways

b

Which of the following correctly describes remote sensing? a. Acquisition and measurement of information about certain properties of phenomena, objects, or materials by a recording device in physical contact with the features under surveillance. b. Acquisition and measurement of information about certain properties of phenomena, objects, or materials by a recording device not in physical contact with the features under surveillance. c. A device for determining the presence and location of an object by measuring the time for the echo of a radio wave to return from it and the direction from which it returns d. A method for measuring distances by illuminating the target with laser light and measuring the reflection with a sensor

b

Which of the following is not an effect of soil erosion? a. Increased sedimentation of waterways b. Increased nutrient cycling c. Reduction in carbon sequestration d. Reduction in crop productivity e. Loss of topsoil

b

Which of the following is true about global food production? a. If we continue growing crops for biofuel production and agricultural feed, we will be able to feed billions more people. b. If we eliminated the production of grain-fed animals and maintained current yield and cropland, it is predicted that we could feed 11 billion people today. c. Although poverty is linked to hunger, food production is the major cause of hunger. d. To increase food production, the only option is to increase the yield per area farmed.

b

Which of the following accurately describes life in soils? A. Soil food webs lack complexity compared to above-ground ecosystems. B. Soils contain both decomposers and predators that perform important functions. C. We would need to collect a large soil sample size to find many species. D. Soil biota sometimes support plants in taking up nutrients.

b & d

traditional crop breeding vs. genetic engeneering

both approaches modify organisms genetically, however genetic engineering can mix genes of very different species, it is in vitro lab work, it uses novel gene combinations that did not come together on their own, and can produce wholly new genes through gene editing

Assume the following strict trophic chain: mountain lions eat deer; deer eat black oak seedlings; lizards eat bugs, spiders eat bugs; bugs eat black oak seedlings. Which of the following statements is true? (choose one) a. The mountain lion is a tertiary consumer b. The deer is a secondary consumer c. The spiders are secondary consumers d. The lizards are primary consumers

c

What is NOT true about organic farming? a. Organic regulations in the U.S. mainly stipulate what kinds of inputs can and cannot be used in food production and processing. b. Organic farmers depend on a price premium from organic food to remain profitable. c. Organic agriculture includes regulations for supporting farm workers' rights. d. Sales of organic food have risen sharply over the past couple of decades e. Crop yields are often a little lower than in conventional farming.

c

What is not true about soil? a. There are five soil-forming factors. b. There is high soil diversity in California. c. Soil is a renewable resource. d. Clay has a smaller pore size than sand. e. Biota make up the smallest percentage of soil composition (compared to other soil components).

c

Which of the following is true? a. When winds are low, the sea surface is calm and therefore there is a strong signal returning to the sensor b. When winds are high, the sea surface is calm and therefore there is a strong signal returning to the sensor c. When winds are high, the sea surface is rough and therefore there is a strong signal returning to the sensor d. When winds are low, the sea surface is rough and therefore there is a strong signal returning to the sensor

c

Why does the global demand for grain increase at a rate faster than the global population? a. More people in the world want to eat grains b. More grains are being wasted every year c. Increased meat demand d. Genetically modified grains are being removed from production e. Grains can be grown anywhere

c

agriculture & Sustainability Parts 1 and 2] What was not a priority or practice of the Green Revolution? a. The increased use of fertilizers and pesticides b. The pursuit of higher crop yields c. The increased use of traditional ecological practices d. The homogenization of landscapes and crop genotypes e. The mechanization of farm work

c

What are the size classes of soil minerals in soil?

clay silt sand

Which of the following earth components has absorbed the most heat from Global Warming a. Atmosphere b. Ice sheets at both poles, glaciers, and ice caps c. Continents d. Ocean

d

Which of the following is true about GMO's? A. The modification of crop genes by humans is a new activity. B. GMOs are responsible for the increased yield potential. C. GMOs always reduce the need for spraying herbicides and pesticides. D. Traditional breeding can efficiently develop crops capable of surviving under climate change conditions too. E. GMOs reduce hunger to the most in need because they are readily available to all small-holder farmers.

d

Which of the following packages describes measures that could be implemented to increase soil carbon? a. Reduced tillage, perennial crops, no cover crops, reduced manure b. Increased tillage, perennial crops, cover crops, reduced manure c. Increased tillage, annual crops, cover crops, added manure d. Reduced tillage, perennial crops, cover crops, added manure

d

which of the following best describes why it will be difficult to feed the world's growing human population? a. We do not have the technology to improve yield potential. b. We are not farming on enough land. c. The exploitable yield gap keeps growing. d. We are not able to increase crop yield fast enough. e. The population is increasing where it is more difficult to grow food. f. World food production has not been able to keep pace with the growing population.

e

True or false: In a tropical forest ecosystem, there are strong seasonal weather patterns and a lot of variation in levels of solar radiation and precipitation.

false

True or false: Soils have an unlimited carbon storage capacity True False

false

What are some negative consequences of the Green Revolution? Describe at least one consequence for each the environment, equity and economics.

groundwater contamination, lowered conditions for farmworkers, increased production costs

Describe several differences between a natural ecosystem like a tallgrass prairie and an intensive agricultural ecosystem.

natural ecosystem: greater biodiversity, closed system, year-round plant cover industrialized ecosystem: less fertile soil, high nutrient outputs, high energy inputs, decreased biodiversity

Facilitation

one species increases the growth of another species through wide range of processes

What are different human threats to soil?

overgrazing, overcropping, and deforestation

Complementarity

species vary in resource use in space or time, leading to greater resource utilization