MES 1

Overgrazing

--Compacts soil and damages structure- decreases water infiltration, decreases aeration, invasive species out compete native species, decreases grass growth and survival --Removes native grass, exposes bare topsoil, wind and water erosion, invasive species out compete native species, decreases grass growth and survival

Soil degradation by percentage

-1% industrialization 7% over exploitation 28% cropland agriculture 30% deforestation 34% over grazing -3.4% soil structure problems 9.7% chemical problems 41.8% wind erosion 45.2% water erosion

Mayan Empire population densities

-300 C.E.130: 250/mi^2 -900 C.E.1,300: 26,000/mi^2

Ecological footprint

-A(n) ______ expresses environmental impact in terms of the cumulative area of land and water required to provide the resources a person consumes. -Higher per capita income=Higher ecological footprint USUALLY, World average 2.7 (U.S. 9.4, Belgium 5.1, Japan 4.9, Russia 3.7, Mexico 3.4, Brazil 2.4, China 2.1, Ethiopia 1.4, India .9) -Global footprint was exceeded in 1985, We must downsize to maintain homo-sapiens life on Earth

Soil degradation solutions

-Actively participate in the soil conservation programs. -Maintain a vegetation cover especially in the vulnerable areas (i.e. steep slopes, arid areas). -Maintain livestock grazing rate to prevent overgrazing. -In cultivation areas, crop rotation should be used to prevent the soil becoming exhausted.

Succession and Agriculture

-Agricultural ecosystems are immature ecosystems, so they are continually subject to natural processes of ecological succession that change them in the direction of mature natural ecosystems. -Modern society uses intensive human inputs to prevent ecological succession from altering its agricultural ecosystems.

Monoculture

-Agricultural practice of producing or growing a single crop or plant species over a wide area and for a large number of consecutive years. -Pros: Saving money with less labor & automation (technology/machinery at work). -Cons: Not adaptable, do not reproduce naturally, only one growing species is unnatural, diversity destroyed, more susceptible to pests, often leads to use of pesticides and GMO's, alienates people from farming

Soil degradation

-An evolution that occurs when soil loses its quality and productivity. -Most important environmental issue. -Most stable soil is in the far Northern hemisphere -Water can cause soil erosion. Rainfall is an example of water causing soil erosion. -Wind can also cause soil erosion. The lack of permanent vegetation cover in certain locations can cause soil erosion due to the wind. -Human activities such as farming, logging, and constructions also cause soil erosion.

Baby Boomers

-Between 1946-1964 more than 76 million babies born in U.S. -Equals higher taxes for Social Security and Medicare in future. -Fewer working age people available to support the elderly as time elapses from 1950-2050 -The ratio of working-age citizens between ages 15 and 64 supporting those age 65 and older is currently five to one in the U.S. By the year 2050 this ratio will drop to three to one. With fewer people available to hire, expect to see more seniors in the workforce.

Factory Farms

-Factory farming usually involves raising livestock in a small, confined area. -Animal cruelty and substandard production techniques -Health risks from hormones, antibiotics and chemicals fed to animals

Uneven global food distribution

-Food is not equally distributed -850 M malnourished people alive today -Food prices are rising -Corporate control of seeds undermines small scale farmers

China's declining population issues

-Must now strive to meet the rising demand for health care services and retirement benefits due to a rapidly aging population. -One Child Policy, which has resulted in the so-called "4-2-1″ phenomenon (the one child grows up to support two parents and four grandparents) -Less female births=Less care for elderly for future generations, (1.06 male(s)/female (2010 est.) (World average: 1.01 male(s)/female)

Succession

-New, unintended organisms move in & diversify; Process that follows the disturbance of an ecosystem -(Secondary Succession- abandoned agricultural area or deforested site resulting in bare soil)

Exponential growth

-No species can maintain exponential growth indefinitely, some may grow exponentially for a time while colonizing an unoccupied environment or exploiting an unused resource. -Ex. The whooping crane since their protection in 1940- 15 to 180 adults & pollen accumulation rate (Scots pine colonization), Darwin's elephant as a slow-breeding example

Soil degradation consequences

-Soil erosion can lead to poor crop growth and yield reductions in areas of fields. -Loss of soil fertility through depletion of plant nutrients in top soil. -Soil quality, structure, stability and texture can be affected by the loss of soil. -Eroded soil can end up as sediment in nearby surface waters where it can pollute water that could potentially kill fish and other species.

Pioneer species

-The first hardy species (generally microbes) that colonize an area (I.e. - Lichens, moss- able to tolerate harsh conditions creating patches of organic material where debris accumulates providing soil where seeds are able to germinate, Communities become more diverse and competitive, The environmental conditions change and become richer, there is increased moisture and nutrient availability and shelter for species.) -Eventually evolves to climax vegetation

Primitive diet

1% whole cereal grains 99% vegetables, fruits, roots, legumes & nuts

Logistic population growth (4 points)

1. Acceleration 2. Inflection Point 3. Deceleration 4. Steady State Ex. Number of Paramecium, Number of Barnacles

Thermodynamics (laws 1&2)

1. Energy is constant 2. You cannot break even (you cannot return to the same energy state, because there is always an increase in disorder; entropy always increases). Entropy always strives to a max

"the golden rule" (3 points)

1. Natural Environment 2.Economic Vitality 3.Healthy Communities

Pesticides on Crops Cycle

1.Pests attack crops 2.Pesticide is applied 3.Most pests killed, few resist & survive 4.Survivors breed and reproduce 5.Pesticide reapplied 6. Stronger pests still endure

Human population growth trends

1000-1400: Steady population, No growth, No decline 1400-1600: Population Decline, Bubonic Plauge occurs 1600-1800: Steady population 1800-2000: Population grows exponentially, Industrial Rev. occurs (1950-2000: Growth more exponential, Medical and scientific advances reduce morality)

Modern diet

18% Refined/artificial sugar, sweeteners 23% vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts 59% Refined grains

Loss of crop variety

75% reduction since 1900, Leads to GMO's (NO!NO!)

Drip irrigation

A drip irrigator is a system that allows the precise application of water directly onto the root system of a plant. A drip irrigation system uses point sources to create predetermined patterns for the release of water into the ground. These types of irrigation systems maintain the proper amount of moisture in areas that may be negatively impacted by runoff or areas that receive high amounts of wind and sun exposure.

Center-pivot irrigation

A method of irrigation, used mainly in the western U.S., in which water is dispersed through a long, segmented arm that revolves about a deep well and covers a circular area from a quarter of a mile to a mile in diameter.

DDT

A powerful insecticide that is also poisonous to humans and animals. It remains active in the environment for many years and has been banned in the United States for most uses since 1972 but is still in use in some countries in which malaria is endemic.

Terracing

A series of terraces, esp one dividing a slope into a steplike system of flat narrow fields

Climax Community

A stable, mature community in a successive series in which the vegetation is at equilibrium with the environment and there is no further influx of new species.

No-till farming (zero tillage)

A system for planting crops without plowing, using herbicides to control weeds and resulting in reduced soil erosion and the preservation of soil nutrients. More work intensive, good modern approach for farming while preserving soil, less water used.

Fertility rates

Africa 5.0, Latin America/Caribbean 2.5, Asia 2.4 (China 1.5), Oceania 2.1, North America 2.0, Europe 1.5

Biomass

Amount of living material in a living organism

2050

Based on fertility: Constant- 11 B, High- 10.5 B, Medium- 9 B, Low-8

2150

Based on fertility: High- 25 B, Medium 10 B, Low 4 B

GMOs cons and pros

CONS: -Introducing allergens and toxins to food -Accidental contamination between genetically modified and non-genetically modified foods -Antibiotic resistance -Adversely changing the nutrient content of a crop -Creation of "super" weeds and other environmental risks PROS: -Increased pest and disease resistance -Drought tolerance -Increased food supply

K=?

Carrying Capacity, final stage of logistic growth

limiting factors

Constrains exponential growth of any species or organism; physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the environment prevent never-ending growth.

Population Growth and Wealth

Country's with higher fertility rates and higher rates of population growth are less developed, less education, poorer nations. (Ex. Ethiopia, Nigeria)

Energy sustainable agriculture

Crop Rotation- growing different crops in succession in the same field. Cover Crops- preventing soil erosion,suppressing weeds, and enhancing soil quality. Reduces need for herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers. Soil Enrichment- leaving crop residues in the field after harvest, plowing under cover crops, or adding composted plant material or animal manure. Natural Pest Predators- using the ecosystem to one's advantage, instead of killing it with toxins Biointensive Integrated Pest Management- biological rather than chemical measures; responses include the use of sterile males, biocontrol agents like ladybugs.

Randomness

Energy no longer available; (similar meaning to entropy); seemingly wasted but not actually

Crop rotation

Growing different crops in succession: a system of farming in which a piece of land is planted with different crops in succession, in order to improve soil fertility and control crop pests and diseases

Intercropping

Growing different crops together: the growing of two or more crops with Different characteristics and requirements at the same time on the same plot of land.

Human population densities

Higher in coastal regions of ALL continents

Successional Trends

Increasing diversity, Increasing biomass, Decreasing rate of biomass accumulation, Decreasing energy devoted to reproduced or competition (ex.size toxicity), increasing sustainability, increasingly closed nutrient cycles.

Population pyramids Examples

Kenya- Rapid growth, Niger- Rapid Growth, Madagascar- Rapid growth, U.S.- Slow growth, Sweden- Stable, Singapore- Declining, Canada- Declining, China- Declining

Green washing

Labeling products as sustainable, when in fact they are not. Example Terms: Free Range, Cage Free

Coal

Main power source in China since 1980's

Sustainability

Meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs

Biological pest control

Method of controlling pests (including insects, mites, weeds and plant diseases) using other living organisms. Ex. Ladybugs

Household Size

More developed countries have smaller household sizing, thus utilizing more resources. Household size in general is decreasing with time.

Density independent factor

Natural Disasters

Neonicotinoids

Neuro-active insecticides chemically related to nicotine. First new class of insecticides introduced in the last 50 years, and the neonicotinoid is the most widely used insecticide in the world today. Negatively affects pollinators.

Cultural Etrophication

Occurs when man speeds up the aging process of a body of water by allowing excessive amounts of nutrients in such forms as sewage, detergents, and fertilizers to enter the ecosystem.

World population rankings

Other Nations(2.8 B), China(1.4 B), India(1.2 B), U.S.(312 M), Indonesia(239 M), Brazil(195 M), Pakistan(189 M), Bangladesh(167 M), Nigeria(142 M), Russia(141 M), Japan(127 M), Mexico(112 M)

Population

People in place: all of the people who inhabit an area, region, or country

Organic foods

Produced using methods of organic farming that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Organic foods are also not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.

Shelterbelts

Protective row of trees: a row of trees or bushes built to protect crops from strong winds

Density dependent factors

Resources, Predators/Parasitism, "Territoriality"

The triple bottom line (3 points)

Seeks to combine environmental protection, economic well-being, and social equity

Gully erosion

Soil erosion produced by running water

Civet Cat

Source of the SARS respiratory epidemic

Consumer pyramid (top-down)

Tertiary Consumers, Secondary Consumers, Primary Consumers, Primary Producers. Ten percent energy decrease in each level bottom-up.

Conventional irrigation

The artificial application of water to land to assist in the production of crops.

Rill erosion

The formation of numerous, closely spaced rills due to the uneven removal of surface soil by streamlets of running water.

Pesticide biomagnification

The increase in concentration of a substance that occurs in a food chain by persistence

Eutrophication

The process by which a body of water acquires a high concentration of nutrients, especially phosphates and nitrates, typically promoting excessive growth of algae. As the algae die and decompose, high levels of organic matter and the decomposing organisms deplete the water of available oxygen, causing the death of other organisms, such as fish. A natural, slow-aging process for a water body, but human activity greatly speeds up the process.

Bio-magnification

The process by which the concentration of toxic substances increases in each successive link in the food chain.

Ecology

The study of the relationships between living organisms and their interactions with their natural or developed environment

Contour farming

The tilling of sloped land along lines of consistent elevation in order to conserve rainwater and to reduce soil losses from surface erosion. These objectives are achieved by means of furrows, crop rows, and wheel tracks across slopes, all of which act as reservoirs to catch and retain rainwater, thus permitting increased infiltration and more uniform distribution.

Overweight adults

US 61% Russia 54% UK 51% Germany 50% Colombia 41% Brazil 36% China 15%

Corn

US biggest agricultural output

Environmentalism

_____ is a social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world from the undesirable changes brought about by human actions.

Soil degredation

industrialization 1%, over exploitation 7%, cropland agriculture 28%, deforestation 30%, overgrazing 34%

Food problems worsening

population increasing, agricultural land decreasing, Nitrogen fertilizer use increasing, food production increasing