module 33 masis

Vulnerability to Desertification - Certain regions of the world are much more vulnerable to desertification than others. - Note the strong correlation between ---- areas (e.g. the American west) and vulnerability to desertification. - ---- : The transformation of arable, productive land to desert or productive land due to climate change or destructive land use.

arid desertification

Alternative Farming Techniques Alternatives techniques for farming animals and fish are becoming more popular: - Free-range --- and --- are becoming increasingly popular. - Free-range meat is more likely to be ----. - Free-range farming does not require --- and disposal of massive quantities of manure. - Free-range animals are less likely to spread --- ; the use of antibiotics and other medications can be reduced or eliminated. - Free-range farming uses --- land and cost is significantly higher than CAFOs.

beef chicken sustainable treatment disease more

IPM Biological Controls - ---- --- in IPM refer to the use of predatory species to control pest populations (regulating service). - Biological controls are typically cheap from a --- viewpoint, but can be expensive from an --- perspective if they are not implemented correctly. - The biological control species can attack nontarget, beneficial, native species. - Example: cane sugar farmers in Queensland Australia introduced the cane toad to predate the cane beetle which was eating their crops. The plan backfired and the toads ate everything besides the beatles and proved toxic to native fauna.

biological controls financial ecological

Agroforestry Case Study: Cocoa - ---- --- are a staple crop across many parts of Africa and South America, but cocoa trees are ----growing and require large amounts of ---- to grow. - Traditional indigenous practices focus on growing cocoa trees alongside taller species to form a mixed environment. - The taller trees provide shade that keeps temperatures --- and therefore help retain soil ---- for the cocoa plants. - The shade also suppresses the growth of sun-loving --- species. - The taller trees also provide --- for birds that provide --- control services.

cocoa trees short water cooler moisture weed habitat pest

Composting for Fertilizer - ----: Creation of organic matter (humus) by decomposition under controlled conditions to produce an organic-rich material that enhances soil structure, cation exchange capacity, and fertility. - Synthetic fertilizers are very effective but have severe environmental drawbacks such as ----. - Composting provides an alternative to the use of synthetic fertilizers, allowing for the reuse of organic matter and improving ----. - Composting can be done at the --- or --- level.

composting eutrophication sustainability residential industrial

Traditional Farming Techniques - Industrial agriculture is now considered ----, but alternatives to industrial farming methods are gaining more attention. - When cost of labor is not the most important consideration, traditional farming techniques such as ---- agriculture and nomadic ---- may be economically viable, but are not always sustainable. - one form of traditional farming, -- --- relies on land clearing to enrich soil for crops. such methods can be effective, but have significant environmental impacts

conventional shifting grazing shifting agriculture

example of sustainable agriculture - similar to intercropping, --- --- promotes synergy between crops. - for example, growing peas one year and improve soil nitrogen content and improve corn harvest the following season - ---- uses trees grown along crops to provide climate control for crop soils through shading, reducing evaporation and erosion. plus, trees can provide firewood and fruit

crop rotation agroforestry

Commercial Salmon Harvest in the Alaska Fishery - After a peak harvest in 1940, overfishing led to a --- in the number of fish caught. - In 1973, fishery managers introduced a system of individual transferable quotas. - By 1980, the fishery had ---.

decline rebounded

Organic Agriculture - In the developed world, organic farming has increased in popularity over the past 3 decades. Principles of organic agriculture: - Use --- principles and work with natural systems. - Keep ---- matter and nutrients in the soil and on the farm. - Avoid the use of synthetic ---- and synthetic pesticides. -> Since organic farmers do not use pesticides, they are less likely to use --- -- agriculture, relying on tilling to kill insect pupae at the cost of greater erosion. - Maintain soil by increasing soil ----, biological activity, and beneficial chemical properties. - Reduce the adverse environmental effects of agriculture. - --- --- : production of crops without the sue of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers

ecological organic fertilizers no-till mass organic agriculture

monocropping vs. intercropping - intercropping may not be as ---- as monocropping, but it drastically ---- biodiversity and allows ---- between species like nitrogen-fixing crops such as ---- plants and those that require more fertile soils like wheat or ----.

efficient improves synergy pea corn

Local Farming - Locally grown produce provides multiple ---- and --- benefits. Environmental: - Reduced ---- of products → fewer carbon dioxide emissions from transport and reduced carbon footprint. - Local farms tend to use more --- practices like IPM and reduced pesticides. Economic: - Reduced transportation costs → lower prices for ----. - Revenue remains --- and supports --- farming operations.

environmental economic transportation sustainable customers local small

More Sustainable Fishing - Many countries around the world have developed fishery management plans with international agreements. - --- --- --- (ITQ): A fishery management program in which individual fishers are given a total allowable catch of fish in a season that they can either catch or sell. - ----: Farming aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish, and seaweeds. - Aquaculture involves ---- an aquatic ecosystem. It usually requires keeping the organisms in ---. - Proponents of aquaculture believe it can alleviate some pressure on overexploited fisheries and provide protein for the more than 1 billion people. - Critics of aquaculture point out that it can create many ---- problems.

individual transferable quota aquaculture constructing enclosures environmental

The Role of IPM in Sustainability - ---- --- ----- (IPM): An agricultural practice that uses a variety of techniques designed to minimize pesticide inputs. Sustainable Agricultural Strategies in IPM - Crop rotation - Intercropping - Planting pest resistant crop varieties (e.g. GMOs) - Creating habitats for predators - Limited use of pesticides - ----: a destructive insect or other animal that attacks crops, food, livestock, etc.

integrated pest management pest

Sustainable Agriculture - ----: An agricultural method in which two or more crop species are planted in the same field at the same time to promote a synergistic interaction. - --- ---: An agricultural technique in which crop species in a field are rotated from season to season to promote synergy. - ---- : An agricultural technique in which trees and vegetables are intercropped to promote synergy. - --- ---: An agricultural technique in which plowing and harvesting are done parallel to the topographic contours of the land. - --- --- ---- : An agricultural method in which farmers do not turn the soil between seasons as a means of reducing topsoil erosion. - --- --- : A method of farming whereby "steps" known as terraces are built onto the slopes of hills and mountains to reduce erosion and nutrient loss. - ----: the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects. - --- -- : Agriculture that fulfills the need for food and fiber while enhancing the quality of the soil, minimizing the use of nonrenewable resources, and allowing economic viability for the farmer.

intercropping crop rotation agroforestry contour plowing no-till agriculture terrace farming synergy sustainable agriculture

Nomadic Grazing - ---- --- : The feeding of herds of animals by moving them to seasonally productive feeding grounds, often over long distances. - Traditionally, nomadic grazing was the only way to use soils with ---- productivity. - Moving grazing animals provided time for vegetation to -----. - These traditional techniques only work well under ---- human population density and can rapidly ---- soils and habitats when used excessively.

nomadic grazing low regenerate low degenerate

Protecting Non-Target Aquatic Species - Bottom trawling is a ---- ---, environmentally disruptive fishing practice. - A ---- --- --- (BRD) is any gear or trawl modification designed to allow finfish to escape from a shrimp trawl. - BRDs include turtle excluder devices (TEDs) that help to remove sea turtle bycatch from fishing trawl operations.

non-targeting bycatch reduction device

Fishery Collapse in the Northwestern Atlantic - The ---- ---- fisheries were among the most productive in the world. - Overfishing by international fleets of factory ships led to a catastrophic ---- of fish stock, particularly cod and pollock, by the early 1990s. - The fisheries were forced to --- and the Canadian and US governments placed a --- on bottom trawling.

northwestern atlantic depletion close mortatorium

Global Distribution of Soil Degradation - Soil degradation is a global problem caused by ----- as well as agricultural mismanagement. - Sustainable agriculture offers an alternative to help ---- the world's population without destroying the ----, ---- the environment and ---- biodiversity.

overgrazing feed land polluting reducing

No-Till Agriculture - Conventional agriculture of annual plants such as wheat and corn relies heavily on ---- and tilling (e.g. digging and stirring), which overturn and aerate soil. - This kills ---- and insect pupae but also increases --- and the rate of --- in the soil. - No-till agriculture tends to rely on ---- plants and leaves soil --- . This reduces CO2 emissions as well as erosion and improves water retention. - --- --- : a plant that lives for multiple - ---- --- : a plant that lives only one season

plowing weeds erosion decomposition parennial undisturbed parennial plant annual plant

IPM Techniques - IPM seeks to ---- chemical controls (e.g. pesticides) that can have long-lasting, pervasive impacts on the environment and promote less environmentally impactful biological and physical control techniques. - --- --- : Mechanical and temperature control of weeds and seed banks. -> ---can disrupt weed growth, but increases erosion. -> --- can suppress weeds and repel insect pests -> ---- and burning can heat kill pests, especially weeds

reduce physical control tilling mulching solarization

Integrated Pest Management Effects of IPM training: (a) IPM training of farmers in Indonesia led to a significant ---- in pesticide applications. (b) Yield ---- also occurred after the training because of the additional attention the farmers gave to their crops. - IPM offers ---- and --- benefits.

reduction improvements environmental economic

Aquaculture Advantages - Provides --- , consistent fish crop. - ---- wild populations from fishing pressures. - Creates ---- and can stimulate local, state or federal economies. Disadvantages - Concentrates fish stock in a small area → concentration of nutrient pollution, antibiotics and fish waste. - Barriers can break and non-native fish can --- . - Many favored species (salmon, tuna, tilapia) are --- fish that require feeding and are inefficient. - Parasites are an issue due to high concentration (eg. sea lice for farm-raised salmon).

reliable protects jobs escape predatory

Shifting Agriculture - --- ---: An agricultural method in which land is cleared and used for a few years until the soil is depleted of nutrients. - Relies on "--- --- ---" agriculture in which trees and vegetation are cut down, placed onto piles and burned, generating ash rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium to enrich the soil and stimulate crop growth. - --- will be used intensively for several seasons, then abandoned. - This often results in soil degradation and desertification. - --- --- : the loss of some or all of a soil's ability to support plant growth - ---- : the transformation of arable, productive land to desert or unproductive land due to climate change or destructive land use

shifting agriculture slash-and-burn plot soil degradation desertification

Contour Plowing and Terrace Farming - ----: By following the natural topography of a landscape, contour plowing reduces habitat disruption and erosion. - ----: terrace farming follows the same ideas to control erosion but applies them to more mountainous terrain. - This may reduce --- for farming because you cannot develop ---- rows of crops for easy harvesting, but the environmental and economic benefits of reduced soil ---- are significant.

top below efficiency striaght erosion