Agriculture in Southern Ontario

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Questions and Answers

What is a major factor contributing to the loss of agricultural land in Southern Ontario?

Urban sprawl (correct)

Climate change

Increased agricultural productivity

Declining soil fertility

What type of land class has Southern Ontario the highest percentage of?

Class 4

Class 1 (correct)

Class 3

Class 5

Which of the following factors most significantly drives the pricing of agricultural land compared to development land?

Potential for urban development (correct)

Access to irrigation systems

Size of the farmland

Demand for organic produce

What has been one of the effects of the Green Revolution?

Decreased poverty and malnutrition Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of income do Americans typically spend on food?

10% Signup and view all the answers

What is the order of the waste reduction hierarchy?

Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Signup and view all the answers

Which type of recycling involves converting materials into different products?

Secondary recycling Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about recycling paper is true?

Recycling paper consumes 64% less energy compared to new production. Signup and view all the answers

What does source separation in waste management typically aim to encourage?

Decreased landfill waste Signup and view all the answers

What is the percentage of plastics currently recycled in the U.S.?

7% Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary factor contributing to species extinction according to the content?

Loss of habitat Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to maintain biodiversity in ecosystems?

Ecosystems provide crucial services that support human life. Signup and view all the answers

Which species has experienced population declines due to hunting and habitat loss?

Miss Waldron's red colobus monkey Signup and view all the answers

What proportion of food supply is estimated to come from insect-pollinated plants?

One third Signup and view all the answers

Which international treaty focuses on protecting endangered species?

Convention on International Trades in Endangered Species (CITES) Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant consequence of overexploitation of species?

Disruption of ecosystem balance Signup and view all the answers

What strategy can help protect species from extinction?

Establishing wildlife refuges Signup and view all the answers

What role do birds play in ecosystems?

They perform critical ecosystem and economic services. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of laws can help reduce species extinction rates?

National environmental laws and international treaties Signup and view all the answers

What has been reported about the global bird species?

70% of the species are declining. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of preserving genetic material of endangered plants in seed banks?

To prevent extinction and maintain biodiversity Signup and view all the answers

Which technique is NOT used for preserving endangered terrestrial species?

Aquaculture Signup and view all the answers

How does increasing human population growth contribute to the extinction of wild species?

It leads to habitat destruction and overexploitation. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant risk posed by hazardous waste?

It poses a threat to human health and the environment. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the 'cradle-to-grave' approach in waste management?

Tracking the entire life cycle of a product from creation to disposal. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary concern regarding electronic waste (e-waste)?

It can lead to the loss of valuable resources. Signup and view all the answers

What does 'low-waste approach' refer to in waste management?

Refusing and reducing waste generation. Signup and view all the answers

Which of these waste management strategies involves using multiple methods for waste handling?

Integrated waste management Signup and view all the answers

What is one effect of shipping hazardous waste to other countries?

It can pose risks to environmental health in developing countries. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about the impact of urbanization on biodiversity is correct?

Urbanization leads to habitat loss and increased species extinction. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of waste-to-energy incinerators?

To heat water or produce electricity Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a disadvantage of sanitary landfills?

They can release greenhouse gases Signup and view all the answers

Which method utilizes microorganisms to remove or detoxify hazardous waste?

Bioremediation Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary source of acid rain?

Coal-burning power plants Signup and view all the answers

What is the main problem associated with surface impoundments?

Volatile organic compound emissions Signup and view all the answers

Which gas is primarily associated with the formation of industrial smog?

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of the troposphere?

Holds 75-80% of Earth's air mass Signup and view all the answers

How long do substances typically remain in the atmosphere related to acid deposition?

2-14 days Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the major threats posed by acid deposition to aquatic ecosystems?

Lowers pH balance, harming aquatic life Signup and view all the answers

What is an advantage of using phytoremediation to detoxify hazardous waste?

Utilizes natural processes with plants Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Agriculture

Southern Ontario has fertile soil and a favorable climate that supports agriculture.
Over half of Southern Ontario's agricultural land is considered Class 1, the highest quality.
Urban sprawl is a threat to agricultural land, with nearly 200,000 acres lost between 1976 and 2006.
Developers offer farmers significantly more money for agricultural land than its agricultural value, making development more appealing.
The average farmer in America feeds 129 people.
Agribusiness is a powerful industry with annual sales exceeding those of the auto, steel, and housing industries.
Americans spend 10% of their income on food.
Industrialized food production requires massive energy inputs, accounting for 20% of all energy use.
Most of the energy used in agriculture is nonrenewable, relying on oil and natural gas.
The Green Revolution, spearheaded by Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, increased crop yields and reduced poverty and malnutrition.
The Green Revolution's methods, like monoculture, fertilizers, pesticides, and overexploitation, negatively impact the environment.

Biodiversity & Extinction

Habitat loss is the primary threat to species.
Bees play a crucial role in pollination, and their decline is a major issue due to Colony Collapse Disorder, which affects 30-50% of bee colonies annually.
The extinction of wild species threatens ecosystem and economic services, including food, fuel, lumber, and medicine.
It takes millions of years for nature to recover from large-scale extinctions, with estimates suggesting it will take 5-10 million years to restore biodiversity after this century's extinctions.
Some believe that species have an inherent right to exist regardless of their usefulness to humans.
Illegal activities such as poaching and smuggling threaten species for animal parts, pets, and plant-based products.
The demand for bushmeat in West and Central Africa threatens wild populations, driving some to extinction, such as Miss Waldron's red colobus monkey.
Many species, including monkeys, apes, antelope, elephants, and hippos, are threatened by hunting pressure.
Bird species are declining globally, with 70% facing a decrease in population.
Birds are indicator species, responding rapidly to environmental changes and serving as important indicators of environmental health.
Birds are vital for ecosystem and economic services, and their extinction could impact many other species.
Organizations like CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) aim to protect species and ecosystems.
Wildlife refuges and preserves are essential for protecting habitats and species, such as Point Pelee National Park.
Seed banks, botanical gardens, and wildlife farms help preserve species and genetic material.
Techniques for preserving endangered terrestrial species include egg pulling, captive breeding, artificial insemination, embryo transfer, incubators, and cross-fostering.
The destruction and degradation of habitats, harmful invasive species, human population growth, pollution, climate change, and overexploitation are accelerating species extinction.

Waste Management & Solid Waste

Solid waste primarily includes industrial solid waste from mines, farms, and industries, and municipal solid waste (MSW) generated by households.
Hazardous waste is a serious threat to human health and the environment and includes organic compounds, toxic heavy metals, and radioactive waste.
North Americans produce 338 kg of garbage per person, with waste management costs at $1.5 billion.
Electronic waste (e-waste) is the fastest growing solid waste problem, consisting of valuable materials like plastics and metals, as well as toxic pollutants.
The Basel Convention bans the transfer of hazardous wastes from developed to developing countries.
The European Union implements a cradle-to-grave approach, addressing the entire life cycle of products.
Living in a high-waste society wastes valuable resources and creates environmental burdens.
Waste management approaches include high-waste approaches like burying, burning, and shipping, and low-waste approaches like refusing, reducing, reusing, recycling, rethinking, and recovering.
Integrated waste management combines various strategies for handling waste.
Waste reduction can be achieved through refusing, reducing, reusing, and recycling.
Composting uses bacteria to decompose biodegradable waste.
Recycling can be done in two ways: primary, or closed-loop, recycling, where materials are recycled into the same type; and secondary recycling, where materials are converted into other products.
Pre-consumer waste is generated internally during manufacturing, while post-consumer waste is generated from product use by consumers.
Materials-Recovery Facilities (MRFs) can encourage increased trash production.
Source separation encourages recycling by charging fees for garbage collection based on the amount of waste produced.

Recycling

Recycling paper conserves energy, reduces water and air pollution, and saves resources.
Plastics are made from resins derived from oil and natural gas, making them difficult to recycle due to the variety of plastic types.
Recycling plastic has a low rate of success, with only 7% recycled in the U.S.

Waste Disposal

Waste-to-energy incinerators burn waste to heat water or produce electricity, but they produce air pollution and require disposal of toxic chemicals.
Sanitary landfills bury waste in compacted layers between clay or foam with liners and containment systems to prevent leakage, although they are expensive and can also release greenhouse gases.
Open dumps are common in less-developed countries, posing health risks and environmental damage.
The advantages of sanitary landfills include low operating costs, capacity to handle large amounts of waste, potential reuse of filled land, and availability of landfill space.
Disadvantages include noise, traffic, dust, greenhouse gas emissions, and groundwater contamination.

Hazardous Waste Management & Remediation

Physical methods like distillation, filtration, and precipitation can remove or detoxify hazardous waste.
Chemical methods use chemical reactions to transform hazardous waste.
Bioremediation employs bacteria or enzymes to break down hazardous waste.
Phytoremediation utilizes plants or algae to absorb and remove hazardous waste.

Surface Impoundments

Surface impoundments offer low cost, quick construction, and potential for waste retrieval.
However, they also pose risks of groundwater contamination, air pollution, disruptions from natural disasters, and promote waste production.

Air Pollution

Air pollution occurs when chemicals in the atmosphere reach concentrations harmful to living things, ecosystems, human-made materials, and climate.
Natural sources of air pollution include windblown dust, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and organic vapors from plants.
Human sources include stationary sources like power plants and industrial facilities, mobile sources like motor vehicles, and organic compounds from plants.
Primary pollutants are emitted directly into the air, while secondary pollutants result from reactions between primary pollutants.

Acid Deposition

Acid rain, mainly from coal-burning power plants and motor vehicle emissions, threatens human health, ecosystems, forests, and structures.
Acid deposition occurs when sulfuric acid and nitric acid compounds form in the atmosphere, reaching the earth in wet forms (rain, snow, fog) or dry forms (particles).
Acid deposition can last in the atmosphere for 2-14 days.
Acid deposition impacts human health through respiratory problems, releases of toxic metals, and contamination of food sources.
Aquatic ecosystems experience lower pH levels leading to organism death, while forests and buildings suffer damage.

Acid Deposition Prevention & Cleanup

Reducing coal use, using low-sulfur coal, replacing coal with natural gas and renewable energy, and taxing sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions can help prevent acid deposition.
Cleanup methods include adding lime and phosphate fertilizer to neutralize acidified lakes, and lime to soils.

Smog

Industrial smog, caused by coal burning, and photochemical smog, from motor vehicles, industrial facilities, and power plants, combine in the atmosphere to create smog.

Transboundary Air Pollution

Air pollution travels across borders, with pollutants able to circle the globe in two weeks.
International cooperation is crucial to address air pollution, including stricter standards and cleaner fuels.

Atmospheric Layers

The troposphere is the closest layer to Earth, containing about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, driving weather and climate patterns.
The stratosphere contains less water than the troposphere, but is home to the ozone layer, which filters harmful ultraviolet radiation.
The ozone layer is vital for life on Earth.

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Description

Explore the dynamic agricultural landscape of Southern Ontario, where fertile soils and favorable climates contribute to successful farming. This quiz delves into the challenges posed by urban sprawl, the impact of agribusiness, and the advancements brought by the Green Revolution in agriculture. Test your knowledge about the agricultural practices and trends in this region.