Iowa's Agriculture and Land Dynamics

Iowa's mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees Celsius.

Approximately ______ of Iowans live in urban settings.

Which of the following counties in Iowa has the largest population?

What is the approximate number of farms in Iowa as reported by the USDA NASS in 2020?

Match the county with its approximate acreage covered by farms in 2018.

The number of farms in Iowa has been consistently decreasing over the past 30 years.

What is the approximate percentage of Iowans with a BS/BA degree (25 years or older)?

What is the approximate percentage of land in Iowa covered by farms?

According to Lee's premise, the success of plant growth is crucial for:

Soil degradation is directly related to the loss of plant productivity, meaning desirable plants struggle to grow as well as before.

Identify two roles that soil plays in facilitating gas exchange for plants.

The soil profile of Fayette, an extensive soil found in several Midwestern states, is characterized by distinct ______ horizons.

Match the following soil functions with their descriptions:

What is the estimated loss of farmland in Iowa each year?

Iowa has lost less than 1 million acres of prime farmland to non-farm uses over the past 40 years.

Which of these soil types is the most prevalent in Iowa?

What is the average CSR2 rating for Iowa's soils?

Iowa's corn and soybean yields in 2018 were ______ and ______ bu/acre, respectively.

Which of the following are key factors contributing to land degradation in Iowa, as discussed in the text?

Iowa's corn and soybean yields have been consistently decreasing over the past few decades due to soil degradation.

What is the estimated number of acres of prime farmland lost in Iowa annually?

Iowa has approximately ______% of the world's arable land.

Match the following soil types with their characteristics:

What is the primary reason cited in the text for the decline in the number of traditional farms in Iowa?

Iowa's agricultural production is sufficient to feed its entire population, with a surplus that could potentially feed a much larger number of people.

Explain the connection between low prices and the potential for land degradation, as described by Lee's rule of thumb.

The ancient civilization of Mesopotamia, located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, is considered the ______ of agriculture.

Match the following historical events related to Mesopotamia with their approximate dates:

Which of the following factors contributed to the decline of Mesopotamia as a self-sustaining breadbasket?

The historical example of Mesopotamia provides evidence that civilization is inherently unsustainable and prone to collapse, regardless of societal advancements.

What is the estimated increase in Iowa's food calories by 2083, based on the projected yield growth rate?

The average CSR2 rating for Iowa's soils is ______, with the best soils having a rating of 100.

Match the following soil characteristics with their descriptions:

Which of the following statements about Iowa's agricultural future is most accurate based on the provided information?

Which of the following crops were cultivated in ancient Greece?

Olive trees can live for up to 1,500 years but the typical lifespan is closer to 500 years.

What was the primary reason for the switch from cereal production to grape and olive cultivation in ancient Rome?

The ______ River in China is a major source of erosion due to agricultural practices.

Match the following historical civilizations with their primary agricultural challenges:

What is the primary reason for the significant erosion in the Chinese Loess Plateau?

China has successfully managed to eliminate soil erosion through large-scale restoration efforts.

What is China's current strategy to address the challenge of food production?

According to Bill Jury's rule of thumb, ______ cubic meters of water are required to produce 1 ton of grain.

The Yellow River has never run dry due to its constant water source.

What is a major environmental concern in the Imperial Valley in southern California?

What is the primary reason for the decline in snowpack in California's mountains?

One way to mitigate the impact of erosion along the Yellow River has been to build ______ along its banks.

The Dust Bowl in the Great Plains of the United States was primarily caused by excessive rainfall leading to flooding.

What is the central question that the course "Agron 282, Soil Conservation & Land Use" seeks to answer?