Soil and Weathering Concepts - Session 6

A sustainable farming system blending fish raising (aquaculture) and soilless plant growth (hydroponics). Fish waste nourishes plants, and plants filter the water for the fish.

High water efficiency, using only 1/6th of water compared to traditional agriculture. Produces 6-8 times more food per acre. Avoids soil-borne diseases and eliminates reliance on chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

Requires significant initial investment and expertise in both fish and plant management.

An ecosystem-based approach to managing pests with minimal environmental impact. Uses a combination of natural predators, crop rotation, resistant varieties, and limited use of pesticides.

IPM has been successful globally, with examples like reducing pesticide use by over 50% in Sweden and Denmark.

The aerobic decomposition of organic waste to create nutrient-rich soil amendments. Reduces landfill waste and methane emissions while improving soil health and fertility.

Reduces landfill waste and methane emissions. Enhances soil structure, water retention, and fertility. Minimizes reliance on synthetic fertilizers and improves carbon storage in the soil.

Integrating trees and shrubs with crops or livestock. Enhances biodiversity, reduces erosion, and sequesters carbon through deeper roots and biomass accumulation.

The gradual breakdown of rocks into smaller particles, like soil.

1. Physical weathering: Rocks break down due to forces like temperature changes, abrasion, or frost.
2. Chemical weathering: Rocks break down through chemical reactions, like minerals reacting with water or air.
3. Biological weathering: Rocks break down by living organisms like plants or burrowing animals.

1. Hormonal control: Microorganisms influence plant hormones for better growth.
2. Disease protection: They fight off harmful microbes that can damage plants.
3. Nutrient availability: They make nutrients in the soil easier for plants to absorb.

1. Soil structure: Improve its texture and stability.
2. Nutrient availability: Make nutrients easier for plants to use.
3. Disease protection: Protect plants from harmful microbes.
4. Decomposition: Break down dead matter to create humus, a rich soil component.

Soil acts as a major carbon sink, storing more carbon than the atmosphere. Plants absorb carbon during photosynthesis, and when they decompose, carbon goes into the soil. Some carbon is lost back to the atmosphere, but healthy soil management can store more.

1. Deforestation: Removes trees, leading to soil erosion and loss of fertility.
2. Salinization: Salt buildup in the soil, making it unusable for plants.
3. Compaction: Soil becomes too dense, hindering air and water flow.
4. Erosion: Topsoil is lost due to wind or water, leaving behind infertile land.

1. Irrigation systems: Allow farmers to water crops even in dry areas.
2. Synthetic fertilizers: Provide nutrients to plants efficiently.
3. Synthetic pesticides: Control pests and diseases in crops.

1. Soil degradation: Loss of organic matter, compaction, and reduced fertility.
2. Water contamination: Runoff from fertilizers and pesticides pollutes water sources.
3. Biodiversity loss: Habitat destruction and decline in pollinator populations from monoculture farming.
4. Greenhouse gas emissions: Agriculture contributes to climate change through methane and nitrous oxide release.

A land-use system that integrates trees and shrubs with agricultural crops and/or livestock, creating benefits for both the environment and the farmer.

Common agroforestry practices include silvopasture (trees and livestock), riparian buffers (trees along waterways), and windbreaks (trees for wind protection).

Conservation tillage reduces soil disturbance by leaving crop residues on the soil surface, leading to improved carbon sequestration, reduced erosion, better moisture retention, and lower labor needs.

Mob grazing mimics natural grazing patterns by concentrating livestock in smaller areas for shorter periods followed by longer recovery periods. This promotes even manure distribution, deeper root growth, and increased plant diversity.

A watershed, or drainage basin, is the area of land that collects water and drains it into a specific water body, such as a stream, lake, or wetland.

Global freshwater use has increased significantly due to various factors, including population growth, improved living standards, changing consumption patterns (like increased meat consumption), and expansion of irrigated agriculture.

Depletion of groundwater can lead to several negative consequences, including land subsidence, reduced water availability for human use and ecosystems, increased salinity, saltwater intrusion, and decreased water quality.

Clean energy technologies require more materials than fossil fuel ones. Ambitious climate goals will increase metal demand.

Different metals have varying demand risks based on their role in specific technologies.

Despite increased recycling, mining remains essential for supplying critical minerals for the energy transition.

Analyzes environmental impacts of metals throughout their entire life cycle, including production, use, and end-of-life.

High-value materials incentivize recycling due to their economic worth.

Advanced physical and chemical techniques ensure effective metal recovery during recycling.

Organized systems improve material separation and recycling rates by making it easier to sort and reuse materials.

A diverse and adaptable infrastructure supports the recycling of various metals.

Shale oil, extracted from oil shale rock by mining and heating. Tar sands, a mixture of bitumen, sand, and clay, processed with water and energy. Extra-heavy oil, found in Venezuela, highly viscous and difficult to extract.

Low net energy yield, meaning you get less energy out than you put in. High environmental impact, due to mining and processing.

High water usage is required for processing. Significant greenhouse gas emissions are released during production.

Expensive to extract due to its viscosity and location. Short lifespan of wells, as the oil is difficult to pump efficiently.

Intermittency, meaning that their output is unpredictable due to weather variability and time of day.

Energy storage: Batteries, pumped hydro, or thermal storage to balance supply and demand. Demand response programs: Encouraging flexible energy use during peak production times. Grid modernization: Smart grids to integrate diverse energy sources and improve reliability.

Increased resource efficiency can lead to higher consumption of the resource due to reduced costs and increased usage.

Direct: Efficiency lowers costs, increasing consumption of the same service. Indirect: Savings are redirected to other energy-intensive goods or services.

A group of 17 metals essential for high-tech and clean-energy products. They possess unique properties like magnetism, luminescence, and strength, making them crucial for renewable energy technologies, LED technologies, and electronics. Despite their name, they are not rare but are chemically similar, making separation difficult.

Geographically concentrated in three countries: Australia, Chile, and China. Primarily extracted from salt brines and hard rock deposits. China dominates refining, converting lithium into lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide for batteries. Limited distribution creates a tight market despite its abundance in the Earth's crust.

1. Infrastructure Development: Urbanization and industrialization require metals for construction and transportation. 2. Electronic Revolution: Growth in consumer electronics and digital technologies fuels demand for specialty metals. 3. Shift to Renewable Energy: Transition to clean energy technologies depends heavily on metal-intensive materials.

1. Land Degradation: Mining alters landscapes, destroys ecosystems, and restricts land use. 2. Water Pollution: Acid mine drainage contaminates water sources with sulfuric acid and toxic metals, harming aquatic life and human health. 3. Air Pollution: Mining releases dust, particulates, and harmful emissions, impacting air quality and causing respiratory problems.

Clean energy technologies require more materials than fossil fuels. Ambitious climate goals will significantly increase demand for metals.

Different metals have varying demand risks based on their role in specific clean energy technologies.

Despite increased recycling, mining remains crucial for supplying critical minerals for the energy transition. It's essential for meeting the increasing demand driven by clean energy technologies.

Analyzes the environmental impacts of metals throughout their entire life cycle, including production, use, and end-of-life. It helps assess the overall environmental footprint of metals from cradle to grave.