Agricultural Practices PDF

​ Tragedy of the commons- The tendency of a shared, limited resource to become depleted if it is not regulated in some way. ​ Externality- The cost or benefit of a good or service that is not included in the purchase price of that good or service, or otherwise accounted for. ​ Rangelan...

​ Tragedy of the commons- The tendency of a shared, limited resource to become depleted if it is not regulated in some way. ​ Externality- The cost or benefit of a good or service that is not included in the purchase price of that good or service, or otherwise accounted for. ​ Rangelands- Dry, open grasslands primarily used for grazing cattle. ​ Forest- Land dominated by trees and other woody vegetation and sometimes used for commercial logging. ​ Clear-cutting- A method of harvesting trees that involves removing all or almost all of the trees within an area. ​ Selective cutting- The method of harvesting trees that involves the removal of single trees or a relatively small number of trees from the larger forest. ​ Ecologically sustainable forestry-An approach to removing trees from forests in ways that do not unduly affect the viability of other noncommercial tree species. ​ Tree plantation- A large area typically planted with a single fast-growing tree species. ​ Endangered Species Act- A 1973 U.S. law designed to protect plant and animal species that are threatened with extinction, and the habitats that support those species. ​ Subsistence farming- Farming for consumption by the farming family and maybe a few neighbors. ​ Industrial agriculture (Agribusiness)- Agriculture that applies the techniques of mechanization and standardization to the production of food. Also known as agribusiness. ​ Green Revolution- A shift in agricultural practices in the twentieth century that included new management techniques and mechanization, as well as the triad of fertilization, irrigation, and improved crop varieties, that resulted in increased food output. ​ Economies of scale- The observation that average costs of production fall as output increases. ​ Organic fertilizer- Fertilizer composed of organic matter from plants and animals. ​ Synthetic fertilizer (Inorganic fertilizer)- Fertilizer produced commercially, normally with the use of fossil fuels. Also known as inorganic fertilizer. ​ Waterlogging- A form of soil degradation that occurs when soil remains under water for prolonged periods. ​ Salinization- A form of soil degradation that occurs when the small amount of salts in irrigation water becomes highly concentrated on the soil surface through evaporation. ​ Pesticide- A substance, either natural or synthetic, that kills or controls organisms that people consider pests. ​ Insecticide- A pesticide that targets species of insects and other invertebrates that consume crops. ​ Herbicide- A pesticide that targets plant species that compete with crops. ​ Broad-spectrum pesticide- A pesticide that kills many different types of pest. ​ Selective pesticide (Narrow-spectrum pesticide)- A pesticide that targets a narrow range of organisms. Also known as narrow-spectrum pesticide. ​ Monocropping- An agricultural method that utilizes large plantings of a single species or variety. ​ Energy subsidy- The fossil fuel energy and human energy input per calorie of food produced. ​ Plowing- The process of digging deep into the soil and turning it over. ​ Tilling- The preparation of soil through a variety of activities including plowing but also including stirring, digging, and cultivating. ​ Slash-and-burn agriculture (Shifting agriculture)- An agricultural method in which land is cleared and farmed for only a few years until the soil is depleted of nutrients. Also known as shifting agriculture. ​ Aquifer- Pore spaces found within permeable layers of rock and sediment underneath the soil that store groundwater. ​ Unconfined aquifer- Porous rock covered by soil. ​ Confined aquifer- Surrounded by a layer of impermeable rock or clay, which impedes water flow to or from the aquifer. ​ Water table- The uppermost level at which the groundwater in a given area fully saturates the rock or soil. ​ Groundwater recharge-The process by which water from precipitation percolates through the soil into groundwater. ​ Spring- Water that naturally percolates up to the surface. ​ Artesian well- A well created by drilling a hole into a confined aquifer. ​ Water footprint- Total daily per capita use of fresh water for a country or the world. ​ Furrow irrigation- A form of irrigation where the farmer digs trenches, or furrows, along the crop rows and fills them with water. ​ Flood irrigation- A form of irrigation where an entire field is flooded with water. ​ Spray irrigation- A form of irrigation where water is pumped into an apparatus that contains a series of spray nozzles. ​ Drip irrigation- A form of irrigation where a slowly dripping hose on the ground or buried beneath the soil delivers water directly to the plant roots. ​ Cone of depression- An area surrounding a well that does not contain groundwater. ​ Fungicide- A pesticide that specifically targets fungi (the plural of fungus). ​ Rodenticide- A pesticide that specifically targets rodents. ​ Persistent pesticides- Pesticides that remain in the environment for years to decades. ​ Nonpersistent pesticides- Pesticides that break down relatively rapidly, usually in weeks to months, and have fewer long-term effects but because they must be applied more often their overall environmental impact is not always lower than that of persistent pesticides. ​ Integrated pest management (IPM)- An agricultural practice that uses a variety of techniques to minimize pesticide inputs. ​ Pesticide resistance- A trait possessed by certain individuals that are exposed to a pesticide and survive. ​ Concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO)- A large indoor or outdoor structure designed for maximum occupancy of animals and maximum output of meat. ​ Manure lagoon- Human-made pond lined with rubber built to handle large quantities of manure produced by livestock. ​ Free range grazing- Allowing animals to graze outdoors on grass for most or all of their lifecycle. ​ Nomadic grazing- The feeding of herds of animals by moving them to seasonally productive feeding grounds, often over long distances. ​ Overgrazing- Excessive grazing that can reduce or remove vegetation and erode and compact the soil. ​ Desertification- Transformation of arable, productive, low-precipitation land to desert or unproductive land due to climate change or destructive land use such as overgrazing and logging. ​ Fishery- A commercially harvestable population of fish within a particular ecological region. ​ Fishery collapse- The decline of a fish population by 90 percent or more. ​ Bycatch- The unintentional catch of nontarget species while fishing. ​ Crustal abundance- The average concentration of an element in Earth’s crust. ​ Ore- A concentrated accumulation of minerals from which economically valuable materials can be extracted. ​ Metal- An element with properties that allow it to conduct electricity and heat energy and to perform other important functions. ​ Reserve- In resource management, the known quantity of a resource that can be economically recovered. ​ Strip mining- The removal of overlying vegetation and “strips” of soil and rock to expose underlying ore. ​ Mine tailings- Unwanted waste material created during mining including mineral and other rock residues that are left behind after the desired metals are removed from the ore. ​ Open-pit mining- A mining technique that creates a large visible pit or hole in the ground. ​ Mountaintop removal- A mining technique in which the entire top of a mountain is removed with explosives. ​ Placer mining- The process of looking for minerals, metals, and precious stones in river sediments. ​ Subsurface mining- Mining techniques used when the desired resource is more than 100 m (328 feet) below the surface of Earth. ​ Urbanization- The process of making an area more urban, which means increasing the density of people per unit area of land. ​ Urban area- An area that contains more than 386 people per square kilometer (1,000 people per square mile). ​ Suburbs- Areas that surround metropolitan centers. ​ Exurbs- Similar to suburbs, but are not connected to any central city. ​ Saltwater intrusion- An infiltration of salt water in an area where groundwater pressure has been reduced as a result of a cone of depression from extensive pumping of wells. ​ Impervious surface- Pavement or other surfaces that do not allow water penetration. ​ Urban sprawl- Urbanized areas that spread into rural areas. ​ Urban blight- A lack of support for and deterioration of urban communities. ​ Sense of place- The feeling that an area has a distinct and meaningful character. ​ Urban runoff- Runoff, water that does not evapotranspire or infiltrate the soil, that occurs in an urban area. ​ Ecological footprint- A measure of the area of land and water an individual, population, or activity requires to produce all the resources it consumes and to process the waste it generates. ​ Carbon footprint- A measure of the total carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emissions from the activities, both direct and indirect, of a person, country, or other entity. ​ Sustainability- Being able to use a resource or engage in an activity now without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to engage in similar activities later. ​ Sustainable development- Development that balances current human well-being and economic advancement with resource management for the benefit of future generations. ​ Maximum sustainable yield (MSY)- The largest quantity of a renewable resource that can be harvested indefinitely. ​ Environmental indicators- Describe the current state of an environmental system or the Earth. ​ Anthropogenic- Derived from human activities. ​ Crop rotation- A crop-planting strategy in which different types of crop species are planted from season to season or year to year on the same plot of land. ​ Intercropping- An agricultural technique that calls for physical spacing of different crops growing at the same time, in close proximity to one another, to promote biological interaction. ​ Biocontrol-A shortened term for biological control, it uses biological organisms to control agricultural pests. ​ Natural predators- Predators that occur naturally in the environment. ​ Sustainable agriculture- 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. ​ Soil conservation- The prevention of soil erosion while simultaneously increasing soil depth and increasing the nutrient content and organic matter content of the soil. ​ Agroforestry- An agricultural technique in which trees and vegetables are intercropped.  ​ Windbreaks-An agricultural technique that literally plants tall objects that “break” the wind and prevent soil erosion. ​ Strip cropping- An agricultural method of planting crops with different spacing and rooting characteristics in alternating sets of rows to prevent soil erosion. ​ Contour plowing- Plowing and harvesting parallel to the topographic contours of the land. ​ Terracing- An agricultural technique where farms shape sloping land into step-like terraces that are flat. ​ Perennial plants- Plants that live for multiple years and do not need to be replanted at the beginning of each growing season. ​ No-till agriculture- An agricultural method used in fields of annual crops where farmers do not till or plow the soil between seasons. ​ Green manure- Plant material deliberately grown in a field with the intention of plowing it under at the end of the season. ​ Limestone- A calcium carbonate sedimentary rock that has been ground up or crushed for easy application as a fertilizer. ​ Rotational grazing- The rotation of farm animals to different pastures and fields to prevent overgrazing. ​ Organic agriculture- The production of crops in a way that sustains or improves the soil, without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. ​ Delaney Clause- A clause in the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act designed to prevent potentially harmful cancer-causing food ingredients. ​ Reforestation- The natural or intentional restocking of trees after clear-cutting to repopulate the forest, reduce erosion, and begin the process of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. ​ Sustainable forestry- A methodology for managing forests so they provide wood while also providing clean water, maximum biodiversity, and maximum carbon sequestration in both trees and soil. ​ Prescribed burn- When a fire is deliberately set under controlled conditions, thereby decreasing the accumulation of dead biomass on the forest floor. 1. Which has contributed to urban sprawl over the past 50 years? ✅ Increased construction of highways ​ Highways make it easier to commute from suburban areas, encouraging people to move away from urban centers. 2. Which of the following would be an example of the tragedy of the commons? ✅ Farmers who siphon water from a county aqueduct for irrigation ​ This is an example of overuse of a shared resource, leading to depletion. 3. How much land would be required to support a person who only eats lamb? ✅ 0.24 ha ​ Since it takes 12 kg of grain to produce 1 kg of lamb, we multiply the land needed for grain by 12: 0.02 ha×12=0.24 ha0.02 \text{ ha} \times 12 = 0.24 \text{ ha}0.02 ha×12=0.24 ha 4. How much nitrogen came from agricultural activities in the Chesapeake Bay? ✅ 126 million pounds ​ This answer depends on the pie chart, but agricultural activities are often the largest contributor to nitrogen pollution. 5. What other substance might be found in higher quantities in water with increased CAFOs? ✅ Growth hormones ​ CAFOs use hormones to increase livestock growth rates, which can enter waterways through manure runoff. 6. How to reduce manure from CAFOs? ✅ Incorporate free-range grazing ​ Free-range grazing reduces manure concentration by spreading waste over a larger area, reducing runoff. 7. No-till agriculture and contour plowing decrease: ✅ Loss of topsoil ​ These methods prevent erosion by maintaining soil structure. 8. Which parameter increases the ecological footprint of free-range cattle vs. CAFO cattle? ✅ Amount of land needed ​ Free-range cattle require more space compared to confined feedlots. 9. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) order: ✅ B, C, A, D​ (Physical trapping/removal of pests → Select pest-resistant varieties → Targeted pheromones → Spraying of pesticides) 10. Strategy that increased farmland productivity globally? ✅ Mechanization of farming ​ Use of machines improves efficiency and crop yields. 11. How to determine percent change in water use from 2016 to 2017? ✅ Use the formula: New Value−Old ValueOld Value×100\frac{\text{New Value} - \text{Old Value}}{\text{Old Value}} \times 100Old ValueNew Value−Old Value​×100 89−9999×100=−10.1%\frac{89 - 99}{99} \times 100 = -10.1\%9989−99​×100=−10.1% ​ Water use decreased by 10.1%. 12. How to protect soil for water filtration? ✅ Use of contour farming ​ Helps prevent soil erosion and improves water infiltration. 13. Open-ocean aquaculture and invasive species: ✅ Escaped fish ​ Non-native fish can spread diseases and outcompete local species. 14. Forestry method leading to hypoxic/anoxic river conditions? ✅ Likely clear-cutting (whichever diagram shows total deforestation) ​ Clear-cutting increases runoff, which leads to excess nutrients in water, causing oxygen depletion. 15. A common benefit of Integrated Pest Management (IPM): ✅ Human health improvements ​ IPM reduces pesticide use, lowering chemical exposure risks. 16. Cause of the trend in Canada's rural population decline? ✅ An increase in industrial and urban jobs led to a decrease in people living in rural areas. ​ Economic shifts caused migration from rural to urban areas. 17. Why was the decrease in rural population less dramatic from 1971 to 2011? ✅ Factors causing the previous trend continued but became more gradual. ​ Urbanization slowed but did not reverse. 18. What percent of Canada’s population was urban in 1981 (if the population was 24.8 million)? ✅ 18.6 million ​ If 25% of the population lived in rural areas, then: 24.8×0.75=18.6 million in urban areas24.8 \times 0.75 = 18.6 \text{ million in urban areas}24.8×0.75=18.6 million in urban areas