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CPSC 116 2ND
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| the bright spots on the sun are called... | sun spots |
| scientists use ______ to break down the different colors coming from the sun | prisms |
| how did scientists determine the different gases that make up the sun? | they looked what gases absorbed what colors, which said what the gas makeup was |
| the sun is mostly made of.... (2) | hydrogen and helium |
| what is a hydrogen atom? | an electron orbiting a proton |
| you determine an element by the number of ________ | protons |
| thermonuclear fusion: | a process, taking place on the sun, that uses hydrogen to create rays and energy |
| where does thermonuclear fusion take place? | on the sun |
| a thermonuclear fusion reaction needs a lot of _______ | heat/energy |
| most organisms depend on the _____ for energy | sun |
| solar energy is essential for 2 reasons: | warmth and photosynthesis |
| 3 types of rays (from the sun) that are reaching Earth's surface: | ultraviolet, visible, infrared |
| 10% of rays reaching earth's surface is _______ | ultraviolet |
| most of the energy that reaches Earth's surface goes where? (2) | absorbed into land or water, or reflected back into space |
| only 1-2% of the sunlight falling on plants is captured for _________ | photosynthesis |
| minute compartments in a living organism that carry out processes of life are called ______ | cells |
| 2 details about cells: | surrounded by lipid membrane controlling flow of materials in and out of the cell, interior is sub-divided into organelles and sub-atomic particles |
| where does photosynthesis take place in the plant cell? | chloroplasts |
| photosynthesis equation: | 6H 20+6CO 2 + solar energy = C 6H 12O 6+6O |
| water and carbon dioxide in the presence of sunlight yields what two things? | sugar and oxygen |
| _______ serves as primary fuel for all metabolic processes in plant cells | glucose |
| a plant that grows upon another plant or object is called a _______ | epiphyte |
| do epiphytes grow upon other trees in a parasitic way? | no |
| photosynthesis captures energy, while what process releases it? | cellular respiration |
| what process splits carbon and hydrogen atoms from the sugar molecule and recombine them with oxygen to re-create carbon dioxide and water? | cellular respiration |
| cellular respiration formula: | C6H12O6 + 6O2 = 6H2O +6CO2 + energy |
| thermodynamics: | energy must be supplied from an external source to keep biological processes running |
| how many laws are there in thermodynamics: | 2 |
| first law of thermodynamics states... | energy is neither created nor destroyed |
| second law of thermodynamics states... | with each successive energy transfer, less energy is available to perform work |
| entropy: | with each successive energy transfer, less energy is available to perfrom work |
| what element fuels nuclear fusion? | hydrogen |
| energy flows in a _____-way path through living systems | one |
| photosynthesis is described as primary productivity because... | it is the basis for almost all other growth in an ecosystem |
| secondary productivity: | manufacture of biomass by organisms eating plants |
| a linked feeding series between organisms is called a.... | food chain |
| when most consumers have multiple food sources, that's called a... | food web |
| the expression of an organism's feeding status in an ecosystem is called the... | trophic level |
| trophic levels involve _______ and _______ | consumers and producers |
| are plants producers or consumers? | producers |
| consumers are divided into what three groups? | primary, secondary, and tertiary |
| most terrestrial food chains are relatively ______ | short |
| most aquatic food chains are relatively ______ | long |
| due to the second law of thermodynamics, food chains often form what shape? | inverted pyramid |
| 10% rule | 10% of the energy is carried into the next level |
| biomes: | areas sharing similar climate, topographic and soil conditions, and roughly comparable communities |
| what are the two most important determinants in biome distribution? | temperature and precipitation |
| most terrestrial biomes are identified by the dominant _____ of their communities | plants |
| what biome is the most complex and biologically rich? | tropical moist forests |
| why aren't the soils in tropical rainforests very nutrient dense? | because 90% are in living organisms |
| broad-leaved deciduous forests: (2) | temperate regions support lush summer plant growth when water is plentiful, have an adaptation to freezing temperatures |
| what did European settlers do to forests when they arrived? | cut them down and used them for timber |
| temperate grasslands: (5) | Communities of grasses and seasonal herbaceous flowering plants, few trees due to inadequate rainfall, large daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations, thick organic soils, much converted to farmland |
| swamps vs. marshes: | swamps have trees, marshes do not |
| bogs/fens: | waterlogged soils that tend to accumulate peat |
| wetlands: (3) | land surface is saturated with water at least part of the year, water usually shallow enough to allow full sunlight penetration, they trap/filter water and store runoff |
| conservation of wetlands is very important due to.... | rich biodiversity |
| wetlands are breeding grounds for ______ | birds |
| wetlands make up less than 5% of land area, but contain 33% of __________ species | endangered |
| _______ are one of the greatest areas of concern for biologists | wetlands |
| wetlands may gradually convert to ________ communities through succession | terrestrial |
| what did Midwestern farmers and European settlers do to ensure that some of the water in wetlands was carried out to nearby streams and rivers? | they made drainage ditches and channelizing streams |
| subsurface drainage pipes: | installed to increase drainage of wetlands |
| what were most subsurface drainage pipes made of? (2) what were these materials called? | concrete or clay, called "tile" |
| in the 1850s, who purchased 1000 ft of clay tile to make subsurface drainage pipes? | Henry F. French |
| most drainage pipes today are made of what material? | perforated polyethylene tubing |
| surface inlets or intakes: | risers extended from underground pipes to the surface |
| what do surface inlets/intakes do? | remove excess surface water from low spots in fields |
| ecosystems modified to produce fiber, food, and shelter are called _________ | agroecosystems |
| agroecosystems: (2) | foundation for human societies, resulted in major changes in Earth's environment |
| by examining natural ecosystems, we attempt to _____ them | protect/preserve |
| an example of an agroecosystem is a ____/_______ rotation (crop names) | corn/soybean |
| 4 purposes of an agroecosystem: (4 F's) | food, feed, fiber, fuel |
| the idea of agroecosystems is to work with the _______ | environment |
| worldviews: | basic beliefs that are used to make sense of the world around us |
| adopting a worldview upon oneself can strongly influence our _______ | behavior |
| domination of nature: | a worldview that regards humans as superior to nature and says we can use other organisms in any way that we choose |
| a philosophy that says humans have a responsibility to maintain and care for nature: _________ | stewardship |
| stewardship | a philosophy that says humans have a responsibility to maintain and care for nature |
| who invented public parks? | Fredrick Law Olmsted |
| what did Fredrick Law Olmstead invent? | public parks |
| stewardship and domination of nature are both examples of ____________ | worldviews |
| what city in Illinois was regarded as the best examples of Olmstead's requirements for suburbs? | Riverside, Illinois |
| what did Olmstead want suburbs to look like? | |
| what book did Fredrick Olmstead publish? | Walks and Talks |
| who's responsible for the creation of Central Park? | Fredrick Olmstead |
| environmentalism: | active participation in attempt to solve environmental and resource problems |
| humans have always inhabited both the ______ world and the ______ world | natural, social |
| 2 types of environments: | circumstances or conditions that surround organisms, the complex of social/cultural conditions that affect an individual or community |
| 4 distinct perspectives of the environmentalist perspective: | pragmatic resource conservation, moral/aesthetic nature preservation, concern about health or ecological damage, global environmental citizenship |
| are the 4 distinct perspectives of the environmentalists mutually exclusive? | no |
| Olmstead argued for the abolition of _______ using his environmental view | slavery |
| who wrote "Man and Nature," illustrating pragmatic resource conservation? | George Perkins Marsh |
| pragmatic means ________ | practical |
| what did "Man and Nature" do? | put the idea of conservation into the minds of Americans |
| George Perkins Marsh influenced who (2 people) to care more about the environment? | Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot |
| what type of conservationist was Theodore Roosevelt? | Pragmatic Utilitarian Conservation |
| why did Teddy Roosevelt want to preserve nature? | so people could benefit off of it for a long period of time |
| USFS stands for... | US forest service |
| who said "Nature deserves to exist for its own sake - regardless of degree of usefulness to humans"? | John Muir |
| biocentric preservation: | Nature deserves to exist for its own sake - regardless of degree of usefulness to humans |
| who is considered to be the father of wildlife management? | Aldo Leopold |
| modern environmentalist movement: | industrial explosion of WWII added new concerns to the environmental agenda |
| if you view land only as something to be used and taken advantage of, will you take good care of it? | no |
| who wrote Silent Spring? | Rachel Carson |
| Silent Spring defined modern __________ | environmentalism |
| in the 1960s and 70s, the environmental agenda expanded to include... (6) | human population growth, atomic weapons testing, fossil fuel issues, recycling, air and water pollution, wilderness protection |
| did people take Silent Spring seriously when it was first published? | no |
| was Rachel Carson respected? | no |
| what British scientist first displayed signs of global warming? | Phil Jones |
| is Silent Springs fiction or non-fiction? | fiction |
| what does COP stand for? | conference of the parties |
| what chemical was Rachel Carson concerned about (mainly)? | DDT |
| what does the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change do? | meets every year in a global session where decisions are made to meet goals for combating climate change |
| increased technology has greatly expanded international ____________ | communications |
| the current human population is about ___ billion | 8 |
| what are some serious environmental issues today? (5) | water scarcity, food insecurity, fossil fuel dependency, air quality, loss of biodiversity |
| what are 5 signs of environmental hope? | population has started to stabilize, less harmful diseases, deforestation has slowed, more renewable resources are being used, citizen-lead democracies are increasing |
| “Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." | sustainable development |
| what is sustainable development? | meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. |
| many ecologists view continual growth as _______ due to limits on resources | impossible |
| two reasons why continual sustainable growth may be impossible: | limits imposed by nonrenewable resources, the capacity of the biosphere to absorb wastes |
| Native Americans are often the most _______ in the world | rejected |
| what group of people could benefit to sustainable development because of their vast knowledge of nature/habitats? | Native Americans |
| what group is feeling the worst effects of environmental degradation? | Native Americans |
| agriculture made the switch from natural ecosystems to... | agroecosystems |
| when was the Homestead Act made? | 1862 |
| what did the Homestead Act regulate? (2) | said an applicant could apply for 160 acres of surveyed government land, but never could have borne arms against the US government in the past |
| three requirements of the homestead act: | applicant had to have lived on the land for 5 years, build a 12 by 14 dwelling, and grow crops |
| what act repealed the Homestead Act? | the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 |
| what were some of the problems with the plains in the Midwest? (5-6) | wind, blizzards, plagues, few trees, limited water and fuel, |
| did the original homesteaders stay long enough to fulfill the claim of the homestead act? | no |
| why didn't the original homesteaders stay long enough to fulfill the claim of the homestead act? | because 160 acres wasn't sufficient |
| who signed the Enlarged Homestead Act? what year? | Teddy Roosevelt, in 1909 |
| what did the Enlarged Homestead Act do? | changed the amount granted from 160 acres to 320 |
| did the Homestead Act give tenants good land? | no |
| what was the main tool used for cultivation in the 1930s? | the steel plow |
| what did farmers replace native plants with? | wheat crops that had weaker root systems |
| perennial plants means... | plants that live three or more years |
| 3 example of perennial Native Prairie Grasses: | Blue stem, Buffalograss, Prairie Cord Grass |
| 3 annual crop examples: | corn, wheat, sorghum |
| annual plant means... | plant that completes its life cycle in one year/growing season |
| two types of annuals: | winter and spring |
| which lives longer? annual or perennial? | perennial |
| what type of climate does the High Plains have? | semi-arid climate |
| a semi-arid climate primarily relies on _______ to bring water to the land | thunderstorms |
| in the 1930s, the semi-arid region experienced a ______ that lasted almost a decade | drought |
| as a result of native vegetation loss, _________ became higher than normal | temperatures |
| why did temperatures increase after a loss of native vegetation? | because of a loss in groundcover, so the Earth warmed faster |
| how much did temperatures rise in the High Plains after the 1930 drought? (how much hotter?) | 6 degrees hotter |
| when was the Dust Bowl? | 1930s |
| who established demonstrations projects of soil protection? | Hugh Hammond Bennett |
| the ______ _______ Service was made in an attempt to prevent more Dust Bowls | Soil Erosion |
| what was the main positive outcome of the Dust Bowl? | increased soil conservation |
| the 1930s-1960s was labeled as an era of... | "better living through chemistry" |
| when did DDT use begin? | 1939 |
| what was DDT first used for? what did it eventually get used for? | to kill body lice and prevent disease on soldiers, then was used to prevent widespread malaria |
| when were Organochlorines used? (2 yrs) | 1940s and 1950s |
| when was BT used? | 1960 |
| what does BT stand for? | Bacillus thuringiensis |
| did the Soil Erosion Service have much power/money to begin with? | no |
| Hugh Hammond Bennett said "if we take care of the land, it will..." | take care of us |
| what disease was DDT used to fight against originally? (not malaria) | typhus |
| mortality rates of Typhus are as high as ____% | 70 |
| the story of _____ shows a miraculous discovery in science | DDT |
| 4 details about the first assessments of synthetic insecticides: | effective, not toxic to plants, not as toxic to humans as many older poisons, inexpensive |
| DDT was used to treat household ______ | pests |
| Rachel Carson thought that people were using pesticides ________ in 1950 | carelessly |
| what DDT promoter would swallow a tablespoon of DDT in front of an audience to prove it's "safe"? | J. Gordon Edwards |
| biomagnification: | increased amounts of a chemical in organisms over time |
| what do Neonicotinoids do? | act on the nervous system of insects |
| _________ are among the most widely used insecticides worldwide, for their low impact on mammals | Neonicotinoids |
| the mode of action of Neonicotinoid is similar to the natural structure of _________ | nicotine |
| in 2015, did the US court rule to ban or allow the Neonicotinoid pesticide? | ban it |
| IPM stands for... | integrated pest management |
| integrated pest management: | the use of a range of practices that limit losses to pests while minimizing environmental damage, human health risks, and costs |
| 4 tactics of IPM: | biological control, cultural controls, pest-resistant varieties, regulatory programs |
| biological control: | manipulation of predators, parasites and pathogens by natural predators |
| did Rachel Carson want to ban chemicals? | no |
| 3 components of biological control: | importation, conservation, augmentation |
| 3 methods of cultural controls: | crop rotations, optimum planting dates, tillage |
| IPM lead to a prohibition of the worst ________, while emphasizing the "reduced risk" ones | pesticides |
| IPM lead to small gains in ______ crop varieties | resistant |
| impediments to nonchemical IPM in the U.S. (5) | chemical and mechanical infrastructure, expensive labor, vast acreage of crops, uncertainties about whether ALL pesticides are so bad, pesticides are easier to sell than knowledge |
| soils are affected by what types of processes? (3) | physical. chemical, and biological processes |
| biota means... | living things |
| 4 things that soil is made of? | water, air, organic material, minerals |
| what process breaks up soil into smaller pieces? | weathering |
| what three minerals are present in soil? | sand, silt, clay |
| how many textural groups of soils are there? (classified by presence of sand, silt, and clay) | 12 |
| what tool is used to label the makeup of soils? | soil triangle |
| diameter range of sand: | 0.05-2.0 mm |
| diameter range of silt: | 0.002-0.05 mm |
| diameter range of clay: | less than 0.002 |
| a sandy soil is _____% or more sand, and no more than 10% clay | 85 |
| a silty soil is _____% or more silt, and no more than 12% clay | 80 |
| a clay-rich soil is _____% or more clay, less than 45% sand and less than 40% silt | 40 |
| 3 characteristics of soil: | water holding capacity, nutrient holding capacity, infiltration rates |
| soil structure: | the arrangement of soil particles and the pore space between them |
| what is the glue that holds different sized particles together in soil? | organic matter/humus |
| organic matter in soil is called _______ | humus |
| organic matter in soil is about ____% carbon | 60 |
| the higher the organic matter level in soil, the higher the ______-holding capacity | water |
| organic matter holds _______ | water |
| what is the acronym for how soil is formed? | ClORPT |
| what does ClORPT stand for? | Climate, organisms, relief, parent material, time |
| what does relief mean when looking at soil formation? | topography |
| soil with high organic matter will be _____ | dark |
| older soils will have more prominent _________ | layers |
| _______ are the primary contributor of organic matter to the soil: | plants |
| steeper slopes prevent soil __________ | development |
| layers of soil are called _______ | horizons |
| soils are classified on their diagnostic ________ | horizons |
| pedons: | single body of soil, typically measured by 1x1x1 m |
| how many orders of soil are there? | 12 |
| what is the Illinois state soil called? | Drummer soil |
| most of US soil is classified as _______ | Mollisols |
| Mollisols are soils that were formed on ______ systems | grassland |
| 21.5% of US land area has what type of soil? | Mollisols |
| Illinois is mostly made up of what two soils? | Alfisols and Mollisols |
| what was Drummer soil named after? | Drummer Creek |
| are Drummer soils well-drained? | no |
| 5 functions of soils: | habitat for organisms, medium for plant growth, water supply/purification, engineering medium, recycling nutrients and organic waste |
| what could the possible 6th function of soil be? | a modifier of the atmosphere |
| T/F there are more microbes in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on Earth | true |
| soil _______ animal waste and plant residue, to use it for good | recycles |
| what process turns plant and animal waste into humus? | decomposition |
| soil recycling is important to get nutrients like... (3) | carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus |
| nutrient cycling: | nutrients move through different ecosystems in a cycle |
| 4 reasons soil is a good medium for plant growth: | holds water to support fauna and flora, insulates roots to protect them, helps retain nutrients for plant growth, physically supports them |
| layers of soils can _______ our water supply | filter |
| soil being an engineering medium means we can _____ on it | build |
| ____% of air content in soils is in optimum condition for plants | 25 |
| is there more soil in air or in soils? | soils |
| what two gases are exchanged between soil and air? | O2 and CO2 |
| ____-____% of carbon inputs are returned to atmosphere as CO2 | 60-80 |
| microbial respiration: | when carbon is returned to the atmosphere as CO2 |
| ___-___% of carbon is stored in the soil | 20-40 |
| 40-50% of soils are ______ soils | acidic |
| acidic soils are a major limitation of _____ production worldwide | plant |
| the pH scale goes from __-__ | 0-14 |
| the pH level is _____ when the concentration of hydrogen is smaller | higher |
| a pH of 5 is ___x more acidic than a pH of 6, and ___x more acidic than a pH of 7 | 10, 100 |
| (pH scale) the lower the number, the more _____ the substance is | acidic |
| 4 characteristics of optimal soil pH | neutral enough to solubilize phosphorus, acidic enough to get micronutrients, typically 6.0-6.5 for row crops, and lower for specialty crops that need iron |
| how does increased soil acidity limit crop production? (2) | aluminum becomes toxic, leading to poor water/nutrient uptake and root growth inhibition |
| low pH soils inhibit _________ | nitrification |
| low pH affects both the microbiomes in the soil and in the ________ of legumes | nodules |
| what is put into soil to rase the pH? | limestone |
| what is America's largest commercial limestone quarry called? | Thornton Quarry |
| ________ is a critical step in land preparation before crop planting | tillage |
| what is tillage? | the manipulation of the soil into a desired condition by mechanical means |
| what four things does tilling do? | incorporates residues and fertilizers, controls crop pests, provides a seedbed for seeding equipment, alters the physical conditions/temperatures of the soil |
| what animals were commonly used to power the steel plows? | horses |
| who invented the steam engine? | Thomas Savery |
| who perfected the steam engine? | James Watt |
| the steam engine was used heavily in what revolution? | Industrial Revolution |
| ______ is the missing link between engines and tractors | Lanz |
| the steam engine was replaced by tractors fueled by | kerosene |
| what does Buhler equipment do? | has a rod that stretches out to 70 ft wide, which plants and nurtures the crops |
| conventional tillage: (3) | helps control weeds and pests, moldboard plow with full soil inversion, all residue is buried |
| what is a moldboard plow? | a tool that flips and turns the soil over |
| two types of tillage: | primary and secondary |
| primary tillage: | chisel plow in the fall after harvest |
| secondary tillage: | disc or field cultivator in the spring |
| chisel plow: (2) | equipped with narrow double-ended shovels, or chisel points. the points rip through the soil and stir it but do not invert and pulverize it like the moldboard plow |
| ______ plows cause less residue disturbance than moldboard plows | chisel |
| chisel plows can till ______ or _______ | deep or shallow |
| coulter (disc): | used in the spring or fall to size and mix soil with residue, and level the field. designed for a shallow working depth |
| field cultivator: | equipped with narrow double-ended shovels, or chisel points. these rip through the soil and act as a mulch finisher to level the soil |
| what tool levels the soil? | field cultivator |
| what is one of the main problems with tillage? | increases soil erosion |
| soil erosion: | the breakdown and redistribution of soil particles by water, wind, or gravity |
| 3 causes of soil erosion: | water, wind, gravity |
| 3 types of soil erosion: | sheet/rill erosion, gullying, wind erosion and desertification |
| what is the order of soil erosion? (4 steps) | raindrops-->detachment-->transport-->deposition |
| water erosion is caused by... (2 things) | erosive power of raindrops falling on the soil or surface runoff |
| less severe forms of erosion is called what two things? | sheet or interrill erosion |
| 3 types of severe erosion (caused by runoff): | rill erosion, channel erosion, and gully erosion |
| crop ______ decreases soil erosion | residue |
| conservation tillage conserves at least ____% | 30 |
| soil conservation involves providing ground ______ | cover |
| why do annual row crops cause the highest rates of erosion? | they leave the soil bare for much of the year |
| increased ground cover reduces ______ rates | erosion |
| 3 examples of conservation tillage: | strip-till, no-till, ridge-till |
| any tillage practice that builds up crop residues on the soil surface to minimize the impact of water and wind erosion is called __________ tillage | conservation |
| no-till: | the soil is undisturbed by tillage during the entire year, crop residue is left |
| benefits of no-till method: (4) | more diverse biota, less prone to erosion, more organic matter, less atmospheric CO2 |
| strip-till: | retains a number of benefits of no-till, but disturbs the row using tillage practices only where the next crop will be planted |
| how does strip-tilling work? | the space between the rows is covered in residue, and only a very small area is disturbed |
| who brought in the Farm Bill? | Earl Butz |
| what did the Farm Bill do? | dramatically increased the amount of corn produced in America |
| what does farming "fence row to fence row" mean? | it means to plow up and plant every bit of land as possible |
| why did farmers begin taking advantage of the grain market in 1973? | because grain prices raised and they wanted to make as much money as possible |
| what animal was threatened after an increase in tilling? | ring-necked pheasant |
| a soybean field being eroded by rainfall is an example of _________ erosion | ephemeral |
| the USDA provides a number of incentive programs related to ___________ practices | conservation |
| what are contour buffer strips? | strips of perennial vegetation alternated down the slope with wider cultivated strips that are farmed on the contour |
| _______ buffer strips are usually narrower than the cultivated strips | contour |
| vegetation in contour strips consists of grasses or a mixture of grasses and ________ | legumes |
| grass waterways: | shaping a natural drainageway and establishing grass to prevent gullies from forming and carrying away runoff |
| strips of grass/trees/shrubs thar are made along bodies of water are called... | riparian vegetative buffers |
| what does CRP stand for? | Conservation Reserve Program |
| what does the Conservation Reserve Program do? | it's a voluntary program for agricultural landowners where you can long-term land covers on eligible farmland |
| what does CCC stand for? | Commodity Credit Corporation |
| what does the Commodity Credit Corporation do? | makes annual rental payments based on the agriculture rental value of the land, and provides cost-share assistance |
| the Greenhouse Effect: | greenhouse gases are the substances that trap heat |
| 5 examples of Greenhouse gases: | water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone |
| the amount of Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere affects the _________ of the Greenhouse effect | strength/intensity |
| how do plants reduce the greenhouse effect? | by absorbing carbon dioxide from the air |
| what is coal made of? | compacted fossilized plant material |
| when was most coal laid down? (what time period) | during the Carboniferous period (286-360 million years ago) |
| is the Greenhouse effect good or bad? | good |
| ________ activities increase the greenhouse effect by adding various greenhouse gases into the atmosphere | human |
| by burning fossil fuels, humans add _______ dioxide to the atmosphere | carbon |
| fossil fuels are made from _______ | carbon |
| since 1800, CO2 levels have increased by ___% | 27 |
| scientists have concluded that humans must reduce their C02 amount from ____ppm to ____ppm if they hope to preserve the planet | 385 to 350 |
| half of the increased CO2 levels since 1800 happened after what year? | 1959 |
| what scientist said we must greatly reduce our ppm levels if we want to conserve the planet? | James Hansen |
| what is the current ppm of atmospheric carbon (in Jan 2023)? | 419.47 |
| the process of capturing and storing atmospheric CO2 is called... | carbon sequestration |
| what is a method of carbon sequestration? | storing carbon in plant biomass and soil |
| what is the target level of carbon dioxide for humanity? | 350 ppm |
| carbon sequestration leads to improved soil ______ | health |
| carbon sequestration is a possible strategy to reduce... | climate change |
| what are 3 examples of carbon sequestration strategies? | conservation tillage, conservation riparian buffers, and grazing land management |
| there is a ______ feedback loop between plants and soil | positive |
| what is a pesticide? | Any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest. |
| what is a pest? | Organisms that diminish the value of resources in which man is interested |
| what is a weed? | a plant causing economic damage to a desired crop or animal |
| 7 types of pesticides: | herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, acaricides, rodenticides, molluscicides, nematicides |
| herbicide: | kill weeds or other plants that grow where they are not wanted |
| insecticides: | kill insects and other anthropods |
| fungicides: | kill fungi |
| acaricides: | kill mites and ticks |
| rodenticides: | kill rats, mice, and other small rodents |
| molluscicides: | kill snails and slugs |
| nematicides: | kill nematodes |
| what was used as a pesticide in China in 1101 AD? | soap |
| "The Green Revolution" began with the publication of... | Silent Spring |
| the "Roundup Ready" Soybean was... | a GMO resistant soybean |
| what crop is treated with the most pesticides? (2008) | corn |
| glyphosate and aldicarb were widely-regarded as a safe herbicides for awhile, but they were found to be _____ | toxic |
| DDT was mainly used to kill _________ | mosquitos |
| 4 common corn pests: | corn earworms, corn borer, corn ear rot, black cutworm |
| what plow causes the most disruption to soil? | moldboard plow |
| how much has the CO2 levels in the atmosphere increased since 1800? (percent) | 27% |
| what are the 8 components of IPM? | mechanical, cultural, sanitation, external factors, biological, chemical, economic, application |
| examples of mechanical control: (2) | tillage, manual weedinge |
| example of cultural control: | crop rotation |
| example of sanitary control in IPM: | sanitizing farm equipment to reduce the spread of pests |
| example of external factors in IPM: | availability of labor and agricultural inputs |
| example of biological control: | predatory insects |
| examples of chemical IPM control: | synthetic and organic products |
| example of economic choices in IPM: | cost-effective controls |
| 2 examples of application controls in IPM | equipment availability and training |
| point source pollution: | a type of pollution that is from an identifiable source |
| non point source pollution: | pollutants entering an environment from many places at once |
| pesticides are an example of ________ source pollution (non point/point) | non point |
| in what two seasons are herbicides applied? | fall and spring |
| why can springtime rain cause pesticides to become a non point source of pollution? | because the heavy rains can result in an influx of contaminants |
| herbicides can be washed away in what two ways? | surface runoff or tile drainage |
| ________ is often found contaminating surface waters | atrazine |
| atrazine: (2) | widely-used agrochemical in the U.S., pre-emergent herbicide used mainly in corn in the Midwest |
| what is atrazine mainly used on? | corn |
| how does atrazine work? | blocks electron transport and stops photosynthesis |
| why did farmers think that atrazine would only affect plants? (and not animals) | because it targets photosynthesis, which only occurs in plants |
| what is the most heavily used herbicide in the U.S.? | atrazine |
| where is atrazine mainly used? | the midwest |
| Atrazine's use on lawns is mainly in ________ and the _________ | Florida, Southeast |
| ______ million pounds of atrazine are applied annually | 76.4 |
| _____% of the total U.S. domestic usage of atrazine is on corn, with ____% on sorghum and sugarcane at ___% | 86, 10, 3 |
| ____% of the U.S. field corn acreage is treated with atrazine | 75% |
| atrazine formulations include... (7) | emulsifiable concentrate, flowable concentrate, water dispersible granular dry flowable), soluble concentrate, wettable powder, granular, and as a ready-to-use formulation |
| atrazine application methods include... (9) | ground boom sprayer, aircraft, tractor-drawn spreader, rights-of-way sprayer, hand-held sprayers, backpack sprayer, lawn handgun, pushtype spreader, and bellygrinder |
| what 925-sq mile lake is used frequently for agriculture? | Lake Decatur |
| Lake Decatur can reach 3ppb atrazine with only ___% runoff | 0.2 |
| _____ ______ can remove atrazine from water | carbon filtration |
| arsenic damages the _______ system | nervous |
| ____% of inorganic arsenic exposure comes from vegetables and fruits | 42 |
| early records indicate that arsenic insecticides were used where in 900 A.D.? | China |
| why was arsenic oxide used in Europe in 1699? | for ant bait |
| all insecticidal uses of ______ in the US were banned in 1988 | arsenic |
| what was used on chickens to promote growth and kill parasites (eventually banned)? | arsenic |
| is arsenic currently being used today? | no |
| what is chicken litter? | a mix of chicken manure, dead chickens, feathers, and spilled feed |
| what can chicken litter be used for? | fertilizer |
| maximum level for arsenic in raw rice is... | 0.3 mg/kg |
| how many pounds of atrazine is routinely applied to the Lake Decatur watershed? | 113,000 lbs |
| what is the current ppm rule for arsenic in drinking water? what was it before? | 10, 50 |
| when was an arsenic alternative found? (what year) | 1947 |
| water, either liquid or solid, covers ___% of the Earth's surface | 70 |
| 70% of the worlds surface is water, meaning its ____ million trillion gallons | 370 |
| ________ makes up a very small fraction of the Earth's water | freshwater |
| if 70% of the Earth is made up of water, why do we have scarcity issues? | because not all of it is available/accessible |
| less than ___% of all water is available to humans | 1 |
| general overview of hydrological cycle: (4 steps) | evaporates form the land, enters the atmosphere, condenses into rain, moves underground by infiltration from runoff |
| plants _______ to send water into the atmosphere | transpire |
| the process of _________ is very important for plants | transpiration |
| transpiration creates a ________ pressure gradient that helps draw water and minerals up through the plant through its roots | negative |
| _______ helps to keep plants cool in hot weather | transpiration |
| on average, each person uses ___-___ gallons of water per day, for only indoor home uses | 80-100 |
| what three areas does most individual water usage go? | shower, toilet, and faucet |
| what area of the US uses the most water? | northwest |
| why do people use more water in the West/Northwest? | because it's hotter and drier there, and water is used more indoor and outdoor |
| the average American family uses more than ____ gallons of water per day at home. ____% of this is indoors | 300, 70 |
| nationally, outdoor water use accounts for ____% of household water usage | 30 |
| outdoor water use is much higher in ____ climates | drier |
| water stress measurement: | less than 1,700 cubic meters per person has water per year |
| water scarcity measurement: | less than 1,000 cubic meters per person has water per year |
| acute water scarcity measurement: | less than 500 cubic meters per person has water per year |
| ____ countries in the world face "extremely high" levels of water stress | 36 |
| what does it mean when a country is facing "extremely high" levels of water stress | this means that more than 80% of available water is being used per year, making the risk of water scarcity in these regions remarkably high |
| 3 reasons for increased global water usage | population growth, increased food production to meet demand, and climate change |
| three dimensions of water scarcity: | scarcity in availability, in access, and in the lack of inadequate infrastructure |
| water availability means... | the amount in which fresh water of acceptable quality is available with respect to the demand |
| water access means... | the amount in which water is reliably supplied to its users |
| the lack of adequate infrastructure of water means... | the level of water resources, due to financial constraints |
| two different forms of water scarcity: | physical and economical |
| physical water scarcity: | when and where there is not enough water to meet both human demands and those of ecosystems to function effectively |
| economic water scarcity: | exists when a population does not have the necessary monetary means to utilize an adequate source of water |
| economic water scarcity commonly occurs in what continent? | Africa |
| water availability is important, but actual ______ depends on many regional factors | usability |
| 4 factors that affect the usability of water: | geography, demographics, re-use, and affordability |
| currently, 45 countries in the world are considered to have serious water _______ | stress |
| water stress means a country cannot... | meet the minimum requirement of essential water for their citizens |
| more than ___/___ (fraction) of the world's households have to retrieve water from outside the home | 2/3 |
| in the least developed countries, ___% of rural people don't have access to safe drinking water | 74 |
| ______ levels decline when water is expensive | sanitation |
| renewable water supplies: (2) | made up of surface runoff and infiltration into accessible freshwater aquifers, about 2/3 of water carried into rivers occurs in seasonal floods (meaning humans can't use them) |
| worldwide, humans withdraw about ____% of total annual renewable supply of water | 10 |
| many societies have always treated water as a(n) __________ resource | inexhaustible |
| in the past 100 years worldwide, freshwater withdrawals have increased by ____% | 700 |
| water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of the _____ increase in the last century | population |
| who is the biggest user of water worldwide? | agriculture |
| low/middle income countries commonly use water for _______, while high income countries commonly use water for ________ | agriculture, industry |
| there is a ______ developing between low/middle income and high income country water usage | disparity |
| most of the world uses their water for ________ | agriculture |
| what US state uses the most water? | California |
| what country uses the most water for agriculture? | India |
| according to the USGS, __________ is a major use of ground and surface water in the US | agriculture |
| irrigation accounted for ____% of total freshwater withdrawals in 2015 | 42 |
| ________ has enhanced both the productivity and profitability of the agricultural sector | irrigation |
| most of the irrigated land in the US is in the ____, as many of their crops require it | West |
| besides the West, irrigation use is also common in what area of the US? | Southeast |
| most of the major agricultural produce comes from the _____ side of the US | Western |
| does the West side of the US receive more or less precipitation than the East? | LESS |
| widespread water stress occurs in what 3 areas of the US? | Southwest, Western Great Plains, Northwest |
| 3 main reasons for water stress in ILLINOIS: | climate variability, lack of water supply planning, surface water contamination |
| the demand for water in Illinois is likely to increase up to ___% in the coming decades | 50 |
| surface water contamination in Illinois: (2) | discharge from municipal wastewater treatment plants, runoff and infiltration from fields with land applied poultry waste |
| where does Champaign-Urbana get it's drinking water from? | Mahomet Aquifer |
| Mahomet Aquifer is the primary water source for more than ________ people in central Illinois | 750,000 |
| How did the Ogallala Aquifer become popular | was made available after WW2 technology was invented to access it, which caused the High Plains to become a productive region for water production |
| 30% of the water used for irrigation in the US comes from what aquifer? | Ogallala |
| irrigated agriculture uses more than ___% of groundwater from the Ogallala Aquifer | 95 |
| the Ogallala Aquifer was used ________, which lead to it's sharp decline | unsustainably |
| if the Ogallala Aquifer was drained, it would take ______ years to refill it | 6,000 |
| where is the Ogallala Aquifer located? | beneath the Great Plains |
| main consequence of depleting groundwater: | forces communities to dig deeper wells, which leads to contamination |
| what states are in the Ogallala Aquifer? (8) | Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas |
| where are the ≈ 50% of our fruit, vegetables and nuts grown? (what state) | California |
| the Ogallala aquifer accounted for ___% of the total agricultural economic value in the US (in 2007) | 11.6 |
| upper Colorado Basin includes what 4 states? | Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming |
| lower Colorado Basin includes what 3 states? | Arizona, California, Nevada |
| California is permitted to use ___ million acre-feet annually | 4.4 |
| what state has the largest number of acres under irrigation of any of the seven Colorado Basin states? | California |
| acre-foot: | equals the amount of water needed to cover an acre of land to the depth of one foot |
| approximately the amount of water used by an average family of four during one year can be summed up in what measurement? | an acre-foot |
| area of CA that uses the most water: | Imperial Valley |
| Imperial Valley: (2) | one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world, 1 out of 3 jobs here are related to agriculture |
| what Native American group is fighting for rights to water in the lower Colorado River Basin? | the Navajo |
| 5 types of irrigation systems: | flood, sprinkler, subsurface, drip, center pivot |
| flood irrigation is also called ______ irrigation | furrow |
| one of the oldest and most popular irrigation systems is ______ irrigation | flood |
| flood irrigation: | water is pumped or brought to the fields and flows along the ground among the crops |
| main advantage of flood irrigation: | simple/cheap |
| main disadvantage of flood irrigation: | delivers much more water than needed, which wastes a ton of it |
| ___-___% of water is commonly lost to evaporation/seepage/runoff in flood irrigation system | 40-50 |
| sprinkler irrigation systems are commonly _____-pressure | low |
| low-pressure sprinkler system: | water is gently sprayed downward onto plants instead of being shot high into the air |
| 2 main advantages of low-pressure sprinkler system: | much more efficient as there is less evaporation/runoff, can add fertilizer/pesticides into the water |
| main disadvantage of low-pressure sprinkler system: | frequent re-applications are needed |
| what type of drops is drip irrigation suitable for? | high-return value crops such as fruits or vegetables |
| drip irrigation: | water is run through pipes (that have holes) and slowly drip onto the crops |
| main advantage of drip irrigation: | high water efficiency, as it cuts down on water waste |
| 3 disadvantages of drip irrigation: | hard water can clog holes, insects/rodents chew on pipes, mowers/trimmers can slice the tubing |
| subsurface irrigation: | water is applied below the soil surface to the crop root zone through a series of pipes |
| where are subsurface irrigation pipes located? | below the root zone |
| 3 advantages of subsurface irrigation: | high water efficiency, less labor-intensive, good for soils with low water retention capacity |
| 4 disadvantages of subsurface irrigation: | high initial investment cost, can't use water with high salt content, difficult repairs, rodent problems are hard to solve |
| _______ supports photosynthesis and encourages the exchange of gases, helping maintain CO2 and O2 in the atmosphere | transpiration |
| _______ releases roughly 10% of water back into the atmosphere | transpiration |
| nitrogen is a(n) __________ plant nutrient | essential |
| center pivot irrigation: | system designed to water crops in a circular pattern |
| main advantages of center pivot irrigation: (3) | delivers water over a large area in a limited period of time, reduces the need for human labor, and can be programmed to a shedule |
| main disadvantages of center pivot irrigation: (3) | high initial installation costs, high maintenance costs, struggles in windy conditions |
| is it helpful to overuse nitrogen on plants? | no |
| plants require ___ essential mineral elements for healthy growth | 14 |
| 4 requirements for an element to be considered essential to a plant: | must be required by a plant to complete it's lifecycle, cannot be replaced by another element, must be required by a specific biological function, and must be required by a substantial number of different plant species |
| all plant nutrients come from _______ sources, either the air we breath or from geological deposits | natural |
| _________ nutrients are the most readily available and predictable source of nutrients for plant growth | fertilizer |
| (T/F) macronutrients are MORE essential to plants than micronutrients | FALSE |
| difference between macro and micro nutrients: | macronutrients are required in large amounts, micronutrients are needed in small amounts, BUT BOTH ARE NEEDED |
| 3 main nutrients in fertilizer are... | nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium |
| phosphorus (P) is essential for... (2) | cell infrastructure and energy systems |
| 2 structural components of a phosphorus: | it's a blueprint (DNA, RNA) and a building block (phospholipids) |
| functional purpose of phosphorus: | as a battery (ATP, NADPH) |
| bison bones can be used as ________ | fertilizer |
| Dr. Dave Franzen estimates that 480k tons of ______ (what nutrient) were exported via bones from North Dakota alone in 1800s | phosphorus |
| rock phosphate is mined to obtain _______ | phosphorus |
| __________ is the 7th most abundant element in the Earth's crust and is found in every cell of plants and animals | potassium |
| potassium does what for plants? (3) | helps them grow strong stalks, protects them from extreme temperatures, and fights off disease/pests |
| mine potassium is known as _________ | potash |
| nitrogen makes up ____% of the air | 78 |
| what needs to happen to nitrogen before is can be used by plants? | it needs to be fixed |
| nitrogen makes plants _____ | green |
| ________ plays a major role in protein formation and cell division, and is a key component of chlorophyll | nitrogen |
| what is naturally occurring nitrogen formed into for plant use? | ammonia |
| what element is needed to fix nitrogen? | hydrogen |
| 2 ways ammonia is used on plants: | applied directly to the crops as a nitrogen fertilizer, or used as a building block to make other nitrogen-based fertilizers |
| nitrogen is important for the production of what 3 things? | amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids |
| until post WW2, what did farmers NOT have access to when growing plants? | petroleum-based chemical fertilizers |
| 3 sources of N in the past: | livestock manure, chicken litter, other organic materials |
| WW2 brought technology that helped with _________ advancements | agriculture |
| what was used for munitions in WW2, before it was further developed? | ammonium nitrate |
| inventing a process to fix nitrogen into ammonia was _________ | difficult/daunting |
| what two men contributed to the fixation process of nitrogen? | Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch |
| both Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch won what prize for their efforts in nitrogen fixation? | Nobel Peace Prize |
| who commercialized the nitrogen fixation process, after Fritz Haber solved it? | Carl Bosch |
| Fritz Haber solved the process of making ________ ammonia | anhydrous |
| the nitrogen fixation process requires a lot of _____ and ______ | pressure and heat |
| about ___% of the world's annual energy consumption is used to produce NH3 | 1.2 |
| energy efficiency in the manufacturing of N-based fertilizers have significantly ________ since the 20th century | improved |
| ________-based fertilizers are estimated to be responsible for growing about half of the world's food | nitrogen |
| without nitrogen-based fertilizers, ___-___% of the world's population would not be alive | 30-40 |
| synthetic N fertilizer is responsible for saving ____ billion lives | 2.7 |
| 3 parts of the Haber-Bosch process: _____ + _____ + _____ | heat + pressure + catalyst |
| the nitrogen fixation process is AKA the _______-_______ process | Haber-Bosch |
| anhydrous means... | a lack of water |
| NH3 is the chemical name for _______ ________ | anhydrous ammonia |
| anhydrous ammonia chemical formula: | NH3 |
| anhydrous ammonia (NH3) is __% N | 82 |
| anhydrous ammonia is a ____, and thus needs to be pressurized in tanks for shipping | gas |
| two types of NH3 storage tanks: | permanent storage tanks, mobile storage tanks |
| it is important to use NH3 safely on the farm, because it can _______ if not stored correctly | explode |
| anhydrous ammonia (NH3) can be stolen and used for ______ production | meth |
| 2 types of nitrogen forms: ________ and ________ | ammonia and ammonium |
| ammonium chemical formula: | NH4 |
| 2 forms of N that plants take up from the soil (and their chemical formulas): | ammonium (NH4) and nitrate (NO3) |
| nitrate chemical formula: | NO3 |
| the use of ________ fertilizers have increased 10x as much from 1950s-1980s | nitrogen |
| since the spike in N fertilizers from 1950s-1980s, the trend has now... | leveled off/remained stable |
| as nitrogen fertilizer use increases, so does ______ production | crop |
| N2O is a ________ gas | greenhouse |
| NO3 has an impact on ______ quality | water |
| ________ is a major contaminant of water sources | nitrogen |
| how is nitrogen transported to the atmosphere? | by the burning of fossil fuels |
| what part of the US is nitrogen most commonly used? | Midwest |
| what type of drainage can ultimately increase the presence of nitrogen in waterways? | tile drainage |
| the maximum level of nitrogen allowed in drinking water by EPA is ___ ppm | 10 ppm |
| what is the most immediate environmental consequence of nitrogen pollution? | eutrophication |
| is eutrophication good or bad? (ultimatley) | bad |
| eutrophication: | the accumulation of nutrients, either naturally or artificially, in a body of water |
| what does "eutrophic" mean? | well-nourished |
| 3 categories, or trophic levels, of lakes: | oligotrophic, mesotrophic, eutrophic |
| a natural ______ process occurs in all lakes | aging |
| what are the three aging stages of lakes, in order? | oligotrophic --> mesotrophic --> eutrophic |
| generally, more _______ present means that a lake can support a richer array of species and a more complex ecosystem | nutrients |
| oligotrophic lake description: (3) | generally clear, deep, and free of aquatic plants or large algae blooms |
| although oligotrophic lakes are beautiful, they are low in _______ | nutrients |
| even though oligotrophic lakes commonly cannot support a large population of fish, they can still support a wide food _____ | web |
| mesotrophic lake description: (3) | medium-level nutrients, usually clear water, has submerged aquatic plants |
| __________ lakes lie between the oligotrophic and eutrophic stages | mesotrophic |
| why do mesotrophic lakes tend to be shallower? | because of the sediment build-up at the bottom |
| eutrophic lake description: (2) | most nutrient-rich lakes, able to support a large/diverse volume of organisms |
| eutrophic lakes often are able to support large fish populations, but are also susceptible to _________ ___________ due to eutrophication | oxygen depletion |
| how are eutrophic lakes susceptible to decreased biodiversity over time? | because of the increased sediment and eutrophication, these can eventually overtake the lives of the fish |
| a VERY eutrophicated lake is called a __________ lake | hypereutrophic |
| when there is too much algae growth and eutrophication, _____ _____ can occur | dead zones |
| the process of eutrophication can be both natural or _______ | cultural |
| which takes longer to occur, natural or cultural eutrophication? | natural |
| 5 cultural causes of accelerated eutrophication: | agriculture, lawn fertilizers, streets, septic systems, and urban storm drains |
| the addition of ________ to Lake 226 caused eutrophication | phosphorus |
| what is the key nutrient in algal blooms? | phosphorus |
| what river basin drains approximately 41% of all water from US land? | Mississippi River Basin |
| hypoxia: | low or depleted oxygen in a water body that often leads to 'dead zones'- regions where life cannot be sustained |
| the Northern Gulf of Mexico is a _______ zone | hypoxic |
| how do dead zones form? | decomposing algal blooms use up oxygen, killing off fish/causing them to avoid the area |
| unfortunately, _________ has increased in the Mississippi basin | eutrophication |
| where is the largest dead zone ever measured? | Gulf of Mexico |
| nitrates in water can produce a serious condition in fish called "______ blood disease" | brown |
| "brown blood disease" is caused by low ________ in blood | oxygen |
| increased nitrate in water intake can cause what in humans (specifically babies)? | increased difficulty for the blood to carry oxygen |
| are babies or adults more prone to damage from nitrate-heavy waters? | babies |
| two EPA-approved nitrate removal processes (from water)? | Ion Exchange and Reverse Osmosis |
| in Ion Exchange, what nutrient often is used to "replace" the nitrate? | chloride |
| environmental __________ efforts have been made to help replenish nitrogen and phosphorus in the Mississippi River Basin | mitigation |
| _________ use is regulated by law to avoid eutrophication | fertilizer |
| between 1980 and 2005, U.S. corn production increased by ____%, while nitrogen us only increased by 3% | 74 |
Created by:
stuisl