QUIZ #2 - Irr/Aquifers/GMO's - on 2/6

Question 1

Which type of rock would you expect an unconfined aquifer to be made of?

Answer 1

sandstone

Question 2

Which of the following statements is true concerning the Ogallala Aquifer?

the aquifer has declined by 12 feet due to severe drought over the past 3 years

the aquifer has declined by nearly 16 feet due to excessive withdrawals for irrigation and exceed the aquifers rate of recharge

the aquifer has risen by nearly 3 feet due to population increases in the region

Answer 2

the aquifer has declined by nearly 16 feet due to excessive withdrawals for irrigation and exceed the aquifers rate of recharge

Question 3

If you were a farmer planting perennial crops, which type of irrigation would be best suited for you?

Answer 3

drip irrigation

Question 4

t/f In the United States, agriculture is the second highest use of water.

Answer 4

false

Question 5

In 2022, the USDA passed a law that _________________________________________________.

Answer 5

required full disclosure on the use of GMO’s in food

Question 6

Flood irrigation can sometimes lead to _________________.

Answer 6

waterlogging

Question 7

Salt water intrusion is a concern because it can raise the levels of salt in an aquifer. In which location would salt water intrusion be a potential concern?

Answer 7

Cape Hatteras, NC

Question 8

Which country would you expect to have the highest water footprint?

Answer 8

India

Question 9

Which country would be the most stringent on the use of GMO’s?

Answer 9

Italy

Question 10

t/f Salinization occurs because water evaporates and leaves salts behind, which can infiltrate soils.

Answer 10

true

Question 11

Artesian wells are designed to retrieve water from __________________.

Answer 11

confined aquifers

Question 12

Researchers are worried that the use of GMO’s in plant species will _____________________.

Answer 12

lower genetic diversity

Question 13

According to the Figure 27.3 on page 324 in the textbook, which region of the world has the lowest water withdrawal rates in the world?

Answer 13

Central and Southern Africa

Question 14

The total daily water use in Canada is 3.6 x 10^13 L and the Canadian population is 38 million people. What is the daily per capita daily water use for Canada?

Answer 14

(3.6 x 10^13 L) / (3.8 x 10^7 people) = 0.947 x 10^5 L per person

Question 15

T/F A cone of depression occurs when an area surrounding a well contains groundwater.

Answer 15

false

Question 16

_____ is any means used by humans to bring water to the land

Answer 16

irrigation

Question 17

it is estimated that about ___ of the worlds land is irrigated

Answer 17

1/2

Question 18

type of irrigation: flood

Answer 18

What is it
-flooding an entire field
-used by Egypt, China, Mesopotamia

Advantages:
-water soaksin evenly
-more efficient (80% efficient)

Disadvantages:
-waterlogging
-hard to control

Question 19

type of irrigation: furrow

Answer 19

What is it
-farmers dig trenches along crop rows

Advantages:
-easy
-cheap

Disadvantages:
-67% efficient
-lot of water evaporation

Question 20

type of irrigation: drip

Answer 20

What is it
-slow drip hose on the ground or underground

Advantages:
-delivers water directly to the root
-95% effective
-great with perennial crops

Disadvantages:
-very expensive
-limited number of farms using drip irrigation

Question 21

type of irrigation: spray

Answer 21

What is it:
-sprinkler

Advantages:
-75%-95% effective (with spray pressure managed and balanced)

Disadvantage:
-very expensive
-high energy use

Question 22

what are some major issues with irrigation?

Answer 22

waterlogging
salinization
aquifer depletion

Question 23

aquifers

Answer 23

pore spaces found within permeable layers of rock and sediment underneath the soil that stores groundwater

Question 24

unconfined aquifer

Answer 24

porous rock covered by soil
(Great rock: sandstone)

Question 25

confined aquifer

Answer 25

surrounded by a layer of impermeable rock or clay, which impedes water flow to or from the aquifer

Question 26

water table

Answer 26

uppermost level at which the groundwater in a given area fully saturates the rock or soil

Question 27

groundwater recharge

Answer 27

process by which water from precipitation percolates into the soil and works its way into the groundwater

Question 28

springs

Answer 28

natural source of water for freshwater aquatic biomes

Question 29

artesian well

Answer 29

a well created by drilling a hole into a confined aquifer

Question 30

salt water intrusion

Answer 30

when salt water invades an aquifer -> coastal communities

Question 31

water footprint

Answer 31

total daily per capita use of fresh water for a country or the world

Question 32

Ex: Per capita water use for the US
Total annual water use in the US = 5.1 x 10^14 L
Population of the US: 3.3 x 10^8 people
Per capita annual water use in the US:

Answer 32

(5.1 x 10^14 L) / (3.3 x 10^8 people) = 1.6 x 10^6 L per person

Question 33

GMOs

Answer 33

-transfer of a gene of one organism into genetic material of another
-very different to produce a genetically modified organism
-can be done agriculturally

Question 34

GMO possible benefits

Answer 34

-higher crop yields, better foods
-higher profits, good for agribusiness and consumers
-less pesticide usage (big savings) but higher seed prices
-lower world hunger

Question 35

GMO possible consequences

Answer 35

-safety for human consumption
-currently little supporting evidence for this but a big worry is people suffering from allergic reactions
-loss of biodiversity - altered genes could spread to other plants and disrupt the natural plant varieties and genetic diversity
-idea of buffer zones around the GMOs

Question 36

Regulations for GMOs

Answer 36

-United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) passed a law in 2022 requiring the disclosure of GMOs in food
-European nations more stringent on GMOs