APES Final Flashcards
(466 cards)
0
Q
What usually happens to energy that reaches earth? What form?
A
It is reflected back into the space as lower quality energy in the form of longer wave length infrared radiation.
1
Q
Long-lived greenhouse gases
A
Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and halo carbons
2
Q
Why is switchgrass an efficient way to make ethanol?
A
It makes cellulosic ethanol, which is produced from inedible cellulose that makes up most of the biomass of plants. It uses the starch in the stalks and husks of plants to make ethanol. This eliminates any food wastes and a much higher net energy.
3
Q
Anaerobic respiration or fermentation
A
Decomposers break down glucose in the ABSENCE of OXYGEN. Also the end products are compounds such as methane gas, ethyl alcohol and acetic acid instead of carbon dioxide and water.
4
Q
Waste to Energy Incinerator Pros and Cons
A
Pros: reduces trash, reliable source, creates jobs, reduces CO2 emissions from trash that would have been in landfill
Cons: costs $200 million to build, concentrated wastes, harmful waste
5
Q
Carbon Oxides (source and health effects)
A
Colorless, odorless and highly toxic gas that forms in the burning of fossil fuels. Comes from car exhaust, burning of forests, smokestacks of fossil fuel burning factories and tobacco smoke. Health effects consist of the loss of transfer of oxygen to the blood, heart attacks and lung diseases. Said to be causing global warming and ozone formation.
6
Q
How many metric tons of CO2 leave the environment naturally every year?
A
5 billion metric tons
7
Q
Sustainable yield
A
Point where nature can’t replenish itself fast enough because we use it up too fast.
8
Q
Tidal Energy Pros
A
We can predict tides, 80% efficiency, Low maintenance, 71% of earth is water
9
Q
Geothermal Energy for Heating Pros and Cons
A
Pros: always available, 1/6 CO2 than other fossil fuels, moderate net energy and high efficiency at accessible sites, lost costs at favorable sites
Cons: Possible toxic solutions used to get heated, high costs and low efficiency except at concentrated and accessible sites, scarcity of suitable sites.
10
Q
Tidal Energy Methods
A
Anaconda - water runs through a tube in the water and waves that run through it turn a turbine
Tidal Dams - hole in dam with turbine in the middle, water runs through it and spins turbine
11
Q
How many metric tons of CO2 are added to the atmosphere every year?
A
9.1 billion metric tons
12
Q
How did Terry Hunts hypothesis differ from the original Easter Island one?
A
Terry said that the Polynesians arrive 800 years ago and not 2900. And he said that the population was 3,000 and not 15,000.
13
Q
Decomposers
A
In the process of obtaining their own nutrients, they also release nutrients from the wastes or remains of plants and animals and then return those nutrients to the soil, water and air.
14
Q
Biomimicry
A
The science and art of discovering and using natural principles to help solve humna probelms.
15
Q
PFAs
A
Non stick and stain resistant coatings
Liver, thyroid, birth defects and cancer
16
Q
Parasitic Protozoa
A
Amoebic dysentery
Giardiasis
Cryptosporidium
17
Q
What is the one natural cause of climate change?
A
Solar radiation
18
Q
Secondary Recycling
A
Waste materials are recycled into different products.
19
Q
What % of the population are we and what % of the waste do we make?
A
4.5% of the pop. and 33% of waste
20
Q
Subsurface mining
A
Underground materials are extracted through tunnels and shafts.
21
Q
What are the three levels of priorities in dealing with hazardous waste?
A
- Produce less hazardous waste
- Convert to less hazardous or nonhazardous substances (decomposition, incineration, thermal treatment, dilution)
- Put in perpetual storage
22
Q
What is fresh water like for developing countries like China and India?
A
1/5 of kids die of diarrheal diseases
Much less sanitation and access to clean water! Where most well developed countries, pretty much everyone has fresh water and sanitation.
23
Q
Where is Igneous Rock found?
A
Continental and oceanic crust (lithospere)
Mid-ocean ridge
24
What percent of the earth's CO2 do the oceans absorb?
25-30%
25
Name 4 ways the government can help reduce climate change
Phase in carbon taxes or fees. Place a cap on total human-generated CO2 in certain regions. Increasing subsidies to greener companies. Help developing countries with technology advances.
26
NIMBY, NIABY, NOPE
NIMBY: NOT IN MY BACKYARD
NIABY: NOT IN ANYONES BACKYARD
NOPE: NOT ON PLANET EARTH
27
What percent is the more developed population and what percent of the pollution and resources do they use?
19% of the population uses 88% of the resources and makes 75% of the pollution.
28
Volatile Organic Chemicals (Description, Major human sources, health effects, environmental effects, property damage)
Organic compounds that exist as gases. Such as hydrocarbons from plants and methane, which is a greenhouse gas. Methane emissions come from plants, wetlands and termites. Human causes are landfills, oil and natural gas wells and cows. Other types are dry-cleaning fluids and various components of gasoline, plastics and other products.
29
What is mass wasting and what are some examples?
When rock and soil move down a slope (mudslide).
| Creeps, landslides, flows, slump and falls
30
Parasitic worms
Schistosomiasis
| Anclyostomiasis
31
How can greenhouse gases be produced and how does this affect earth?
Burning fossil fuels and growing crops produces too much greenhouse gas which is warming the earth more and more and is projected to alter earths climate change.
32
Where is the ozone layer located?
On the outside edge of the stratosphere
33
What contributes the most amount of waste for municipal solid waste?
Paper and cardboard
34
Solar Energy for High Temperature Heat and Electricity Methods
Parabolic Through Systems - U-shaped mirrors that reflect sun to heat oil
Power Tower - computer powered mirrors that follow sun and reflect onto main tower.
Dish Engines - big mirrors track sun to reflect and heat gas
35
4 basic causes of environmental problems
1. Affluence (consumption of natural resources)
2. Poverty (such a large pop.)
3. Companies make money off of the stuff they sell but not their negative impact on the environment
4. Nobody cares about these problems!!
36
What percent of waste does the US recycle?
33%
37
6 way to reduce resource use/waste
1. Redesign manufacturing processes and products to use less material and energy
2. Develop products that are easy to repair, reuse, recycle, etc.
3. Eliminate packaging
4. Charge people for their waste
5. Require companies to take back their products after used such as electronics
6. Restructure urban systems to use mass transit
38
Discharge trading policy
Companies who want to pollute a lot can buy credit from companies who don't pollute a lot
39
Cogeneration
When two forms of energy are produced from the same fuel source. They can then both be used instead of one being wasted.
40
Phytoextraction
Roots of plants such as Indian mustard can absorb toxic metals such as lead and arsenic and others and store them in their leaves. Plants can then be recycled or harvested and incinerated
41
Primary Pollutants and examples
Chemicals that are emitted directly into the from natural processes and human activities at concentrations high enough to cause harm. (CO, CO2, SO2, NO2, NO3, CH4 and most hydrocarbons)
42
Reserve
Identified resources that we can extract the mineral at a profit
43
What is formula for % change?
New - old/old * 100
44
What does permafrost melting have to do with climate change?
It is a primary feedback loop because 50-60 times the amount of CO2 and methane than is on earth is locked up in the soil in the arctic.
45
What percent of CO2 is absorbed by plants and soils?
30%
46
What percent of plastics do the US recycle? Why?
4% because the resins in the plastics are hard to breakdown and separate.
47
Saudi Arabian Water Crisis
Huge water shortage. More water means more oil needs to be used. Starting to use water filtration from ocean.
48
Equations for the formation of ozone
CFCl3 + UV --> Cl + CFCl2
Cl + O3 --> ClO + O2
Cl + O --> Cl + O2
49
What does insolation mean?
It is the incoming solar radiation.
50
What are WTEs? Explain.
Waste-to-energy Incinerators: Incinerates trash to create energy, then burns some and brings the rest to a landfill.
51
Chicago River
Wolf point is where two branches meet. Increase in waterborne diseases. Then Sanitary District of Chicago created
52
What is a significant aerosol that affects climate change?
Sulfur Dioxide
53
Difference between weathering and erosion
Weathering does not involve movement and erosion does.
54
What is a significant aerosol that affects climate change?
Sulfur Dioxide
55
Energy Conservation Methods (10)
Unused Plugs draw 10% of energy so use a power strip to be able to turn all of that off
Low emission windows, trees, dual-flush toilets, good insulation, geothermal heating, passive solar heating, energy efficient appliances and lighting.
56
How many metric tons of CO2 are added to the atmosphere every year?
9.1 billion metric tons
57
Pharmaceuticals in drinking water
Antibiotics and mood stabilizers and sex hormones found In water. Comes from pills down the drain. Also body doesn't consume all of the pill so some goes in waste.
58
How much e-waste was recycled and how much was sent overseas?
18% was recycled and 80% was sent overseas
59
Ozone (Description, Major human sources, health effects, environmental effects, property damage)
Colorless and highly reactive gas that is a major ingredient of photochemical smog. Can cause coughing and breathing problems and can cause lung and heart diseases.Damages plants, rubber in tires and fabrics/paint. We are increasing the amount of ozone in the troposphere and decreasing the amount in the stratosphere.
60
What is a commons?
An area that is open to anybody!
61
What are POP’s and how pervasive are they on the planet?
Persistent Organic Pollutants: Identifies 12 widely used contaminants. They have cause many countries to ban them.
62
10 ways to slow climate change
cut fossil fuel use, shift from coal to natural gas, improve energy efficiency, shift to renewable energy sources, transfer energy efficiency and renewbale energy technology to developing countries, reduce deforestation, use more sustainable agriculture and forestry, put a price on greenhouse gas emissions, reduce poverty, slow population growth
63
How are fossil fuels created?
When a log or something gets buried in a swamp and all the moisture gets sucked out of it.
64
Why does it make sense to recycle paper?
It uses 64% less energy and produces 35% less water pollution and 74% less air pollution.
65
List the 5 ways that Carbon is released into the environment.
1. The carbon that the plants produce during photosynthesis is passed onto the consumer.
2. Combustion of firewood releases CO2 into the environment.
3. Decomposition releases carbon into soil and air
4. CO2 in the air dissolves into ocean and creates limestone deposits in the bottom.
5. Volcanoes
66
James Bay
Hydroelectric plant that disrupts ecosystem. People forced to relocate.
67
What percent of energy in the US is from renewable energy sources?
7%
68
Tailings
Pile of waste after removing metals from the rock (less material than spoils)
69
Stratosphere
About 11-30 miles above the earths surface. Contains the ozone layer. UV light is absorbed by the top of this layer. Gets warmer as it goes higher.
70
What is an oligotrophic lake?
Low in nutrients
71
US Safe Drinking Water Act
Requires EPA to establish national drinking water standards.
72
What are the levels from top to bottom of an aquifer?
Zone of aeration is on top. Then the water table. Then the zone of saturation. Then impermeable clay and then deeper aquifers.
73
Photovoltaic Panel
Cells that are connected electrically make up one panel; 29 states have adopted PV cells, target is SW states with most sunlight
74
How much waste is created to make one computer chip?
About 630 times it own weight
75
How long until CFCs move into stratosphere?
11-20 years
76
What are the 5 main levels that ecologists study?
Organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biosphere
77
Physical and Chemical Detoxification of Hazardous Wastes
Physical: filter and separate and then store
Chemical: use chemical reactions to convert toxins to be non-hazardous
78
Photovoltaic Panel Pros and Cons
Pros: moderate net energy yield, no direct emissions of CO2, east to install and move around, competitive costs for newer cells
Cons: need access to sun, need electricity storage system for backup, prices high for older ones but decreasing rapidly, could disrupt ecosystems
79
3 Pros and cons of sanitary landfills
Pros: Low operating costs, can handle large amounts of waste, filled land can be reused
Cons: Noise, traffic and dust, greenhouse gases, encourages waste production
80
How many kids or of poverty each day?
16400
81
Solutions to Nonrenewable Resources
Do not waste mineral resources
Recycle and reuse 60-80% of mineral resources
Include the environmental costs of minerals in the costs of those items
Reduce mining subsidies
82
How long until CFCs move into stratosphere?
11-20 years
83
Pros and Cons Ethanol
Pros: some reduction in CO2 emissions, high net energy yield, potentially renewable
Cons: low net energy yield with corn and higher cost, higher CO2 emissions with corn, corn ethanol competes with food crops and may raise food prices.
84
Surface impoundments
Pools or retention ponds that hold hazardous wastes.
85
Ammonification
When nitrogen is turned into ammonia during decomposition
86
Pesticides (Source and Health/Environmental effects)
DDT, chlordane, runoff into water and food
| Asthma, neurological problems, developmental and immunization problems
87
Cholera
Small intestines disease. Caused by contaminated floods
88
What is chemosynthesis?
Only used by a few producers, mostly bacterias, can convert simple inorganic compounds from their environment into more complex nutrient compounds without using sunlight.
89
Smelting
Using heat or chemical solvents to extract metals from the ores.
90
What is ecology?
The study of how organisms react with one another and with their nonliving environment of matter and energy.
91
Natural radioactive decay
Isotopes are separated by gamma rays causing it to lose an electron and turn into an alpha particle.
92
Strategic Metal Resources
Manganese, cobalt, chromium, platinum
93
Mountaintop Removal
Large machines called draglines remove the top of mountains to expose seams of coal.
94
What does insolation mean?
It is the incoming solar radiation.
95
10 ways to slow climate change
cut fossil fuel use, shift from coal to natural gas, improve energy efficiency, shift to renewable energy sources, transfer energy efficiency and renewbale energy technology to developing countries, reduce deforestation, use more sustainable agriculture and forestry, put a price on greenhouse gas emissions, reduce poverty, slow population growth
96
How many metric tons of CO2 leave the environment naturally every year?
5 billion metric tons
97
Secondary pollutants and examples
Some primary pollutants react with one another and with natural components of air to form new harmful chemicals (SO3, HNO3, H2SO4, O3, H2O2, most NO3- and SO4- salts)
98
Detritus feeders
Feed on wastes or dead bodies of other organism.
99
How many climate experts out of 100 say that humans are affecting climate change?
97
100
Troposphere
About 4-11 miles above sea level. This is where weather takes place. Gets colder as it moves closer as it gets higher
101
Mercury/Neurotoxins (Source and Health/Environmental effects)
Coal burning power plants (bioaccumulates)
| Developmental problems and death
102
5 steps in a water treatment plant
1. Hits water with ozone to break up organic molecules
2. Add alum to the water to cause the particles to clump together.
3. These particles then sink to the bottom to form sediment and the water moves on
4. Water passes through a filtration system where it moves through sand and gravel.
5. Small amounts of chlorine are added to water to disinfect it.
6. Sometime UV light, ozone are added as well
103
Materials recovery facility
Machines and workers who separate waste to recover valuable materials within
104
Know the basics of the Hubbard Brook Experiment. (Causes, effects)
They wanted to compare the outflow of water from a valley with trees and one without. They found that water increased by 30-40% which also eroded more soil and the nutrients within, into the river.
105
Name 4 ways the government can help reduce climate change
Phase in carbon taxes or fees. Place a cap on total human-generated CO2 in certain regions. Increasing subsidies to greener companies. Help developing countries with technology advances.
106
What happens to greenhouse gases what effect do they have on our earth?
The infrared radiation that is leaving our earth encounters greenhouse gases which vibrates them and causes them to release radiation with even longer wavelengths. The vibrating gases have higher kinetic energy and help warm our earth. Without these, our earth would be too cold to support life.
107
3 pros and cons of recycling
Pros: reduces energy and mineral use and air/water pollution, reduces greenhouse gases, reduces solid waste
Cons: Can cost more than burying it, reduces profits for landfills and source separation is inconvenient for some.
108
Examples of viruses
Hepatitis B, Pollo
109
Typhoid
Spreads through drinking wager and comes from feces and urine.
110
US General Mining Law of 1872
Allows anybody to claim a piece of land for mining but they have to promise they will spend $500 to imporve it for mineral development. You must then pay $120 per year for each 20-acre parcel of land
111
What percent of brownfields are old landfills?
41%
112
How many pounds of minerals does an American use per day?
38,000 lbs
113
Hydrogen Fuel Cells Pros and Cons
Pros: quicker refueling than battery, double the efficiency of normal cars, can be produced from plentiful water at some sites, no emissions, good substitute for oil
Cons: 1 ton of hydrogen = 11 tons of CO2, 96% of hydrogen in made from fossil fuels, negative net energy yield, high costs require subsidies, needs H2 storage and distribution systems;
114
Plasma Arc
Burns the material (hotter than the surface of the sun) into glassy material in order to encapsulate the toxins
115
Organic compounds (2 rules and one exception) vs. inorganic compounds
Organic compounds contain at least two carbon atoms (cellulose and proteins for example). And have to be bonded with hydrogen or oxygen. The exception is methane
116
Biomass
The dry weight of all organic matter contained in its organisms in any food chain or food web.
117
Aerobic respiration
Producers, consumers and decomposers use the chemical energy stored in glucose to fuel their life processes. Uses oxygen to convert glucose back into carbon dioxide and water.
118
Assimilation
Plants take NO3 or NH3.
119
Private property vs. common property vs. open access renewable resources
Private - individually owned
Common - large group (1/3 of US is available to all citizens)
Open access - no one owns it
120
Dioxins
Paper mills, chemical plants and incinerators
| Cancer and birth defects
121
What percent of the earth's CO2 do the oceans absorb?
25-30%
122
Bangladesh Flooding
Frequent and excessive flooding. Located in flood plain and has monsoons.
123
Mesosphere
Gets colder as it moves higher because the heat from the UV rays that were absorbed in the ozone layer.
124
What percent of hazardous wastes are covered by the cradle to grave method?
5%
125
PCBs (Source and Health/Environmental effects)
Agent orange, oily liquids or solids
| Impair liver function, raise blood lipids, cancers and high persistence
126
Depletion time
The time it takes to use up a certain proportion (usually 80%) of the reserves of a mineral at a given rate of use. New technology, recycling, and raising prices all lengthen the depletion time
127
Radiative forcing
Change in the energy balance of the earth from pre-indutrial times to the present
128
How many pounds of waste do we use per person per year? What percent is industrial and what percent is municipal?
We use 97,000 lbs per person per year and 98.5% is from industrial and the other 1.5% is from municipal waste.
129
What are anthropogenic causes of climate change? What does anthropogenic mean?
It means human caused. They include greenhouse gases, ozone, aerosols, contrails, etc.
130
What is GDP? And how do you find the per capita GDP?
It is the value of all products a country produces. Per capita is just the GDP/population.
131
What % of electricity is wasted by incandescent lightbulbs? What are the alternatives?
95%, LEDs or CFLs which last about 100 times longer than incandescent
132
Three Gorges Dam
Yangtze one of most polluted rivers in world. Dam makes water worse.
133
Point vs. non-point pollution (and examples of each)
Point - a single identifiable source of the pollution (drainpipe from factory)
Nonpoint - dispersed and often difficult to recognize (pesticides blown off from land into the air)
134
BPA (Source and Health/Environmental effects)
```
Rigid plastics (water bottles and safety glasses)
Reproductive probs
```
135
Wind Energy Pros and Cons
Perpetual, 1 turbine = electricity for 500 homes, cheap and decreasing, moderate to high net energy yield, widely available, low electricity cost, no emissions, easy to build and expand
136
Solar Energy for High Temperature Heat and Electricity Pros and Cons
Pros: Clean power, jobs, could meet 25% of worlds electricity
Cons: moderate land/environmental impact
137
Consumers/heterotrophs
Cannot produce the nutrients they need through photosynthesis or other processes, so they feed on other organisms. Humans and all other consumers are heterotrophs.
138
What is the formula for acid rain?
H2CO3
139
Surface Albedo
The reflectivity of the earth's surface; a lighter surface such as snow cover reflects more solar radiation than a darker surface does
140
Where are CFCs or "freons" found?
Coolants in air conditioners and refrigerators
Propellants in aerosol cans
Cleaner for electronics
Bubbles in plastic foam
141
GPP or gross primary productivity
The rate at which an ecosystem's producers convert solar energy into chemical energy in the form of biomass. Measured in kilocalories per square meter.
142
Contour mining
Cutting terraces into the sides of hills and then removing the overburden to extract the minerals
143
Nitrogen fixation
Rhyzobium Bacteria latches onto stems of plants which also turn N2 Ito NO3.
144
Spoils
Piles of waste (everything) that are not needed after extraction.
145
What % of energy is wasted in the US?
84%
146
What are the three kinds of weathering? Explain each.
Mechanical - changes the rock to a smaller piece. Still same composition
Chemical weathering - changes in chemical composition
Biological weathering - weathering resulting from the action of organic materials. Not a process of its own
147
What is the order of the layers of the atmosphere? (from closest to ground level)
Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
148
Industrial Smog
Mix of sulfur dioxides, sulfuric acid and other SPM. It is made from burning fossil fuels that produce CO and CO2, SO2 which is converted to H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) and NH3, which reacts to form ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4).
149
How long until CFC molecules die out?
65-385 years
150
Gangue
Piece of waste that is removed from the metal. They make up tailings.
151
What are the three factors that sustain earth's life?
| Explain each one.
The one way flow of high quality energy: comes from the sun through living things in their feeding interactions, into the environment as low quality energy - cannot be recycled
The cycling of nutrients: its essential that our fixed supply of nutrients are recycled to support life.
Gravity: allows the planet to hold onto its atmosphere and helps enable the movement and cycling of chemicals,.
152
What are Earth's 4 major components of its life-support system? Explain what each one is.
Atmosphere - thin layer of gases surrounding earths surface
Hydrosphere - consists of all water on or near earths surface
Geosphere - consists of earths intensely hot core, a thick mantle composed mostly of rock, and a thin outer crust
Biosphere - consists of the parts of the atmosphere, hydrosphere and grips here where life is found.
153
Contrails
AKA vapor trails, are condensation trails and artificial clouds made by exhaust of aircraft engines.
154
Rhizofiltration
Roots of plants such as sunflowers dangling roots on ponds or in greenhouses can absorb pollutants
155
Contrails
AKA vapor trails, are condensation trails and artificial clouds made by exhaust of aircraft engines.
156
How does solar energy produce wind energy?
The sun heats earth at different temperatures which causes different amounts of heat to ride in the air and this inconsistent heat movement is what we call wind
157
Difference between Ecology and Environmental Science.
ES - the study of how we interact with other living and non-living parts and how to deal with probs
Ecology - the study of what we interact with and how they interact with each other (species and ecosystems)
158
Golf of Mexico
Dead zones or hypoxia where there is an over use of oxygen which causes ecosystem to die.
159
Aerosols
Airborne particles that come from both natural (dust, storms, forest fires, etc) and man-made sources such as burning fossil fuels.
160
Nitrogen Oxides (source and environmental effects)
Colorless gas that forms when nitrogen and oxygen gas react under high-combustion temperatures in automobile engines and coal burning factories. NO reacts to form NO2 which is a reddish-brownish gas. Can irritate eyes, nose and throat. Causes acid deposition and photochemical smog.
161
Where are CFCs or "freons" found?
Coolants in air conditioners and refrigerators
Propellants in aerosol cans
Cleaner for electronics
Bubbles in plastic foam
162
The Chesapeake Bay
Chemical pollution of mercury, PCBs and pesticides. Nations largest estuary is slowly depleting.
163
Describe the Waste water treatment process
1. Moves through a bar screen to stop an big objects
2. Then alum is added to tank to settle more organic material. By now 60% of suspended solids are out and 30% of oxygen demanding water
3. Sludge is formed which is either dumped into landfill or ocean, burned or used as fertilizer.
4. Water filters through sand and gravel. By now 90% of oxygen demanding waste removed.
5. Waste water is mixed with oxygen and bacteria to keep the bacteria alive so it can keep decomposing material.
6. Then either chlorine is added, UV light is added or ozone.
164
First Law of Thermodynamics
When energy is transformed no energy is created or destroyed
165
Montreal Protocol - What was it and why did it work?
Cut CFCS. 177 countries. Convincing evidence, produced by only small companies and there was an alternate available.
166
What is the residence time of Lake Michigan? How much water is in Lake Michigan?
70-100 year residence. 1x10^12 gallons
167
3 Pros and Cons of WTEs
Pros: reduces trash, produces energy, concentrates hazardous substances into ash
Cons: expensive to build, produces a hazardous waste, emits some CO2
168
What percent of energy do plants use to go through photosynthesis?
0.1%
169
Low quality vs. high quality energy
Low quality energy is diluted and low concentrated such as coal emissions. High quality energy are very concentrated and have a good use as a resource.
170
Ogalalla Aquifer
Surpassing rate if recharge by 10-40x. Over use of irrigation.
171
Montreal Protocol - What was it and why did it work?
Cut CFCS. 177 countries. Convincing evidence, produced by only small companies and there was an alternate available.
172
Photochemical Smog (Description, Equation and Source)
VOCs + NOx+ heat + sunlight --> ground level ozone + aldehydes + secondary pollutants
Mixture of primary and secondary pollutants formed under the influence of UV rays. Sometimes called brown-air smog. Comes from burning fossil fuels which creates Nitrogen that mixes with compounds in the air to create secondary pollutants and ozone.
173
Radiative forcing
Change in the energy balance of the earth from pre-indutrial times to the present
174
PBDE (Source and Health/Environmental effects)
Flame retardants
| Thyroid, reproductive and neurological probs
175
Open-pit mining
Dig big holes in the ground and search for useful material.
176
NPP or net primary productivity
GPP minus the rate at which they use some of this stored energy through cellular respiration.
177
How many climate experts out of 100 say that humans are affecting climate change?
97
178
3 major cultural changes in past 12,000 years
Agricultural rev. - 10-12,000 years ago
Medical/industrial - 275 yrs ago
Globalization - 50 yrs ago
179
RCRA
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act: EPA sets standards for the managements of several types of hazardous waste. Use a cradle-to-grave system to keep track of waste from point of generation and disposal site.
180
What percent of energy use does industry account for?
30-33%
181
What are the 7 human changes of the nitrogen cycle?
1. Commercial fertilizers have doubled the amount of fixed nitrogen in the environment
2. Burning fossil fuels
3. Livestock waste
4. Mine nitrogen deposits
5. Remove it from topsoil
6. Acid rain
7. Runoff into aquatic systems
- drinking water contamination
- eutrophication = algal bloom = algae dies = decomposers = uses of oxygen and fish die
182
Surface mining
Removing all vegetations and rock and overburden to expose seams of minerals
183
Phytodegradation
Plants such as polars can absorb toxic organic chemicals and break them down into less harmful compounds which they store and release slowly into the air
184
Primary or closed loop Recycling
Materials are recycled to make the same products.
185
What is the world's leading renewable energy source for electricity?
Hydropower
186
Phytoremediation
Natural or genetically engineered plants that absorb, filter and remove contaminants from polluted soil and water
187
Resource
Products that we can extract and produce at an affordable cost
188
What are two key questions to ask when recycling?
Is the stuff actually getting recycled? Are companies buying stuff that is being recycled?
189
Subduction
When two plates converge and one slides under the other into the maybe. This process creates volcanoes that rise from the mantle as rock
190
How long until CFC molecules die out?
65-385 years
191
Jordon river basin
Scarcity of water in surrounding areas. Warfare in Arab nations. Jordon has channel system but Israel doesn't.
192
Particulates (source and health effects)
SPM = suspended particle matter. Variety of solid particles and liquid droplets. Classified as PM-10 (fine) and PM-2.5 (ultra-fine). Comes from dust, wild fires and sea salt, Also coal burning power plants, motor vehicles and road construction. These particles can irritate the nose and throat, cause lung problems. They can also reduce visibility and corrode metals.
193
Prokaryotic cell vs. eukaryotic cell
Prokaryotic cell don't have a nucleus and they have a cell wall. Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus and only plant cells have cell walls
194
Ethanol (Sugarcane) Pros:
Cost effective, homegrown, renewable, less greenhouse gas emissions, higher net energy than corn, less expensive than gasoline, production can be close to ethanol refineries.
195
The Nile
Annual flooding allowed for crops. Dam was built which stopped flood, stored water and used hydropower. The higher dam that was built caused fertilizers to drain into it making it useless
196
Why should a light bulb be calle a heat bulb?
Because it produces 95% heat and the rest light from the energy that is put in.
197
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
1972 - $20 billion to maintain and restore biological integrity.
198
Fracking
Shoots water, sand and chemicals into shale so natural gas is released. Contaminates surrounding water systems.
199
What are the human impacts that cause phosphorus to be released into the environment?
Mining, fertilizers (inorganic runs off more easily)
Removing trees causes weathering and erosion
Detergents
200
Natural services
Processes in nature such as purification of air and water and renewal of topsoil which support life and human economies.
201
4 Countries who produce gold
Canada, US, Russia and China
202
Where is sedimentary rock found?
Under the sea in shells
| On the continent through weathering and erosion
203
Economically depleted
When a mineral costs more to extract than it would to sell
204
What percent of energy for cooking does biomass provide for the world and then for poor countries?
World: 10%
Poor: 95%
205
Integrated Waste Management
```
First priority (Primary prevention): change in industrial production to use less harmful products
Second priority (Secondary prevention): Reuse, repair, recycle, compost
Last priority (Management): Treat waste, incinerate it, landfills
```
206
What is the equation for photosynthesis?
6CO2 + 6H2O + energy --> C6H12O6 + 6H2O
207
Source Separation
When homes and corporations themselves separate the materials instead of MRFs
208
Natural resources
materials and energy in nature that are essential or useful to humans.
209
How can we improve landfills?
Leachate collection
Groundwater monitoring
Clay/plastic liner/cap
210
What percent of CO2 is absorbed by plants and soils?
30%
211
Mineral
Subsatnce that occurs naturally in the earths crust as a crystalline solid
212
Pros and cons of biodiesel
Pros: reduced CO2 emissions, high net energy yield for oil palm crops, reduced hydrocarbon emissions, better mileage (up to 40%)
Cons: Increased NOx emissions and smog, low net energy yield for soybeans, compete with food for cropland, clearing natural areas for plantations reduces biodiversity
213
Eutrophication
An ecosystems response to the addition of artificial or natural substances (nitrates and phosphates)
214
Strip Mining
Destroying the rock above a seam of useful material that are found in large horizontal beds
215
What is an ecological footprint?
The amount of biologically productive land and water needed to provide the people in a particular area with indefinite supply of renewable resources
216
Sulfur Dioxides (source and environmental effects)
Colorless gas with an irritating odor. comes from combustion of sulfur-containing coal in power plants, oil refining and smelting. Can reduce visibility and cause breathing problems. Can be converted to aerosols, which has sulfuric acid. Can damage crops, trees, soil and lakes. They also corrode metal and stone.
217
Where does 70% of our e-waste end up?
CHINA
218
Synergy
The combination of two systems that combines to make a greater effect.
219
Inductive reasoning vs. Deductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning is when you base your answer off of clear cut evidence
220
Phytostabilization
Plants such as willow trees and poplars can absorb chemicals and keep them from reaching groundwater or nearby surface water
221
What is the cell theory?
States that all living things are composed of cells
222
Overburden
The soil or rock that is covering a useful mineral deposit
223
CERCLA
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act: Identify Superfund sites and clean them up.
224
What percent of waste goes to municipal landfills, what percent gets recycled and what percent goes to incinerators?
56% municipal landfills
26% recycling and composting
17% incinerators
225
Explain zone of aeration and saturation, water table and natural and linear recharge
Zone of aeration - area where it's sand and gravel but no water just air in between.
Zone of saturation - the same sand and gravel but the spaces are filled with water.
Water table - line between zone of saturation and aeration.
Linear and natural recharge - sometime recharge happens with a pool that is directly connected to aquifer which is linear recharge
226
Long-lived greenhouse gases
Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and halo carbons
227
What are anthropogenic causes of climate change? What does anthropogenic mean?
It means human caused. They include greenhouse gases, ozone, aerosols, contrails, etc.
228
What percent of energy does a coal-fired power plant waste?
66-80%
229
What is ethanol?
Fuel made from plants like switchgrass, sugarcane and corn. Converts the plant starches into simple sugars which are processed into ethanol
230
What percent of the 98.5% of industrial waste is divided into mining, agriculture and industry?
Mining is 76%
Agriculture is 13%
Industry 9.5%
231
What are the three principles of sustainability?
Solar energy, biodiversity and chemical cycling
232
Second law of Thermodynamics
When energy is changed from one form to another it always goes from a more useful to a less useful form.
233
Bioremediation
Bacteria and enzymes destroy or convert toxic substances
234
Surface Albedo
The reflectivity of the earth's surface; a lighter surface such as snow cover reflects more solar radiation than a darker surface does
235
What is the one natural cause of climate change?
Solar radiation
236
Deep-well disposal
Hazardous wastes are pumped into porous rocks that are far beneath aquifers.
237
Where does nitrogen fixation take place besides plants?
Lighting and burning fossil fuels (which releases NOX)
238
Name all the major air pollutants.
Carbon oxides, NOx, Sulfur oxides, particulates, ozone, lead, smog (NOSCLPS)
239
What does permafrost melting have to do with climate change?
It is a primary feedback loop because 50-60 times the amount of CO2 and methane than is on earth is locked up in the soil in the arctic.
240
Equations for the formation of ozone
CFCl3 + UV --> Cl + CFCl2
Cl + O3 --> ClO + O2
Cl + O --> Cl + O2
241
Brownfield
Abandoned industrial site that hasn't been cleaned up
242
What's the residence of carbon in atoms, soils, rocks in ocean and fossil fuels?
Atom 3 years
Soils 25-30 years
Rocks in ocean 1500 years
Fossil fuels millions of years
243
Examples of bacteria
Typhoid, cholera, dysentery, enteritis
244
Nitrification
Bacteria takes ammonia and turns it into NO2 and NO3.
245
Aerosols
Airborne particles that come from both natural (dust, storms, forest fires, etc) and man-made sources such as burning fossil fuels.
246
Ore
Whole rock with the metal and the unneeded parts as well
247
What are crustacean'a shells made from?
They take C from the water to make CaCO3
248
Solid Biomass Pros and Cons
Pros: widely available in some areas, moderate costs, no net CO2 increase if harvested, burned and replanted sustainably, plantations can help restore degraded lands
Cons: moderate to high environmental impact, increases CO2 if harvested unsustainably, clear cutting can causes soil erosion, water pollution and loss of habitat, often burned in inefficient and polluting open fires.
249
Denitrification
Bacteria turns NO3 into N2 and puts it back into the environment.
250
Richter Scale
Measures the energy of an earthquake through a logarithm of the amplitude of waves. Therefore, it increases 10 times each number.
251
Phthalates
Fragrances, lotions, PVC, Vinyl, and dashboards in cars
| Reproductive probs but no proof of actual risk
252
Clean Water Act
Control pollution of surface water. Set standards for over 100 pollutants
253
How much energy intercepted by our earth actually reaches the surface?
about half
254
Hydroelectricity Methods, Location and Advantages/Disadvantages
Large scale dams - no pond needed = no flooding or relocation
Falling Water - uses natural heights to power electricity
Concentrated in 3 states - Cali, Oregon and Washington
Pros: 90% efficient, no waste and very reliable, large untapped potential, low-cost electricity
Cons: Large land disturbance and displacement of people, high methane emissions from rapid biomass decay, disrupts downstream ecosystems
255
What percent of incoming energy goes to generating winds?
1%
256
Explain the steps of the Phosphorus cycle.
Phosphorus runs off into ocean and gets deposited in the bottom. Phosphorus from the mountains erodes because of rivers into lakes (or any body of water), this water is taken in by plants which is then passed on to the consumer. When the consumer dies, it decomposes back into water/land.
257
Beijing North to South Water Divison
Drought in northern china. Pollution of yellow river. Taking water from Yangtze and putting in in yellow river.
258
Geothermal Energy for Electricity
Dry geothermal: pump cold water into core and heat it into steam
Aquifer Extraction - taks hot water from aquifers and springs
259
What is biodiesel?
It is fuel produced from vegetable oils in plants like soybean, rapeseed and sunflowers.
260
Lead
Extremely toxic chemical that effects the nervous system, the brain, and various other disorders. Comes from car exhaust, waste incineration, computers and TV monitors and even ceramic wear for plates. Can leach into soil and cause harm to plants.
261
How much of the world’s industrialized tree harvest is used to make paper?
55%
262
Where is metamorphic rock found?
Found in trenches and is formed by pressure
263
Problems with landfills
Leaching
Methane
No decomposition
No buildings on top of them
264
Natural capital
The natural resources and services that keep us and other forms of life alive and support our human economies
265
Red Tides
Out of control algal blooms which cause discoloration, releases toxins, and depletes oxygen.
266
Globally, how does our fresh water get split up between agriculture, industrial and domestic
Agriculture uses 70% of water
Industrial plants use 23% of their water to cool down their plants. (Non consumptive)
8% is used for domestic use. (Non consumptive)
267
What's the largest carbon sink?
The ocean
268
55. What is the difference between weathering and erosion?
Erosion → movement of soil components such as surface litter and topsoil
Weathering → the wearing down and gradual degrading of land due to weather.
269
26. Compare and contrast industrialized and subsistence (page283) agriculture. Make a chart for your answer.
Industrialized – uses heavy equipment, uses pesticides, fossil fuels and inorganic fertilizers, one mass focused yield
Subsistence – sustainable labor, growth at cash crops
270
E-horizon
Zone of eluviation or leaching of nutrients
271
Porosity
The amount of room for water to fill in the grand of sand.
272
5 conservation methods (and explain each one)
Windbreaks - lines of trees that stop wind
Contour farming - rolling hills, water runs down hills and they grow crops around the hills instead of up and down
Terraces - mountain regions, helps slow water runoff
Strip cropping - growing cover crops to pick up water that isn't picked up by other crops
No till - reduces erosion by plowing over the land one time where the soil is planted and prepared all at the same time
273
63. Discuss several examples of how food production has caused major losses in biodiversity.
As food yields increase, we use less varieties of strains of foods. India once used 30,000 types of rice but now more than 75% of its rice production comes from one or two varieties.
274
84. Read about Rachel Carson. What famous book did she write? Why was it so famous?
She wrote Silent Spring and was credited with finding the initial harmful effects of pesticides on the rest of the environment, which led to the banning of many pesticides.
275
88. What % of insecticides and herbicides don’t end up reaching the target pest? Where do they go instead?
98-99.9% of the insecticide and 95% of the pesticide
276
Green revolution in India
Started to use American techniques but they became unsustainable. Launched revolution in Punjab. New seeds needed more water which led to a decline in water supply.
277
Salinization in soil
Highly slated soils will pull moisture out if the plants
278
60. Where has the sharpest drop in food production occurred? Why?
America has lost 97% of the food plant varieties since the 1940s.
279
Carbamates
Insecticide, Sevin, low persistence and is not biologically magnified
280
109. What are the three largest contributions to the ecological and carbon footprints of individuals in affluent nations?
1. eating meat
2. growing grain to feed animals
3. catching fish to feed animals
281
100. What are some measures UNICEF recommends to reduce nutrition-related childhood deaths? How much would these cost?
Immunizing more children, preventing dehydration from diarrhea by giving them sugar and salt in their water and finally prevent blindness by giving them an inexpensive vitamin, a capsule twice a year.
282
What 3 things supply half of our food?
Corn rice and wheat
283
91. Summarize the crazy ecological surprise brought about by pesticide use in Borneo.
Besides the malaria that was eliminated, many insects and lizards were killed as well. Then the cats died from eating those species. Then when a rat flea disease spread, they sent in healthy cats to control the rats. The pesticide also killed many bees, which fed on the caterpillars, which fed on the roofs of houses. So the caterpillar population exploded and the roofs began to fall.
284
9. How many people in less developed countries are chronically undernourished or malnourished?
About 1 billion people are malnourished/undernourished as of the mid-1990s IN THE WORLD. However, in less-developed countries, 1 out of every 6 people are in this condition.
285
Microbotanicals
Insecticide, Bt, low persistence and not biologically magnified
286
119. What are the three big ideas from this chapter?
1. More than 1 billion people suffer form malnutrition and face health problems. 2. Modern industrialized agriculture has a greater harmful impact than good. 3. More sustainable forms of food production will greatly reduce the harmful environmental impacts of current institutions.
287
Cover crops
Using nitrogen fixing crops to restore nitrogen to the soil
288
30. What are the advantages of polyculture?
- Principles of sustainability approved
| - reduces risk of losing food supply
289
Persistence of pesticides
How long it stays harmful
290
12. T/F We produce enough food to feed everyone on the planet? ‘
T
291
56. What are some causes of soil erosion? What factor—wind, water or ice—accounts for most erosion?
Water = biggest cause → over use of land, drought, wind, water, runoff carrying away loose particles
292
98. What are the disadvantages of IPM?
It requires expert knowledge and take much longer than traditional pesticide use. Plus, methods in one area might not apply to an area with just slightly different growing conditions.
293
17. What is anemia? How many people suffer from it?
Anemia is the lack of oxygen that is transported to the blood. It causes fatigue, makes infection more likely and increases a woman’s chances of dying at birth. 1/5 of the world suffer from it.
294
b. Waterlogging
When water accumulates underground and gradually raises the water table.
295
Second generation pesticides
Created in a lab like DDT, chlordane and malathion.
296
32. T/F Polyculture outproduces monocultures?
T
297
11. How many more people do we need to feed on the planet each day?
1 billion
298
Soil sterilants
Herbicide, butylate, low persistence and not biologically magnified
299
Why are organic fertilizers better than inorganic?
Inorganic runoff easier and you also apply them at higher rates. They are also made of chemicals so it is bad if they runoff.
300
Boomerang effect
Pesticides we export can come back to us on imported food or in the wind
301
20. How many people on the planet suffer from overnutrition? How many people suffer from this?
1.2 billion people have health problems due to overnutrition. 2/3 of adults are overweight and by 2030 86% of Americans will be overweight.
302
52. What might happen to industrialized food production and to your lifestyle if oil prices rise sharply in the next two decades as experts predict?
Food prices would increase sharply, diet standards and amounts would lower → health would drop
303
A-horizon
Topsoil, bacteria
304
66. Why might organic farmers dislike farming next to GM crops?
Because the GM crops have unknown ecological effects, may have harmful toxins, may need more pesticides to kill of weeds around it and it may disrupt the seed market as well.
305
65. How much of the genetic diversity of agricultural crops have we lost since 1900? Does this loss of biodiversity make our food supply more vulnerable?
¾ and the endangered species are very important to our worlds food supply and so this loss of biodiversity makes it more vulnerable.
306
Coevolution
Herbivores overcome plant defenses through natural selection
307
75. What are some problems with farmed raised “Atlantic” salmon?
Had toxic levels that were 11 times higher than that of wild salmon. It also takes 6 pounds of wild fish to produce 2 pounds of farmed salmon.
308
Bio accumulation
Getting poisoned from eating another poisoned species
309
97. How did IPM work in Indonesia? Give facts to support your answer.
Yes because not only did pesticide use drop 65% but the rice crop also increased 15%.
310
99. What are the two main approaches governments use to influence food production?
1. Control prices by putting an upper limit on prices.
| 2. Provide subsidies to give farmers price support, tax breaks and other financial support.
311
80. What are the second-generation pesticides?
DDT and other chemicals that slight modifications have been made on.
312
Neonicotinoids
Causes colony collapse disorder and comes from nicotine extract
313
Why is it hard to help developing countries with pesticide problems?
Effects of active and inactive pesticide ingredients are poorly documented
314
Important organophosphate
Malathion - mosquito spray
315
106. What are inorganic fertilizers?
Fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium → manufactured chemically
316
How many children under the age of 5 die from malnutrition?
6 million
317
103. How fast are we losing topsoil compared to how quickly it is formed?
Topsoil loss = 17x faster than topsoil formation
318
1. Are there limits to the expansion of the green revolution?
Yes and many people can’t irrigate their farms because they are too poor. Also, flood numbers are projected to increase which will lower food production as well.
319
Alternatives to pesticides (6)
Fool the pest - with something else with a strong scent or grow another plant just for the pests
Provide home for the pest enemies
Implant genetic resistance (Bt)
Use insect perfumes (pheromones) to attract them to a trap
Bring in hormones
Scald them with hot water
320
What percent of food comes from land based agriculture?
90%
321
48. Grain shortages likely to increase in the future. Why?
Countries income grows: more meat eaten, supported/grown by grain → increased demand for grain → loss of crop land to urban spread → further increase grain import resilience → not enough land to produce grain.
322
18. What is a goiter? Cause? How much would it cost to prevent?
A goiter is a very swollen thyroid gland, which produces hormones that handle the metabolism. It is caused by a lack of iodine and would only cost 2-3 cents per person per year to prevent it.
323
51. How far, on average, does food travel from farm to plate? What are some environmental consequences of this well-travelled food?
1300 miles from farm to plate
324
53. Agriculture accounts for what % of water pollution?
Approximately 40%
325
Systemic chemicals
Herbicide, glyphosate, shuts down glucose production in plant, pretty low persistence and not biologically magnified
326
Cancer train
Train 339. Increased cancer on villages that user pesticides. Could have been side effects of green revolution.
327
101. Describe soil conservation methods.
- using a variety of methods to reduce topsoil erosion and restore fertility: terracing, contour planting, strip cropping, cover cropping, alley cropping (agroforestry), use of wind breaks, conservation tillage farming
328
Characteristics of sand
Porosity and permeability
329
73. How much more livestock waste is produced in US compared to human waste?
130 times more than the amount of human waste.
330
How long does it take for 1 inch of topsoil to form?
100 yrs
331
Pesticide disadvantages (5)
Accelerates genetic resistance to pesticides by pests
Expensive treadmill - health and environmental costs
Some insecticides kill insects that help prevent those pests
Harms wildlife
Pesticides have not reduced crop losses to pests
332
114. What does Michael mean when he suggests we “re-solarize our food chain” and “While there are alternatives to oil, there is not alternative to food.”
Resolarize: revamp food production → use sun and other renewable sources to grow and produce food.
333
C-horizon
Regolith/all rock
334
68. What are some of the harmful environmental consequences of industrialized meat production?
In the production of this meat, they use large amounts of fossil fuels and water and produce large amounts of animal waste, which contaminates the environment.
335
How much topsoil is carried away by rivers and streams in the US?
4 billion metric tons
336
Various chemicals
Fungicide, zeneb, low persistence and not biologically magnified
337
25. What technological developments helped increase food production?
Irrigation, fishing tech advancements, tractors and other farm machinery
338
104. Explain the cause and effects of the Dust Bowl.
Expansive mass tillage and over farming land area, depletion of nutrients, drought → leads to extreme dust storms and no crop production for long time periods.
339
Intercropping
Planting different types of crops over a large area
340
Botanicals
Insecticide, Pyrethrum (marigolds), low persistence and is not biologically magnified
341
22. Which systems provide most of our food and what % each? (Total, croplands, rangelands, pastures and feedlots)
Total: 40% of land use for food supply – Croplands use 11% of the land and feed 77% of the population. Rangelands, pastures, and feedlots use 29% of the land and feed 16% of the pop. Fisheries feed 7% of pop.
342
a. Salinization
The gradual accumulation of salts in the upper layers of topsoil
343
72. How does meat production contribute to the “dead zones” in the Gulf of Mexico?
Lots of fertilizer is used to feed the animals in the feedlots and that inorganic fertilizer runs off into the Mississippi River, which then runs into the Gulf and causes dead zones.
344
94. What is the boomerang effect?
It is when residue from some banned chemicals exported to other countries can return to the exporting countries on imported food.
345
118. How much food do Americans waste?
35-45%
346
What do the numbers mean on a bag of fertilizer?
First number is nitrogen and then phosphorus and then potassium
347
What is the biggest source of pollution in IL streams?
Erosion
348
15. Why is protein an important macronutrient (figure 12-1)?
Because it helps the body repair and build body tissues.
349
Two problems with soil
Overwatering - saturation and water logging. Especially if high in clay
Compaction - crushing of soil leads to no roots and no has exchange
350
Chlorinated hydrocarbons
Insecticide, DDT, chlordane, high persistence and is biologically magnified
351
58. What are some downsides to irrigation? Explain each.
Most irrigation water is a diluted form of salt water so the water that doesn’t get dissolved into the ground evaporates and leaves a thin crust of dissolved minerals in the topsoil. This is known as salinization and can be harmful to crops. Another problem is waterlogging, which is when water accumulates underground and gradually raises the water table.
352
FIFRA
Federal insecticide, fungicide rodenticide act - tell how people and companies need to get their pesticides registered
353
c. Desertification
Land that has a 10% or more drop in productivity
354
6. With climate change, what % of the world’s population will face food shortages by the end of this century?
50%
355
d. DDT
The first second-generation pesticide and became the world’s most used pesticide and the founder of it received the Nobel Peace Prize.
356
23. Of the 50,000 edible plants species, how many provide most (90%) of our food?
14
357
49. What is aquaculture and what % of our food is produced this way?
The practice of raising freshwaer and marine fish in freshwater in cages in coastal or open ocean waters - 20% of animal protein provided in some areas
358
107. How can we reduce soil salinization and desertification?
By reducing population growth, overgrazing, deforestation and destructive forms of planting/ irrigation/mining
359
31. What is slash and burn agriculture?
Burning and clearing small plots in tropical forests, growing a variety of crops for a few years, then moving to a fresh plot when the nutrients are ready.
360
27. What is plantation agriculture? Where is it primarily used?
It is the growth of cash crops and it is used in less developed countries.
361
78. What is a pesticide? What is a fertilizer?
It is a chemical that we use to kill or control populations that are undesirable to us.
362
92. What is FIFRA and what is it supposed to do?
It was an at passed by the FDA that was supposed to regulate the sale and use of the 25,000 pesticides used in the US. It was supposed to asses the health risks of them as well.
363
110. Figure 12-33: Which type of protein is most efficient?
Fish, then poultry: need feast amount of grain
364
41. What are some of the hidden costs of food production?
- Subsidies in taxes by the government
| - Environmental damage and future impact
365
83. How much pesticide do we put on our lawns?
We put 10 times more synthetic pesticides on our lawn per unit of land area than what is put on an equivalent amount of US cropland.
366
Contact chemicals
Herbicide, atrazine, kills on contact, low persistence and is not biologically magnified
367
b. Narrow-spectrum (selective) agents
Chemicals that are only effective against a narrowly defined group of organisms.
368
46. What is a CAFO?
Concentrated animal feeding operations
| - Feedlots: raising large #s of animals in small, dirty spaces to get fat quickly then be sold
369
First generation pesticides
Botanicals and heavy metals - haven't been altered yet
370
74. What % of antibiotics are feed to animals?
70% of all antibiotics used in the US are added to animal feed.
371
Reduced till
When the soil has been distributed to a lesser extent relative to conventional tillage.
372
93. What is FQPA and what is it supposed to do?
It is another act passed by the FDA that says it has to reduce the amount of pesticides used on products where there is a lack of information on the harmful effects on children.
373
21. How much is spent on weight loss in the U.S.? How much is needed to eliminate undernutrition and malnutrition?
$147 billion is spent on treatment on the health care bill and an additional $58 billion that Americans personally spend to lose weight.
374
Important Chlorinated Hydrocarbons
Chlordane and DDT
375
45. How can you tell from a label if produce was grown organically?
You can look at the price look up code #s on labels and stickers to identify: organic fruit has 5 digits beginning with 9 GMOs, have 5 digits beginning with 8 and conventional produce has 4 digits.
376
What percent of sand, silt and clay make up loam?
40% sand, 40% silt and 20% clay.
377
How much of our disposal income is spent on food? How about for a person living in a developing country?
US: less than 10%. Developing: 40%
378
77. What is a pest? How does nature generally control them?
They are any species that interferes with human welfare by competing with us for food, invading lawns and gardens, destroying building materials, spreading disease, invading ecosystems or simply being a nuisance. However, natural enemies control the populations of these animals as a part of the natural capital.
379
Green manure
Natural compost of dead material used as chemical free fertilizer
380
102. What is no-till farming and what are the advantages?
The use of special planting machines tat drill seeds through crop residue into undisturbed topsoil. No tilling: erosion prevented
381
1. What are the two strongest arguments for industrialized agriculture? Organic?
Industrialized farming has can produce higher yields on less land and organic farming costs 10-100% more to produce food.
382
28. Is modern industrial agriculture sustainable? Explain.
No, high yields, but relies on fossil fuels that are nonrenewable, doesn’t have a high crop diversity and neglects soil/nutrient conservation
383
57. What is desertification? Which countries have the most serious problems? Are they countries that can afford to grow less food?
It occurs when 10% or more of the productive potential of topsoil falls by more than 10% because of the combination of prolonged drought and human activities such as over grazing and deforestation.
384
2nd green revolution
Helps developing countries! Focused on hybridizing grains so they can support poor countries by increasing yield. Told them to use American ways (pesticides/fertilizers)
385
Transpiration
Loss of water through pores
386
a. Broad-spectrum agents
Chemicals that are toxic to pests to but beneficial to many other species.
387
What percent of food do Americans waste?
40%
388
1. Support the claim that pesticide use has not reduced U.S. crop losses to pests.
Even when insecticide use increased tenfold, the crop losses from pests increased from 7% - 13%. Second, there is a $5 - $10 cost for every $1 actually spent on pesticides. Lastly, other forms of pest control could be cut in half and still maintain crop yield as much as pesticides.
389
B-horizon
Subsoil, medium rock size
390
Contour farming
Planting your crops so that they follow the natural topography of the land. Rows of plants are perpendicular to the slope
391
5. What is food insecurity? What is the primary cause? What are some other obstacles to food security?
It is when people live with chronic hunger and malnutrition, which threaten their ability to live healthy and productive lives. Most say that poverty is the root cause of food insecurity but other causes are politics, war, corruption and bad weather.
392
69. What % of the world’s greenhouse gases are produced from livestock production?
18%
393
Fumigants
Carbon tetrachloride, high persistence and is biologically magnified
394
Shelter belts or windbreaks
Rows of trees to stop wind and erosion
395
85. Summarize the advantages and disadvantages of synthetic pesticides in a chart.
Advantages: They save human lives (insect transmitted disease), Increase food supplies, increase profits, they work fast, and newer ones re safer than older ones.
Disadvantages: They accelerate the development of genetic resistance to pesticides in pest organisms (pests can develop immunity to pesticides), they can put farmers on a financial treadmill, some pesticides harm wildlife, some even threaten human life, some kills populations of species that actually kill pests, and they do not stay put and can be harmful to the environment.
396
What percent of agriculture suffers from erosion?
40%
397
79. What were some of the first-generation pesticides?
Nicotine sulfate and other natural chemicals that were borrowed from plants
398
95. List and describe the 7 alternatives to using pesticides.
1. Fool the pest (rotate crops and adjust planting times)
2. Provide homes for pest enemies.
3. Implant genetic resistance (pest and disease resistance crop strains)
4. Bring in natural enemies
5. Use insect perfumes (pheromones can attract pests into traps or to their enemies)
6. Bring in the hormones (can stop the insect before its reproductive age)
7. Reduce the use of synthetic herbicides to control weeds (other methods)
399
What percent of antibiotics are used on animals?
70%
400
Organophosphates
Insecticide, Malathion (mosquito spray), low persistence and is not biologically magnified
401
33. What is the green revolution? What is the difference between the first and second?
Using high input industrialized agriculture to increase yields
1st – 1950 – 1970: high input increase of crop yields
2nd – 1967: New dwarf varieties introduced to under developed countries.
402
1st green revolution
Happened after WWII. Wanted to shift interests away from war and more towards agriculture. Increased yields through pesticides, irrigation, fertilizer
403
Bio magnification
Poison being passed through food chain in many species, getting worse as it progresses
404
38. What is agribusiness? How much of the world’s grain is produced with how much of the world’s farm labor force?
Higher yields induced by tech advances through agribusiness = less use of unfarmed lands
405
O-horizon
Organic leaf litter
| Decomposed organic matter
406
81. Pesticide use has increased by what % since 1950?
They have increased 50-fold.
407
50. What is the fossil fuel to food ratio?
10 units of nonrenewable fossil fuel energy: 1 unit of food energy
408
7. What is the difference between chronic undernutrition and chronic malnutrition?
Undernutrition is the inability to grow or buy enough food to meet their basic energy needs, also known as hunger. Malnutrition is the inability to be able to afford enough food to support a high energy diet.
409
47. How many food animals are raised each year?
56 million
410
96. What is IPM and what are its goals? Can pesticides be used in IPM? When?
The Integrated Pest Management Program each crop and its pests are evaluated as parts of an ecological system. Then they can use specific control methods based on specific situations.
411
2. How might organic food actually be cheaper than industrial food?
if you include the cost of health and environmental effects, then some say organic farming would be less expensive.
412
61. What are some limitations to increasing irrigated cropland?
Salinization and waterlogging
413
14. What is a famine? What are its causes
Famine is the severe shortage of food in an area that leads to mass starvation, death and economic chaos. They are caused by crop failures from drought, flooding, war and other catastrophic events.
414
What is the largest cause of erosion?
Water
415
16. Why is vitamin A important? How many people go blind each year from a lack of it?
250,000 – 500,000 people go blind from a lack of vitamin A each year and amount half of them die within a year.
416
37. How long does it take for 1” of topsoil to form?
Hundreds of years
417
Characteristics of silt
Holds nutrients
418
No till
A tractor pulls a drill that cuts furrows through weeds and crop remains
419
29. What is hydroponics? Make an advantage/disadvantage chart for hydroponics.
Growing plants without soil by exposing their roots to nutrient rich water
- Pros: Indoor crop growth, high yields, underground growth with artificial lighting, no pesticides or fertilizer runoff.
- Cons: expensive to establish, need expert knowledge, threatens big business profits.
420
Neonicotinoids
Causes colony collapse disorder
421
Terracing
Transforming steep slopes into a series of steps allowing very hilly land to be cultivated
422
Permeability
Ability for water to travel down and around the pieces of sand
423
Characteristics of clay
Impermeable
424
24. What are problem associated with relying on such a limited number of species?
It puts us in a vulnerable position if we can no longer if we can no longer support them – breaks principles of sustainability
425
Pesticide advantages (5)
```
Using chemicals to kill bacteria
Malaria protection (bed nets dipped in insecticides)
Increases food supplies and profits
Works quickly
Decreased health risks now
```
426
US federal agencies that regulate
EPA
USDA
FDA
427
105. What are the three types of organic fertilizers?
Animal manure, green manure, and compost
429
c. Persistence
The length of time a pesticide remains deadly in the environment.
430
What is the richness of species diversity?
of different species
431
What is the evenness of species diversity?
of individuals within each species
432
What are the 5 things that affect biotic potential?
Reproductive rate, ability to migrate, ability to invade new habitats, defense mechanisms and ability to cope with adverse conditions
433
What are 5 things that create environmental resistance?
Lack of food/nutrients, lack of water, lack of habitat, weather, predators, disease
434
Causes of overpopulation in underdeveloped nations
Infant mortality , lack of education, status of women and availability of contraception
435
Biotic potential
Maximum reproductive capacity under ideal conditions
436
What 5 things contribute to the loss of biodiversity?
Habitat destruction, human overpopulation, pollution, exotic species, overuse
437
5 most well known Greenhouse gases
Carbon dioxide, CFCs, halons, methane, nitrous oxide
438
What are the 5 steps of a clean coal combustion facility?
Burn coal completely, pulverize coal to burn completely and then wash, ash is removed using electrostatic precipitators, steam is condensed and returned to boiler, CO2 is recovered using lime and then sequestered.
439
Cons to GMOs
Ecological effects, less biodiversity, allergies, mutations possible, causes pesticide-resistant strain
440
3 survivorship curves and their description/example
Late loss - reproduction occurs early in life, low mortality rate and long life (most same) --> humans
Constant loss - individuals in all categories have uniform death rates, predation are means of death and reach adult stages quickly --> hydra, songbirds, sea turtles
Early loss - great number of offspring and death is prevalent for young --> sea turtle, trees, fish, parasites
441
What is the worlds greatest use of fossil fuels?
OIL
442
Tundra (Climate, vegetation and animals)
Low precipitation, permafrost soil, short growing season
low growing plants
Mammals and birds
443
Taiga (boreal or coniferous forests) (Climate, vegetation and animals)
Long cold and dry winters, wet summers, moderately warm
Evergreen trees, few deciduous trees
Mammals and birds
444
Temperate deciduous forest (Climate, vegetation and animals)
Moderate temps with four seasons, abundant precipitation
Deciduous trees
Mammals and birds
445
Temperate rain forest (Climate, vegetation and animals)
Moderate temperatures and abundant moisture
Conifers and broad leaf evergreens
Similar to temperate deciduous forest
446
Tropical rain forest (Climate, vegetation and animals)
Constant warm temperatures with heavy rainfall
Large, broadleaf evergreen trees, diverse plant life
Many species of mammals, birds, insects, reptiles
447
Savanna (Climate, vegetation and animals)
Tropical wet and dry seasons
Grasses, shrubs and small trees
Grazing mammals, predatory animals and birds
448
Temperate grasslands
Hot dry summers and cold snowy winters
Tall and short grasses
Mammals
449
Shrubland
Hot, dry summers and moist winters
Shrubs
Mammals, reptiles and birds
450
Desert
Little precipitation
Shrubs and cacti
Reptiles, mammals that have adapted to dry conditions
451
Aswan HIgh Dam
In Egypt: eliminated nutrients to farmland, lots of standing water, which caused a disease called schistosomiasis to spread
452
Bangladesh
Arsenic infiltration into groundwater after wells were built.
453
Colorado River Basin
Diversion of water from colorado River has led to water disputed, lack of nutrients and salinization
454
James Bay
In Canada: Diversion of rivers into Hudson Bay to get electricity caused massive flooding. Mercury also leaked into the water affecting people all around
455
Three Gorges Dam
Required the relocation of 1.2 million people
456
Long Island, NY
Aldicarb (carbamate) was used to protect potatoes from beetles. Residues of the toxin were found in over 1,400 wells and still contain them now. Has been found in 26 states!
457
Minimata Disease
27 tons of mercury containing compounds were dumped into Minimata Bay in Japan causing severe effects on people.
458
Formula for industrial smog
H2SO4 + NH3 --> ((NH4)2SO4)
459
Formula for Photochemical Smog
NOx + O2 + H2O + VOC + sunlight --> pNA, aldehydes, tropospheric ozone, photochemical smog
460
FormulaS for the FORMATION of stratospheric ozone
O2 + UVB --> O + O
| O + O2 --> O3
461
FormulaS for the DESTRUCTION of stratospheric ozone
Cl + O3 --> ClO + O2
| ClO + O --> Cl + O2
462
Temperature inversion
Warm air sits on top of cooler air, no dispersal of pollutants is allowed
463
Population growth rate formula (What is a high, med and low growth rate?)
final pop - initial pop/ initial x100
| .5% is low, 1% is med and > 1.5% is high
464
Birth rate
births/total pop x100
465
Crude birth rate
births/1000 people
| real births/real population = births/1000 --> cross multiply
466
Doubling time
70/ pgr as a %
