APES Unit 5 Flashcards
Main Vocab For Unit 5 (20 cards)
Tragedy of the Commons
When people overuse a shared resource, causing it to become damaged or unusable.
Clearcutting
Cutting down all trees in an area at once, which can cause soil erosion and habitat loss.
Selective cutting
Only certain trees are removed, which helps maintain the forest ecosystem.
Monoculture
A time when agriculture became more industrialized with new technology, fertilizers, and pesticides.
Tilling
Turning over soil to prepare for planting; can lead to erosion.
Slash-and-burn agriculture
Cutting and burning forests to make room for crops.
Fertilizers
Substances added to soil to help plants grow; can be natural (organic) or synthetic (man-made).
Irrigation
Supplying water to crops by artificial means.
Pesticides
Chemicals that kill pests; can cause pollution and harm non-target species.
CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations)
Large facilities where animals are raised in tight spaces; efficient but can cause pollution.
Free-range grazing
Letting animals roam and graze naturally; better for the environment but requires more land.
Overgrazing
When animals eat too much vegetation, which can lead to soil erosion and desertification.
Aquaculture
Raising fish or seafood in controlled environments.
Desertification
When land becomes dry and desert-like from overuse.
Salinization
Build-up of salt in soil from irrigation; can harm plant growth.
Waterlogging
Too much water in the soil, which drowns plant roots.
Soil erosion
Loss of topsoil due to wind or water, often from poor land management.
Urbanization
Growth of cities that replaces natural land and increases runoff.
Contour plowing
Plowing along the shape of the land to reduce erosion.
Crop rotation
Changing what is planted in a field each year to maintain soil health.
