Unit 5 Part A Flashcards
(38 cards)
aquaculture
the cultivation of seafood under controlled conditions, usually involving raising fish in underwater tanks or in ponds.
artificial selection
breeding organisms with specific traits in order to produce offspring with those traits; animals and crops
bycatch
the unintentional catch of nontarget species while fishing, or juveniles.
CAFO
Concentrated animal feeding operation; raising a large number of animals bred to gain weight quickly., in crowded buildings. Usually must use antibiotics to prevent disease from spreading easily through the population; nutrient supplements, confined, little movement
clearcutting
the process of cutting down all the trees in an area at once; easiest and most economical; often stands are replanted
selective cutting
cutting down only some trees in a forest and leaving a mix of tree sizes and species behind. less erosion and biodiversity
contour plowing
agricultural technique in which harvesting and plowing are done parallel to the topographic contours of the land
crop rotation
the system of growing a different crop in a field each year to preserve the fertility of the land, also part of IPM
chronic hunger
faulty nutrition, caused by a diet that does not supply an individual with enough protein, fats, vitamins, etc.
desertification
degradation of land, especially in semiarid areas, primarily because of human actions like excessive crop planting, animal grazing and tree cutting
drip irrigation
the process of using small pipes that slowly drip water just above ground to conserve water use for crops; most efficient, reduces weed growth, useful in perennials, more money, and might need to remove to plow.
ecological footprint
the impact of a person or community on the environment expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources.
EIS
environmental impact statement; a formal analysis required for any major federal action that will significantly affect the quality of the environment to determine the actions impact and explore alternatives, required by the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act.
Eminent domain
the right of the government to take private property for public use.
environmental indicator
a value or measure that provides information about the state of the environment; biological diversity, food production, human population, etc.
environmental mitigation plan
a plan that outlines how a developer will address concerns raised by a projects impact on the environment.
externality
an economic side effect of a good or service that generates benefits or costs to someone other than the person deciding how much to produce or consume
energy subsidy
the energy input per calorie of food produced
famine
a severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent starvation, hunger and death
feedlot
a plot of land where animals are fattened for market
organic fertilizer
fertilizer composed of organic matter from plants and animals, slow-acting and long-lasting because the organic remains need time to decompose
synthetic fertilizer
fertilizers created from chemical processes with the use of fossil fuels.
fishery collapse
the decline of a fish population by 90% or more, usually caused by tragedy of the commons
food security
physical, social and economical acces to food at all times; nutritious or unhealthy food, you pick.
