Water & Soil Management Flashcards
Where is most of earth’s water?
97% is in the oceans
Largest freshwater reservoirs
- Polar Icecaps
- Groundwater
Pros about Dams
- Emission-free power
- Deal with problem of variable water
supply
Cons about Dams
- Rivers dry up
- Reduce nutrients available below dam
- Change water temperature
- Stop the fish
Wetland Biodiversity
- Wetlands thrive on flooding! Stopping
flooding hurts the wetlands - Critical in arid environments where
wetlands support most biodiversity
Soil erosion
Human activities accelerate soil erosion
○ Removing water, lowering the water table
○ Deforestation
Irrigation
Irrigation can waterlog soil and lead to
soil salinization
Defining water rights
Some see water as a commodity that
should be managed like any other
natural resources
Desalination
Turning salt water into
fresh water
Distillation
Desalination through
evaporation
Reverse osmosis
Push salt-water
through a membrane, removing salt
Genetically modified organism (GMOS)
One or
more new gene is introduced into the
genetic makeup of a crop
Transgenic organism
Introduced genes
come from other species
Benefits from GMOs
- Drought tolerance
- Better nutritional value
- Reducing needs for pesticides and
herbicides reduces human and ecosystem deaths