AP Environmental Science Unit 5

artificial selection

Breeding organisms with specific traits in order to produce offspring with those traits; not only animals but crops as well

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, loss of biodiversity

contour plowing

An agricultural technique in which plowing and harvesting 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

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 practice of using small pipes that slowly drip water just above ground to conserve water to use for crops; most efficient, reduces weed growth, useful in perennials, but 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.

environmental indicator

A value or measure that provides information about the state of the environment; biological diversity, food production, average global surface temp/CO2 concentration, human population, resource depletion

famine

a severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent hunger and starvation and death

feedlot

a plot of land on which livestock are fattened for market

organic fertilizer

fertilizer composed of organic matter from plants and animals, slow-acting & long-lasting because the organic remains need time to be decomposed

synthetic fertilizer

fertilizers that are manufactured using chemical processes with the use of fossil fuels

fishery collapse

The decline of a fish population by 90 percent or more, usually due to tragedy of the commons

food security

Physical, social, and economic access at all times to safe and nutritious food sufficient to meet dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

food insecurity

the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food

free-range grazing

raising livestock on rangelands, the most common land use type in the U.S., using less fossil fuel energy than feedlots, but can lead to overgrazing

fungicide

substance that kills fungi or inhibits their growth

furrow irrigation

involves digging trenches and filling them with water, low effort and cheap but can cause water logging and salinization

genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

new organisms created by altering the genetic material (DNA) of existing organisms; usually in an attempt to remove undesirable or create desirable characteristics in the new organism.

Green Revolution

Agricultural revolution that increased production through improved seeds, fertilizers, irrigation, industrialized agriculture, machinery, mechanization, pesticide use, monocropping, etc.

herbicide

a substance for killing plants, especially weeds

insecticide

a chemical used to kill insects

impervious surfaces

surfaces that don't absorb water ex. roads, sidewalks, houses / buildings, resulting in excessive runoff

industrial agriculture

mechanization and standardization applied to food production

intercropping

An agricultural method in which two or more crop species are planted in the same field at the same time to promote a synergistic interaction.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

An agricultural practice that uses a variety of techniques designed to minimize pesticide inputs building up from cultural, physical-mechanical, biological, and then chemical; crop rotation/intercropping, use of pest-resistant varieties, creation of habitats for predators of pests, limited pesticide use when necessary

irrigation

The process of supplying water to areas of land to make them suitable for growing crops.

low-grade ore

Ore containing a small amount of a desired mineral.

high-grade ore

Ore containing a large amount of a desired mineral.

malnourishment

diet lacks the correct balance of nutrients

mechanization

In agriculture, the replacement of human labor with technology or machines; economy of scale, average costs of production fall as output increases

monocropping

large plantings of single species or variety of crop, more efficient and economic but more soil erosion, higher vulnerability to pests, and loss of genetic diversity

multiple-use lands

A U.S. classification used to designate lands that may be used for recreation, grazing, timber harvesting, and mineral extraction.

strict nature reserves and wildness areas

An area set aside with the intent of preserving a large tract of intact ecosystem or a landscape with minimal human impact

national wildlife refuge

a federal public land managed for the primary purpose of protecting wildlife

no-till agriculture

An agricultural method in which farmers do not turn the soil between seasons, used as a means of reducing erosion; usually more weeds and use of chemicals

ore

a rock that contains a large enough concentration of a mineral making it profitable to mine

overburden

Layer of soil and rock overlying a mineral deposit. Surface mining removes this layer.

overfishing

harvesting fish to the point that species are depleted and the value of the fishery reduced

overgrazing

Destruction of vegetation caused by too many grazing animals consuming the plants in a particular area so they cannot recover; leaves land exposed to wind erosion, soils can no longer absorb and retain water

pest control

the regulation or management of a species defined as a pest

pesticide

A chemical intended to kill insects and other organisms that damage crops.

prescribed burn

A fire deliberately set under controlled conditions in order to reduce the accumulation of dead biomass on a forest floor

pesticide resistance

when there is a natural variation (mutation) in pests and the ones with the mutation become resistant to a pesticide, survive to reproduce, increasing proportion of trait in population, creating a positive feedback loop

rotational grazing

Restricting animals to a small area of grazing for a short time (often only a day or two) before shifting them to a new location

runoff

water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the ground

salinization

Accumulation of salts in soil that can eventually make the soil unable to support plant growth.

shifting agriculture

An agricultural method in which land is cleared and used for a few years until the soil is depleted of nutrients.

slash and burn

A farming method involving the cutting of trees, then burning them to provide ash-enriched soil for the planting of crops

spray irrigation

water is pumped through to sprinklers, higher efficiency but costs more and requires more energy

strip cropping

Planting regular crops and close-growing plants, such as hay or nitrogen-fixing legumes, in alternating rows or bands to help reduce depletion of soil nutrients.

strip mining

the removal of strips of soil and rock to expose ore

surface mining

The extraction of mineral and energy resources near Earth's surface by first removing the soil, subsoil, and overlying rock strata; cheaper and can remove more minerals; less hazardous to workers

subsurface mining

Extraction of a metal ore or fuel resource such as coal from a deep underground deposit.

terracing

technique for farming that builds platforms on hills to reduce erosion

tilling

The turning-over of soil before planting; contributes negatively to soil quality by disrupting soil structure, accelerating erosion and runoff

tree plantation

a large area typically planted with a single rapidly growing tree species, never becoming diverse ecosystems, but more economical

undernutrition

not enough calories are ingested to maintain health

overnutrition

too many calories combined with improper balance, often resulting in obesity

water logging

water completely saturates soil starves plant roots of oxygen, rots roots

windbreaks

Belts of trees along field edges to reduce wind erosion

national park

a natural area protected and managed by the federal government for scientific education, recreational use, little to no extraction of resources, 2.7% of Earth; conservation and tourism, but may displace indigenous peoples

managed resource protected areas

sustained use of biological, mineral, and recreational resources, national forests in the U.S.

habitat/species management protection areas

managed to maintain biological communities (fire prevention, predator control)

protected landscapes and seascapes

nondestructive use of natural resources with opportunities for tourism and recreation

national monuments

unique sites of special natural of cultural interest

BLM (Bureau of Land Management), USFS (United States Forest Services), NPS (National Park Service), FWS (Fish and Wildlife Service)

greater than 95% of federal lands managed by these organizations

commercial timber operations

allowed to harvest timber in exchange for a royalty that is a percentage of revenues; government spends more money on management than it receives in royalties, making logging effectively subsidized

commodity crops

crop products such as corn and soybeans that can be used for commerce

Turtle Exclusion Device

a specialized device that allows a captured sea turtle to escape when caught in a fisherman's net.

open-pit mining

a mining technique that uses a large visible pit or hole in the ground

mountaintop removal

a mining technique in which the entire top of a mountain is removed with explosives

placer mining

method of extracting mineral ore by hand using simple tools like picks, shovels, and pans

Mining Law of 1872 (General Mining Act)

-Regulate the mining of copper, silver, gold ore as well as fuels including natural gas and oil on federal lands

-Allowed individuals and companies to recover ores or fuels from federal land (was originally created to encourage development and settlement of the West)

-Few provisions for environmental protection

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

land must be minimally disturbed during mining and then reclaimed

fish farming

Form of aquaculture in which fish are cultivated in a controlled pond or other environment and harvested when they reach the desired size

Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA)

An approach to aquaculture that involves raising several species of aquatic organisms with complementary feeding habits in close proximity; cultivate all trophic levels, use the waste nutrients to feed the lower levels