Chapter 6: Earth Systems and Resources

strip mining

strategically remove the land in strips

contour strip mining

if land curves, remvoe in uneven layers

mountain top removal

the most dangerous, literally blowing the top off of a mountain

subsurface mining

leads to respiratory illnesses, black lung, smelting to extract metals

core

Earth's innermost zone; inner is mostly solid nickel and iron due to high pressure; outer is semi-solid iron and sulfur

mantle

surrounds the core, mostly solid rock

aesthenosphere

area on the mantle of slowing flowing rock

lithosphere

thin, rigid, outermost layer of Earth

crust

solid surface of Earth

tectonic plates

12 in total, located in the lithosphere, can break into large pieces because of being on top of the aesthenosphere

convergent boundary

two plates are pushed towards each other, one is pushed into the mantle

divergent boundary

two plates are moving away from each other, causes a gap that can be filled with magma, new crust is formed

transform boundary

two plates slide past each other, causes earthquakes

rift volcano

plates move away from each other, new ocean floor is created, magma is basaltic

subduction volcano

plates collide and the denser plate (oceanic) goes under the less dense plate (continental)

hot spot volcano

magma rises to the surface through tectonic plates, usually basaltic but can be rhyolitic

earthquake focus

location where an earthquake begins below the surface

earthquake epicenter

initial surface location of an earthquake

seismograph

measures the size/magnitude of an earthquake, invented by Charles Richter

rock cycle

igneous: magma is cooled to solid rock

tsunami

large waves caused by earthquakes

abiotic/biotic

nonliving/living components

clay, silt, sand (particle size, porosity)

smallest to largest:

acidity, alkalinity

soil pH affects nutrient absorption

soil horizons

O organic material, humus

leaching

organic material and rocks travel down the soil layers

illuviation

movement of dissolved material for higher soil layers to lower due to the movement of water (gravity)

arable

soil suitable for plant growth

must supply nitrogen, potassium, and _______ to plants

phosphorous

most fertile soils are

aggregates

loamy

soil with the same amount of clay, silt, and sand, considered the best for plant growth

monoculture/polyculture

one crop planting: more prone to pests, diseases, leaches the soil of nutrients

crop rotation

different crops are planted in an area in each growing season, increases sustainability and biodiversity

Green Revolution

increase in agricultural productivity due to machinery from the industrial revolution

salinization

soil becomes water logged and a thin layer of salt forms on the surface

land degradation

results from salinization, prevented by drip irrigation

drip irrigation

only as much water as necessary is allowed to be given to plants to prevent over-watering

erosion

caused by water and wind, topsoil can contaminate water and be problematic for farmers

troposphere

closest to the earth, surface to 10-20 km above, temperature decreases with altitude

greenhouse effect

occurs in the troposphere, absorb solar radiation

tropopause

buffer between troposphere and stratosphere, temperature increases with altitude

stratosphere

20-50 km above Earth, thin band of ozone, protects Earth from solar radiation

ozone

exists in the stratosphere

mesosphere

80 km above Earth, where meteors burn up

thermosphere

thinnest atmosphere layer, 110 km above Earth, where the auroras take place, where space shuttles orbit

prevailing winds

belts of air that distribute heat and moisture unevenly, caused by the Earth moving faster at the equator than the poles

Coriolis effect

-winds moving north from the equator are deflected right

convection currents

vertical currents that warm the Earth's surface

horizontal airflow

causes surface winds, warm air rises, cool air sinks

dew point

the temperature where water vapor condenses into liquid water

convection cell

movement of water through the air

Hadley cell

starts over the equator, warm air rises and evaporates, cool air falls 30 degrees north and south of the equator

trade winds

winds that blow east from 30 degrees north and south of the equator

horse latitudes

dry air and high pressure results in very weak winds

doldrums

still air at the equator

jet stream

high speed currents of wind that occur in the upper troposphere, have a large influence on local weather patterns

rain shadow effect

windward: lots of rain and cool air

leeward:

very dry area with little rain

El Nino, La Nina

Nino: trade winds are weakened, Southern Oscillation, no upwelling

Nina:

allows upwelling, trade winds are strengthened

1977 Soil and Water Conservation Act

soil and water conservation programs to aid landowners and users; also sets up conditions to continue evaluating the condition of US soil, water, and related sources

1985 Food Security Act

the Swampbuster, discouraged the conversion of wetlands to non wetlands; 1990 federal legislation denied federal farm supplements to those who converted wetlands to agriculture, provided a restoration of benefits to those who converted land to wetlands

soil conservation

-use of animal waste, compost to increase organic materials

freshwater layers

littoral: shallow water, lots of sunlight

ocean layers

coastal: between the shore and continental shelf