Environmental Management: Agriculture and the Environment

These flashcards cover soil composition, agricultural styles, methods for increasing yields, and the environmental impacts of farming based on the Environmental Management syllabus.

Soil

The outer, loose layer found below the Earth's surface, consisting of mineral particles, organic content, air, and water.

Mineral particles

Inorganic fragments formed from the weathering of parent rock, categorized as sand ($2.0$-$0.02\,mm$), silt ($0.02$-$0.002\,mm$), or clay ($<0.002\,mm$).

Humus

The decaying remains of plants and animals that form a nutrient-rich organic layer in the soil, improving water-holding capacity.

Nitrate ions ($NO_3^-$)

The chemical form of nitrogen absorbed by plant roots to construct proteins and support life processes.

Decomposers

Microorganisms like bacteria and fungi that break down organic matter into simple chemicals and nutrients like nitrates.

Soil pH

The measure of soil acidity or alkalinity; a range between $6$ and $7.5$ is considered optimal for nutrient solubility.

Subsistence farming

Agriculture practiced to meet the immediate food needs of the farmer and their family, often with little surplus for trade.

Commercial farming

Large-scale agriculture intended for profit, utilizing technology to increase yields and reduce costs.

Arable farming

The branch of agriculture specifically focused on the production of plants or crops for human consumption.

Pastoral farming

The production of animals or animal-related products, also referred to as livestock farming or grazing.

Intensive farming

A farming system characterized by high levels of inputs, such as labor and fertilizers, to produce large amounts of food from small areas of land.

Crop rotation

A method where different plants are grown in a specific sequence on the same field to maintain soil fertility and reduce pest buildup.

Legumes

Plants from the pea and bean family that possess nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their roots to produce nitrates naturally.

Fallow

The practice of leaving land ploughed but barren for a period to allow the soil to naturally restore its fertility.

Inorganic fertilisers

Manufactured chemicals containing NPK ($\text{Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium}$) used to replace lost soil nutrients and boost crop growth.

Hydroponics

A soil-less cultivation technique where plants are grown in water containing dissolved mineral nutrients.

Leaching

The process where mineral nutrients or chemicals dissolve in water and are washed out of the soil into nearby water bodies.

Eutrophication

A sequence of events starting with nutrient enrichment of a water body, leading to algae blooms, oxygen depletion, and animal death.

Salinization

The accumulation of salts in the soil, often caused by over-irrigation in dry climates, which makes it difficult for plants to absorb water via osmosis.

Terracing

An erosion-control method involving the creation of flat areas on sloping terrain to decrease run-off and increase water infiltration.

Windbreaks

Permeable barriers, often made of living vegetation, used to reduce wind speed and prevent soil erosion.

Bioaccumulation

The increasing concentration of toxic chemicals, such as pesticides, as they move up successive levels of the food chain.

Desertification

The process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically resulting from severe droughts and soil mismanagement.

Rainwater harvesting

A sustainable practice involving the collection and storage of rain for future agricultural use or irrigation.

Selective breeding

The traditional process of choosing parents with desired characteristics to produce offspring with improved performance.