agriculture
the practice of cultivating soils, producing crops and raising livestock for human use and consumption
food security
an adequate, reliable and available food supply provided to all people at all times
Green Revolution
the simultaneous development of new varieties of food plants and altered agricultural practices to increase crops yields, starting in the 1950s
polyculture
planting multiple crops in close proximity
monoculture
the uniform planting of a single crop
pesticides
chemicals used to kill or control unwanted organisms
irrigation
the artificial addition of water to support agriculture
inorganic fertilizer
mined or synthetically manufactured mineral supplements
insecticide
chemicals used to kill or control insects
herbicides
chemicals used to control unwanted plants
fungicides
chemicals used to kill fungi
rodenticides
chemicals used to kill rodents
persistent chemicals
chemicals that remain in the environment for a long time period in an unchanged state
nonpersistent chemicals
chemicals that rapidly degrade through organic or inorganic processes in the environment
bioaccumulation
the buildup of toxins in the tissue of organisms
biomagnification
the bioaccumulation of a substance up the food chain
acute toxicity
adverse effects that develop from exposure to a large dose of a substance
chronic toxicity
the development of negative effects as a result of exposure to small doses of a substance over long time periods
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act of 1910
established a registry of pesticides determined to be effective and regulates pesticides available to the public vs. certified applicators
Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938
gave the Food and Drug Administration authority to oversee the safety of food, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices; allows EPA to regulate pesticide residue on food for people or animals
Food Quality Protection Act of 1996
updated pesticide safety standards of new pesticides used on food and required older pesticides to be reassessed using tougher standards
waterlogging
raising the water table so it covers plant roots
soil salinization
the buildup of salts in surface soil layers
soil health
the continued ability of the soil to function as a living system to sustain the life that depends on it
soil degradation
a change in soil health resulting in a decreased capacity of the ecosystem to provide goods and services to those using it
arable
capable of being farmed productively
desertification
the degradation of formerly productive dryland ecosystems by inappropriate farming practices
erosion
the detachment and movement of material from one area and its deposition in another
cultural eutrophication
the addition of nutrients to a waterbody because of human activities
no-till farming
a system of planting crops without plowing using herbicides to control weeds
contour farming
furrows are plowed perpendicular to the slope, following the natural contours of the land to help prevent the formation of rills and gullies
intercropping
planting alternating bands of different types of crops across a slope
terracing
cutting level platforms into steep hillsides to contain water and soil
shelterbelts
rows of trees or other tall, perennial plants planted at the edges of fields to act a as a windbreak
Green Belt Movement
established in 1977 by Wangari Maathai to combat a lack of water and food security in Kenya
Great Green Wall Initiative
a movement in the Sahel to combat desertification
biodiversity
the variety of life in all its forms
species
a group of organisms that can reproduce and have fertile offspring
species richness
the number of different species represented in a defined area
latitudinal gradient
species richness generally increases as you move toward the equator
ecotourism
the touring of natural habitats in a manner meant to minimize ecological impact
biophilia
the connections that humans unconsciously seek with the rest of life
Lacey Act
prohibits the trade of wildlife, fish, or plants, that have been illegally obtained
Migratory Bird Act
a treaty between the U.S. and Canada that makes it unlawful to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, or sell migratory birds
Endangered Species Act
no activity by a government agency should lead to the extinction of an endangered species and all government agencies must use whatever means necessary to preserve the species
endangered
a species that has the high potential to become extinct in the foreseeable future
threatened
a species that has the high potential to become endangered in the foreseeable future and could become extinct if a critical factor in their environment were changed
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)
protected endangered species by banning the international trade of their body parts
Convention on Biological Diversity
sets global initiatives to conserve biodiversity, use biodiversity in a sustainable manner, and ensure the fair distribution of the benefits of biodiversity
Studied by 119 People