ESS Topic 5: Soil Systems and Terrestrial Food Production Systems and Societies

Inputs of a soil system

organic material, infiltration, energy, precipitation

Storages of a soil system

organic matter, nutrients, air, minerals, water

Transfers of a soil system

leaching, translocation

Transformations of a soil system

decomposition, weathering, evaporation

Outputs of a soil system

Uptake by plants, erosion

Soil texture

shape of particles, aeration, retention of nutrients

What is soil structure

size and proportion of soil particles

Field Capacity

Maximum amount of water a soil can hold

Porosity

amount of space between soil particles

Permeability

Ease at which gases & liquids can pass through soil

Clay characteristics

High water retention, low drainage, low organic matter, high nutrients, low aeration, low primary productivity, low biota

Sand characteristics

Low water retention, high drainage, low organic matter, low nutrient capacity, high aeration, low primary productivity, low biota

Loam characteristics

Medium water retention, medium drainage, medium organic matter, high nutrient capacity, medium aeration, medium primary productivity, high biota

Agribusiness

all businesses associated with intensive agricultural production

Commercial agriculture

Large scale production of crops & livestock for sale

Subsistence agriculture

Small-scale farming for self-sufficiency to grow for a family

Cash cropping

Growing for the market, NOT to eat yourself

Increasing demand of food is caused by

Increasing population, Climate change damaging crops, Water scarcity

Where does food waste happen in MEDCs?

Household level, retail level

Where does food waste happen in LEDCs?

Farm level; lack of storage, lack of refrigeration, loss during transportation

Factors influencing food production systems

Level of education and skills, Religious impacts, Farming environment, Government subsidies to promote certain food types, Level of mechanics farmers can afford, Demands of certain foods

Arable

Cultivation of crops

Pastoral

Rearing of animals

Commercial

Products sold to make profit

Subsistence

Products consumed by cultivators

Nomadic

Farmers move seasonally with their herds

Sedentary

Remain in same place throughout the year

How to increase sustainability in food production: Human behavior

Reduce meat consumption, improve accuracy of food labels, increase consumption of organically grown products, improve technology of agriculture

How to increase sustainability in food production: Monitoring and control

Governmental, non-governmental bodies to regulate practices, planting of buffer zones to regulate runoff

Four stages of soil in succession

Colonization, establishment, stabilization, climax

What happens during colonization stage

Lichens and weathering breaks apart rock, soil begin to form

What happens during establishment stage

Soils become richer as decomposition occurs. Mosses and lichens disappear. Simple organisms form.

What happens during stabilization stage

Horizons form from taller trees growing & shrubs dying

What happens during climax stage

Well-developed soil

What happens when wind

Top layer of soils are removed by wind

Results of when wind

Depletes soil nutrients, soil becomes more fiable (breakable)

What happens when water goes through soil

Sheet wash (removal of thin layers of soil), gullying (rapid, deep cutting of soil)

Results of when water

Causes landslides

Human processes that deplete soil

Overgrazing, deforestation, irrigation

What results when overgrazing

Depletes soil nutrients, increase in soil erosion due to lack of vegetation

What results when deforestation

Soil erosion from water and wind due to lack of vegetation

When too much irrigation

Overdose of water = runoff

Four ways of reducing soil fertility

Soil erosion, toxification, salinization, desertification

Human 👩🏻‍🌾 causes of soil erosion

dry-land farming

Consequences of soil erosion

Increased pollution, loss of most fertile topsoil

Causes of toxification

Acid rain, pesticides

Consequences of toxification

Increases soil acidity

Causes of salinization

Irrigation water contains salt, evaporation leaves salt

Consequences of salinization

Low crop yield, dead plants, ruined land

Causes of desertification

Effects of harsh climate

Consequences of desertification

reduces productivity, long time to recover

Management strategy: Soil Conditioners — what is it

Helps improve soil structure by increasing aeration, water holding capacity, and nutrients

Management strategy: Soil Conditioners — pros

Allows slow release of nutrients, better absorption by plants

Management strategy: Soil Conditioners — cons

Needs constant monitoring & adding

Management strategy: Cultivation techniques — what is it?

Terracing (cutting layers on slope), contour plowing (plowing along lines of land), alley cropping (planting rows of trees to create alleys)

Management strategy: Cultivation techniques — pros

Reduces water runoff, provide share, retain moisture, saves fuel

Management strategy: Cultivation techniques — cons

Increase in pests and diseases thus needs pesticide, expensive equipment

Management strategy: Irrigation — what is it?

Water

Management strategy: Irrigation — pros

Reduces evaporation, salinization

Management strategy: Irrigation — cons

Slower, less productive yield

Management strategy: Crop rotation — what is it

Rotation of crops to avoid monoculture

Management strategy: Crop rotation — pros

Allows soil to improve naturally

Management strategy: Crop rotation — cons

Hard to manage