unit 4 APES

Soil horizons order

O to A to E to B to C from top to bottom

O Horizon

Surface organic layer with decomposing material

A Horizon

Topsoil with organic material and minerals supports plants

E Horizon

Layer where leaching removes nutrients

B Horizon

Subsoil where minerals accumulate

C Horizon

Weathered parent material

Plate tectonics

Earth outer layer is divided into moving plates

Lithosphere

Rigid outer layer of crust and upper mantle

Asthenosphere

Soft layer that allows plate movement

Convergent boundary

Plates collide causing mountains or subduction

Divergent boundary

Plates move apart forming new crust

Transform boundary

Plates slide past causing earthquakes

Subduction

Denser plate sinks beneath another

Earthquake

Release of energy causing ground shaking

Richter scale

Measures earthquake strength each level is ten times stronger

Rock cycle

Process that forms and changes rocks

Igneous rock

Forms from cooled magma or lava

Sedimentary rock

Forms from compacted sediments

Metamorphic rock

Forms from heat and pressure

Weathering

Breakdown of rock

Erosion

Movement of rock or soil

Physical weathering

Mechanical breakdown

Chemical weathering

Breakdown through chemical reactions

Soil

Mixture of organic matter minerals water and air

Soil formation factors

Parent material climate topography organisms time

Soil texture

Amount of sand silt and clay

Permeability

Rate water moves through soil

Cation exchange capacity

Ability of soil to hold nutrients higher means more fertile

Green Revolution

Increase in food production using technology and chemicals

Mechanization

Use of machines in farming

Economies of scale

Lower cost with higher production

Irrigation

Artificial watering of crops

Waterlogging

Soil becomes saturated reducing oxygen

Salinization

Salt buildup reduces fertility

Fertilizer

Substance that adds nutrients

Organic fertilizer

Natural material like manure

Synthetic fertilizer

Man made using fossil fuels

Eutrophication

Nutrient runoff causes algal blooms and oxygen loss

Monocropping

Growing one crop repeatedly

Monocropping benefit

Efficient and easy

Monocropping drawback

More pests and soil damage

Pesticide

Substance used to kill pests

Insecticide

Kills insects

Herbicide

Kills plants

Broad spectrum pesticide

Kills many organisms

Selective pesticide

Targets specific pests

Persistent pesticide

Remains long time

Nonpersistent pesticide

Breaks down quickly

Pesticide resistance

Pests survive and reproduce

Pesticide treadmill

Need stronger pesticides over time

GMO

Organism with altered DNA

GMO benefits

Higher yield and less pesticide use

GMO concerns

Possible health and biodiversity risks

CAFO

Large scale animal feeding operation

CAFO problems

Waste pollution and disease spread

Fishery

Population of fish harvested

Fishery collapse

Ninety percent decline

Bycatch

Unintentional capture of other species

Urban blight

City deterioration as people move away

Positive feedback loop

Process that reinforces itself making change stronger

Clear cutting

All trees removed increases erosion

Selective cutting

Some trees removed more sustainable

Prescribed burn

Controlled fire to reduce buildup

Urban sprawl

Expansion of cities into rural areas

Causes of urban sprawl

Cars cheap land urban decay government policy

Urban heat island

Cities trap heat and become warmer

Smart growth

Sustainable city planning

Transit oriented development

Building near public transportation

Desertification

Land becomes dry and unproductive

Nomadic grazing

Moving animals to prevent overuse

Sustainable agriculture

Farming that maintains resources

Crop rotation

Changing crops each season

Intercropping

Growing multiple crops together

Contour plowing

Plowing along land shape

No till agriculture

Leaving soil undisturbed

Integrated pest management

Using multiple methods to reduce pesticide use

Organic agriculture

Farming without synthetic chemicals

Aquaculture

Farming fish

Aquaculture benefit

Reduces pressure on wild fish

Aquaculture drawback

Can cause pollution