apes unit 5

Tragedy of the Commons

Individuals use shared resources for personal gain, leading to depletion and long

Depletion

The exhaustion of a resource faster than it can be replenished

Overharvesting

Harvesting a resource at a rate that exceeds its natural replacement

Clearcutting

Removal of all trees in a given area, leading to erosion, habitat loss, and increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Reforestation

Replanting trees in deforested areas to restore ecosystems

Prescribed Burn

Controlled fire used to reduce excess vegetation and prevent larger wildfires

Mechanization

Use of machinery in agriculture to increase efficiency and productivity but increase fossil fuel use

GMOs

Genetically modified organisms engineered to improve yield, pest resistance, or tolerance to environmental conditions

Fertilization

Application of nutrients to soil to increase crop productivity

Irrigation

Artificial application of water to crops to enhance growth

Pesticides

Chemicals used to kill pests that damage crops

Herbicides

Chemicals used to kill unwanted plants or weeds

Insecticides

Chemicals used specifically to kill insects

Rodenticides

Chemicals used to kill rodents

Tilling

Turning over soil to prepare for planting, which can increase erosion and disrupt soil structure

slash and burn

vegetation is cut and burned to clear land for farming, releasing nutrients into the soil. It is commonly used in tropical regions but causes significant environmental damage, including deforestation, biodiversity loss, and increased atmospheric CO.

Fertilizers

Substances added to soil to provide nutrients but can cause runoff and eutrophication

Flood Irrigation

Flooding fields with water, resulting in high water loss and risk of waterlogging

Furrow Irrigation

Channeling water through trenches between crops, with significant evaporation and runoff losses

Drip Irrigation

Delivering water directly to plant roots through tubing, minimizing water waste

Spray Irrigation

Spraying water over crops using sprinklers, moderately efficient but energy intensive

Water Table

The upper level of groundwater in soil or rock

Waterlogging

Saturation of soil with water, reducing oxygen availability to roots

Salinization

Accumulation of salts in soil due to evaporation of irrigation water

Pesticides

Chemicals used to eliminate pests but can lead to resistance and environmental harm

Herbicides

Chemicals targeting unwanted plants, reducing competition but impacting ecosystems

Fungicides

Chemicals used to kill fungal pathogens

Rodenticides

Chemicals used to control rodent populations

Insecticides

Chemicals targeting insect pests

Genetic Diversity

Variety of genes within a species, important for resilience to disease

Monocropping

Growing a single crop species over a large area, reducing biodiversity and increasing vulnerability

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Combination of biological, physical, and limited chemical methods to control pests sustainably

Biological Controls

Use of natural predators or organisms to reduce pest populations

Physical Controls

Mechanical methods such as traps or barriers to manage pests

Biocontrol

Introduction of natural enemies to control pest species

Intercropping

Growing multiple crops together to reduce pest spread

Crop Rotation

Alternating crops to prevent pest buildup and maintain soil health

Natural Predators

Organisms that naturally control pest populations

Overfishing

Harvesting fish faster than populations can replenish, leading to population decline

Overharvesting

Excessive removal of aquatic organisms beyond sustainable levels

Aquaculture

Farming of fish or aquatic organisms for food production

CAFOs

Concentrated animal feeding operations where livestock are raised in high

Free range

raising livestock (often cattle or poultry) by allowing them to roam and graze on open pastures, rather than keeping them confined. This method promotes more natural animal behavior and waste management, but requires significant land and causes higher consumer costs compared to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

Overgrazing

Excessive grazing that removes vegetation and degrades land

Desertification

Transformation of land into desert

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Aquifer

Underground layer of permeable rock that stores groundwater used for irrigation

Runoff

Water that flows over land surface, often carrying pollutants into waterways

Evaporation

Loss of water from soil or crops into the atmosphere during irrigation

Eutrophication

Nutrient enrichment of water bodies causing algal blooms and oxygen depletion

Artificial Selection

Process by which pests evolve resistance to pesticides due to repeated exposure

Pesticide Resistance

Evolution of pest populations that are no longer affected by chemicals

Antibiotics (in CAFOs)

Drugs used to promote growth and prevent disease in livestock, contributing to antibiotic resistance

Methane Emissions

Greenhouse gas released from livestock digestion, especially in cattle

N2O Emissions

Nitrous oxide released from fertilizers and manure, contributing to climate change

Bycatch

Unintended capture of non

Fishery Collapse

Sudden decline in fish population due to overfishing

Selective Breeding (Aquaculture)

Breeding organisms for desirable traits such as rapid growth or disease resistance

Wastewater (Aquaculture)

Polluted water from fish farms containing nutrients and waste

Carbon Sequestration (Forests)

Process by which trees absorb and store carbon dioxide

Habitat Fragmentation (Deforestation)

Breaking ecosystems into smaller, isolated patches due to land clearing

Soil Erosion

Removal of topsoil by wind or water, often accelerated by poor agricultural practices

Topsoil

the topmost layer of soil crucial for plant growth, containing high concentrations of organic matter (humus), microorganisms, and nutrients