Studied by 15 people
aquaculture
The cultivation of seafood under controlled conditions, usually involving raising fish in underwater tanks or in ponds
artificial selection
Breeding organisms with specific traits in order to produce offspring with those traits; not only animals but crops as well
bycatch
The unintentional catch of nontarget species while fishing, or juveniles
CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation)
Raising a large number of animals bred to gain weight quickly, in crowded buildings; usually must use antibiotics to prevent disease from spreading easily through the population; nutrient supplements, confined, little movement
clearcutting
The process of cutting down all the trees in an area at once; easiest and most economical, often stands are replanted
selective cutting
cutting down only some trees in a forest and leaving a mix of tree sizes and species behind; less erosion, loss of biodiversity
contour plowing
An agricultural technique in which plowing and harvesting are done parallel to the topographic contours of the land
crop rotation
the system of growing a different crop in a field each year to preserve the fertility of the land, also part of IPM
desertification
Degradation of land, especially in semiarid areas, primarily because of human actions like excessive crop planting, animal grazing, and tree cutting.
drip irrigation
the practice of using small pipes that slowly drip water just above ground to conserve water to use for crops; most efficient, reduces weed growth, useful in perennials, but more money, and might need to remove to plow
ecological footprint
the impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources.
EIS (Environmental Impact Statement)
A formal analysis required for any major federal action that will significantly affect the quality of the environment to determine the action's impact and explore alternatives, required by the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act
eminent domain
the right of government to take private property for public use
environmental indicator
A value or measure that provides information about the state of the environment; biological diversity, food production, average global surface temp/CO2 concentration, human population, resource depletion
environmental mitigation plan
A plan that outlines how a developer will address concerns raised by a project's impact on the environment.
externality
an economic side effect of a good or service that generates benefits or costs to someone other than the person deciding how much to produce or consume
famine
a severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent hunger and starvation and death
feedlot
a plot of land on which livestock are fattened for market
organic fertilizer
fertilizer composed of organic matter from plants and animals, slow-acting & long-lasting because the organic remains need time to be decomposed
synthetic fertilizer
fertilizers that are manufactured using chemical processes with the use of fossil fuels
fishery collapse
The decline of a fish population by 90 percent or more, usually due to tragedy of the commons
food security
Physical, social, and economic access at all times to safe and nutritious food sufficient to meet dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
food insecurity
the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food
free-range grazing
raising livestock on rangelands, the most common land use type in the U.S., using less fossil fuel energy than feedlots, but can lead to overgrazing
fungicide
substance that kills fungi or inhibits their growth
furrow irrigation
involves digging trenches and filling them with water, low effort and cheap but can cause water logging and salinization
genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
new organisms created by altering the genetic material (DNA) of existing organisms; usually in an attempt to remove undesirable or create desirable characteristics in the new organism.
green manure
Freshly cut or still-growing green vegetation that is plowed into the soil to increase the organic matter and humus available to support crop growth.
Green Revolution
Agricultural revolution that increased production through improved seeds, fertilizers, irrigation, industrialized agriculture, machinery, mechanization, pesticide use, monocropping, etc.
herbicide
a substance for killing plants, especially weeds
insecticide
a chemical used to kill insects
impervious surfaces
surfaces that don't absorb water ex. roads, sidewalks, houses / buildings, resulting in excessive runoff
industrial agriculture
mechanization and standardization applied to food production
infill
the process of filling in empty or run-down parts of a city with new development
intercropping
An agricultural method in which two or more crop species are planted in the same field at the same time to promote a synergistic interaction.
Agroforestry
An agricultural technique in which trees and vegetables are intercropped
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
An agricultural practice that uses a variety of techniques designed to minimize pesticide inputs building up from cultural, physical-mechanical, biological, and then chemical; crop rotation/intercropping, use of pest-resistant varieties, creation of habitats for predators of pests, limited pesticide use when necessary
irrigation
The process of supplying water to areas of land to make them suitable for growing crops.
limestone
a hard sedimentary rock, composed mainly of calcium carbonate or dolomite, that when added to soil raises the pH and makes it less acidic
low-grade ore
Ore containing a small amount of a desired mineral.
high-grade ore
Ore containing a large amount of a desired mineral.
malnourishment
diet lacks the correct balance of nutrients
mechanization
In agriculture, the replacement of human labor with technology or machines; economy of scale, average costs of production fall as output increases
monocropping
large plantings of single species or variety of crop, more efficient and economic but more soil erosion, higher vulnerability to pests, and loss of genetic diversity
Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)
the maximum amount of a renewable resource that can be harvested without compromising the future availability of that resource
multi-use zoning
allows retail and high-density residential development to coexist in the same area
multiple-use lands
A U.S. classification used to designate lands that may be used for recreation, grazing, timber harvesting, and mineral extraction.
strict nature reserves and wildness areas
An area set aside with the intent of preserving a large tract of intact ecosystem or a landscape with minimal human impact
national wildlife refuge
a federal public land managed for the primary purpose of protecting wildlife
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
A 1969 U.S. federal act that mandates an environmental assessment of all projects involving federal money or federal permits.
no-till agriculture
An agricultural method in which farmers do not turn the soil between seasons, used as a means of reducing erosion; usually more weeds and use of chemicals
ore
a rock that contains a large enough concentration of a mineral making it profitable to mine
overburden
Layer of soil and rock overlying a mineral deposit. Surface mining removes this layer.
overfishing
harvesting fish to the point that species are depleted and the value of the fishery reduced
overgrazing
Destruction of vegetation caused by too many grazing animals consuming the plants in a particular area so they cannot recover; leaves land exposed to wind erosion, soils can no longer absorb and retain water
perennial crops
Crops that do not die off once harvested (annual crops), existing for years before reseeding may be required.
permeable pavement
a paved surface that allows water runoff to infiltrate into the ground
pest control
the regulation or management of a species defined as a pest
pesticide
A chemical intended to kill insects and other organisms that damage crops.
prescribed burn
A fire deliberately set under controlled conditions in order to reduce the accumulation of dead biomass on a forest floor
rangeland
land used for grazing livestock, most common use of land in the US
reforestation
The restoration (replanting) of a forest that had been reduced by fire or cutting
reserves
Resources that have been identified and from which a usable mineral can be extracted profitably at present prices with current mining technology.
pesticide resistance
when there is a natural variation (mutation) in pests and the ones with the mutation become resistant to a pesticide, survive to reproduce, increasing proportion of trait in population, creating a positive feedback loop
rodenticide
A chemical or agent used to destroy rats or other rodent pests, or to prevent them from damaging food, crops, etc.
rotational grazing
Restricting animals to a small area of grazing for a short time (often only a day or two) before shifting them to a new location
runoff
water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the ground
salinization
Accumulation of salts in soil that can eventually make the soil unable to support plant growth.
saltwater intrusion
an infiltration of salt water in an area where groundwater pressure has been reduced from extensive drilling of wells
shifting agriculture
An agricultural method in which land is cleared and used for a few years until the soil is depleted of nutrients.
slag
stony waste matter separated from metals during the smelting or refining of ore; more solid waste
slash and burn
A farming method involving the cutting of trees, then burning them to provide ash-enriched soil for the planting of crops
spray irrigation
water is pumped through to sprinklers, higher efficiency but costs more and requires more energy
strip cropping
Planting regular crops and close-growing plants, such as hay or nitrogen-fixing legumes, in alternating rows or bands to help reduce depletion of soil nutrients.
strip mining
the removal of strips of soil and rock to expose ore
suburb
a residential district located on the outskirts of a city
exurb
an area similar to a suburb, but unconnected to any central city or densely populated area
surface mining
The extraction of mineral and energy resources near Earth's surface by first removing the soil, subsoil, and overlying rock strata; cheaper and can remove more minerals; less hazardous to workers
subsurface mining
Extraction of a metal ore or fuel resource such as coal from a deep underground deposit.
sustainability
meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
tailings
Rock and other waste materials removed as impurities when waste mineral material is separated from the metal in an ore; floating waste
terracing
technique for farming that builds platforms on hills to reduce erosion
tilling
The turning-over of soil before planting; contributes negatively to soil quality by disrupting soil structure, accelerating erosion and runoff
tree plantation
a large area typically planted with a single rapidly growing tree species, never becoming diverse ecosystems, but more economical
undernutrition
not enough calories are ingested to maintain health
overnutrition
too many calories combined with improper balance, often resulting in obesity
urban sprawl
The process of urban areas expanding outwards, usually in the form of suburbs, and developing over fertile agricultural land, removing boundaries between the two; caused by automobile invention, living costs, urban blight, and governmental policies
urban blight
The degradation of the built and social environments of the city that often accompanies and accelerates migration to the suburbs
water logging
water completely saturates soil starves plant roots of oxygen, rots roots
windbreaks
Belts of trees along field edges to reduce wind erosion
national park
a natural area protected and managed by the federal government for scientific education, recreational use, little to no extraction of resources, 2.7% of Earth; conservation and tourism, but may displace indigenous peoples
managed resource protected areas
sustained use of biological, mineral, and recreational resources, national forests in the U.S.
habitat/species management protection areas
managed to maintain biological communities (fire prevention, predator control)
protected landscapes and seascapes
nondestructive use of natural resources with opportunities for tourism and recreation
national monuments
unique sites of special natural of cultural interest
BLM (Bureau of Land Management), USFS (United States Forest Services), NPS (National Park Service), FWS (Fish and Wildlife Service)
greater than 95% of federal lands managed by these organizations
commercial timber operations
allowed to harvest timber in exchange for a royalty that is a percentage of revenues; government spends more money on management than it receives in royalties, making logging effectively subsidized
energy subsidy
fossil fuel energy and human energy per calorie of food produced, most of this is due to fossil fuel use in fertilizers, pesticides, tractors, machinery, irrigation, transportation
transgenic
genetically engineered organisms
commodity crops
crop products such as corn and soybeans that can be used for commerce
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