Watershed
An area of land that drains into a body of water.
Impervious Cover
Roads, sidewalks, and roofs.
Early water stress.
What delays crop maturity and reduces yield?
Monoculture
The practice of producing or growing one single crop over a wide area.
Disadvantages:
Quicker spread of diseases, loss of soil structure, soil erosion, use of chemicals.
Advantages:
large harvests with minimal labor
Polyculture
Use of multiple crops in the same place.
Disadvantages:
More labor, less yield.
Advantages:
Less disease, more habitats, biodiversity.
Permaculture
All natural, the biggest little farm.
Rangelands
Natural grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands, and deserts.
Pasturelands
Used for the production of domesticated forage plants for livestock.
Taylor Grazing Act of 1934
Provides regulation of grazing on the public lands.
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO)
A type of animal feeding operation that is used in large-scale farming for beef cattle, swine, horses, sheep, turkeys, chickens, or ducks prior to slaughter.
Infiltration
Water filtering through the pore spaces in soil or rock.
Runoff
Water flowing downhill.
Transpiration
Loss of excess water form land plants.
Evaporation
Phase change from liquid water to water vapor.
Precipitation
Rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
Condensation
Phase change from water vapor to liquid water.
Decomposition
Organic material breaks down and returns organic carbon into the soil.
Combustion
Burning fossil fuels and other organic materials.
Cellular Respiration
Living organisms using oxygen and food to produce carbon dioxide and energy.
Photosynthesis
Plants using carbon dioxide and energy to produce oxygen and food.
Erosion
Breaking down and transporting solid materials (usually rocks and soil).
Burial and Compaction
Dissolves carbon dioxide in water is compacted into sediments to form rock (limestone).
Ammonification
Bacteria convert organic into ammonium.
Assimilation
Plants absorb nitrates, ammonia, or ammonium through their roots.
Fixation
Bacteria or legumes convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia.
Nitrification
Bacteria convert ammmonia or ammonium, into nitrates.
Denitrification
Bacteria convert nitrates into atmospheric nitrogen.
Ingestion
Animals eat plants and other organic materials containing nitrates.
Excretion
Animal waste returns the substance into the soil.
Mining
Humans remove phosphates from underground for fertilizer use.
Decomposition
Organic material breaks down and returns organic phosphorus into the soil.
Geologic Uplift
Uplift exposing underground rocks to the surface.
Absorbtion
Plants absorb phosphates through their roots.
Sulfur Dioxide
Sulfur dioxide released by volcanic eruptions, fuel combustion, and bacteria in soil.
Dimethyl Sulfide
DMS released into the atmosphere by marine organisms, helps cloud droplets condense, and ultimately converts to sulfur dioxide.
Sulfuric Acid
Form when sulfur oxides react with water vapor.
Sedimentary Rock
Formed from sediment compacted together.
Sediment
Small particles of rock or soil.
Compaction and Cementation
Forces that create sedimentary rock.
Heat and Pressure
Forces that create metamorphic rock.
Magma
Molton rock.
Metamorphic Rock
Formed from other rocks that have undergone a significant change.
Melting
Significant heating of rocks to create magma.
Weathering and Erosion
Rocks break down and are transported away.
Igneous Rock
Formed from cooled magma. C
Cooling and Hardening
Processes that create igneous rock.
Parent Material
The type of rock influences formation.
Climate
The type of climate influences formation.
Topography
The surface and the slope can influence soil formation.
Organisms
Plants and animals can affect soil formation.
Time
The amount of time a soil has spent developing can influence soil formation.
O Horizon
Organic matter in different stages of decomposition.
A Horizon (topsoil)`
Rich decayed material and mineral material.
B Horizon (subsoil)
Accumulation of metals and nutrients.
C Horizon
A lot of rock.
Texture
Proportions or percentage of 3 particle types (sand, silt, and clay).
CEC
The ability of a soil to absorb and release cations.
Porosity
Pore space between particles, more porous means more permeability.
Clay
High porosity and low permeability.
Sand
High permeability and relatively low porosity.
Pesticide Treadmill
Survivors of pesticides produce more survivors.
Pesticide
A substance that kills or controls organisms that people consider pests.
Insecticides
Targets insects.
Herbicides
Targets plants.
Fungicides
Targets fungus.
Biological Pest Control
Using living organisms and organic matter to control pest populations.
Predators/Pathogens
Bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Plant Defenses
GMO’s and hybrids.
Chemicals from plants
Pepper plant juice.
Disrupt Insect Breeding
Pheromones.
Sterilize
Make more that kill the natural ones.
Integrated Pest Management
Using a variety of techniques designed to minimize pesticide inputs.
No Till Agriculture
Not disturbing the soil.