Water, Air, Land, and Waste Management Concepts

Surface Water

bodies of water above-ground.

Watershed

An area of land that is drained by the water system.

Groundwater

underground freshwater.

Aquifer

a body of rock that stores groundwater and allows for its flow.

Pathogen

virus, microorganism, and bacteria from fecal and sewage contamination.

Dam

a barrier constructed across a river or stream to impound water, creating a reservoir.

Water pollution

waste matter or chemicals in water that are harmful to living things.

Point-source pollution

a direct source of the pollution and where it is easy to solve the problem.

Non-point source pollution

multiple different sources that make it difficult to find where it comes from and how to stop it.

Wastewater

water that goes down a drain.

Biomagnification

Accumulation of pollutants at successive levels of the food chain.

Icecaps and Glaciers

77% of global freshwater distribution.

Other Fresh Water

0.65% of global freshwater distribution.

Water Treatment Process - Primary

remove large solids and settleable materials.

Water Treatment Process - Secondary

To biologically remove dissolved and suspended organic matter.

Ocean pollution percentage

85% comes from activities done on land.

Largest Watershed in the US

Mississippi river.

Air pollution

Contamination of the atmosphere from human activities and natural sources.

Primary Pollutant

e.g., soot from smoke, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide.

Secondary Pollutant

e.g., ground-level ozone.

Asbestos

primarily used as an insulator and fire retardant and was used in many buildings.

Acid precipitation

precipitation like rain, sleet, and snow containing high concentrations of acids due to pollution of the atmosphere.

pH

measures the acidity or basicity of a system.

Acid rain

Causes the pH to be low which harms the environment.

Ozone

Is made of 3 oxygen atoms and represented as O3.

Primary Air Pollutants

Includes household products, power plants, cars, Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Oxide, Sulfur Dioxide & other classes of chemicals called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

Primary producers of sulfur dioxide

Power plants, refineries, and smelting plants.

Purpose of scrubbers

Remove some harmful substances that would otherwise pollute the air.

pH scale of Acid rain

4.5.

Carbon monoxide effect on the human body

It displaces oxygen in the bloodstream, leading to oxygen deprivation and potentially severe health problems.

Car emissions

Release VOCs and also releases carbon monoxide.

Solutions to light pollution

Turn off lights when not used, use motion sensor lights, and shield light fixtures to direct the light downwards.

Urban

Cities and towns.

Rural

The countryside.

Heat Island

Area where the air's temperature is higher than the surrounding rural areas due to black pavements and buildings that absorb heat and trap it.

Impacts of Urbanization

Leads to increased demand for resources, such as land, water, and energy, resulting in loss of natural habitats, pollution, higher waste generation, and creation of heat islands.

Land Use and Cover

Refers to how land is utilized by humans (e.g., farming, residential, industrial) and describes the physical and biological cover of the land.

Urban-Rural Connection

Clean water, air, and food are often sourced from rural areas but are essential for the functioning of urban areas.

Ecosystem services

Link rural lands with urban lands by providing essential resources and services that support urban populations and economies.

Urban Sprawl

The rapid spread of a city to surrounding suburbs and rural areas.

Urban Crisis

When more people live in an area than its infrastructure can support, leading to a deterioration of the standard of living.

Land-Use Planning

The policies related to the potential uses of land that are put into place before an area is developed.

Marginal Lands

Building occurs on land that is poorly suited for building, such as areas prone to landslides.

Urban Planning

A process of organizing the development and management of urban areas, including neighborhoods, towns, and cities.

Results of developing on marginal lands

Environmental degradation, soil erosion, and potential landslides, which can harm homes and individuals.

Heat Islands

Having black pavements, buildings and other heat absorbing surfaces which are usually in urban areas can cause the heat to be trapped in that area.

Open Spaces in Urban Areas

An urban area set aside for recreational enjoyment helps provide important natural conditions called green belts, which absorb carbon dioxide and filter out pollution to keep the cities cooler.

Inadequate Infrastructure

It impacts the quality of life for the people living there like safety risks and inconveniences with utilities, and the infrastructure may damage which will be an even bigger problem.

Environmental Functions of Open Spaces

Provide cooling through the shade and evaporation, reduce air pollution, support biodiversity and improve residents' quality of life.

Deforestation

The rapid removal of trees either from cutting them down or from forest fires.

Selective Cutting

Cutting only what you need.

Wilderness

An area of land that is undisturbed by humans.

Reforestation

Restoring previous existing forests.

Farmland Protection Program

Designed to preserve agricultural land by preventing urban sprawl and promoting sustainable farming practices. It helps conserve land for future food production.

Clear Cutting

Remove all trees, faster but more damaging.

Selective Cutting (Sustainable)

More sustainable, reduces damage to habitats.

Rangeland Problems

Overgrazing leads to soil erosion, desertification, and loss of plant life.

Benefits of Rangeland

Grazing space and food production.

Threats to Rangeland

Overuse, invasive species, poor land management.

Effects of Deforestation

Loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, more CO2 in the air, disruption of water cycles.

Deforestation in Tropical Rainforest

Tropical rainforests are rich in biodiversity and store lots of carbon. Deforestation there causes large-scale habitat loss and contributes heavily to climate change.

Sustainable Rangeland Management

Rotational grazing - moving animals between fields to let land recover; Restoring native plants - helps improve soil health and reduce erosion.

Selective Cutting Effect on Forest Health

It helps maintain the structure and biodiversity of forests, allowing them to regenerate more naturally.

Reforestation Importance

Replanting trees to replace ones that were cut. It restores the ecosystem, traps carbon, and improves soil and water quality.

Clear-Cutting Advantage

Faster tree harvesting.

Clear-Cutting Disadvantage

More damaging to the ecosystem.

Advantage

efficient and cost-effective

Disadvantage

causes severe environmental damage like erosion and habitat loss

Food Efficiency

how well we use our resources to produce and deliver food

Humans and Nutrition

focuses on malnutrition, balanced diets, access to essential nutrients

Malnutrition and Famine Causes

malnutrition and famine are often caused by a combination of factors, including poverty, lack of access to food, natural disasters, and conflict

Essential Amino Acids

humans need to consume 9 essential amino acids from proteins

Environmental Costs of Food Production

plants are generally more energy efficient to produce than animals

Malnutrition Link to Poverty and Violence

malnutrition can lead to poverty and violence

Green Revolution Importance

increased food production. Some negative consequences include environmental damage

Enriching Soil

incorporating organic matter like compost and cover crops, practicing no-till gardening, and utilizing regenerative agriculture principles

Land Degradation

the process where land loses its biological or economic productivity and complexity

Salinization

the process where the concentration of salt in soil or water increases, negatively impacting plant growth and ecosystem health

Soil Erosion

Soil erosion is a significant global problem with far-reaching consequences for food security, environmental health, and human well-being

Pest Control

water and soil contamination, harm to non-target organisms, and disruptions to ecosystems

Desertification

the process by which fertile lands become desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture

Fallow

plowed and harrowed but left unsown for a period in order to restore its fertility or to avoid surplus production

Erosion

the process of soil and rock being worn away and transported by natural forces like wind or water

Desertlike Land Formation

land becomes desertlike through a process called desertification, often due to factors like drought, deforestation, and unsustainable farming practices

Soil Erosion Acceleration Factors

soil erosion is accelerated by several factors, including deforestation, overgrazing, unsustainable agriculture practices, and climate change (ex. Increase rainfall intensity)

Modern Soil Enrichment Methods

modern methods include cover cropping, crop rotations, no-till farming, and the use of organic fertilizers

Soil Formation Layer

most soil forms from the bedrock, which is the solid rock layers beneath the soil

Soil Loss Reduction Practices

soil loss can be reduced through practices like terracing, contour plowing, windbreaks, and cover cropping

Irrigation Water Sources

the main sources of irrigation water include rivers, lakes, groundwater, and reservoirs

No-till farming

A farming practice that avoids disturbing the soil through tillage.

DDT

A pesticide that does not break down rapidly, has negative effects on birds, and biomagnifies up the food chain.

GMOs

Genetically modified organisms used in agriculture to enhance certain traits.

Livestock

Farm animals raised for food, fiber, or labor.

Aquaculture

Breeding and harvesting of fish in water environments.

Evaporites

Sedimentary rocks formed from minerals precipitating out of evaporating water.

Ore

A naturally occurring solid material from which a metal or valuable mineral can be profitably extracted.

Gangue

The commercially valueless material that surrounds, or is closely mixed with, a wanted mineral in an ore deposit.

Hydrothermal Solutions

Hot, water solutions that dissolve minerals from rocks and transport them elsewhere, where they may precipitate to form new mineral deposits.

Halite

A type of evaporite mineral also known as rock salt.

Gypsum

An important type of evaporite mineral used in construction and agriculture.