APES unit 5

Watershed

An ecosystem where all water runoff drains into a single body of water

riparian zone

land next to the stream, starting at the top of the bank, with heavy plant cover on either side

water table

The upper level of the saturated zone of groundwater

watershed divde

Areas of relatively high elevation that separate different watersheds

Characteristics of a watershed

area, length, slope, soil, and vegetation types

Agricultural Watershed

barren fields, compact soil, less infiltration. Fewer streams
Application of fertilizers and manure changes structure

Urban Watershed

natural way flow pattern greatly altered; high runoff, vulnerable to flooding, fixed land use, precipitation changes all that matter

Mountainous Watershed

steep gradient, less porous soil, less infiltration, high runoff, downstream areas vulnerable to flooding

Forest Watershed

Evapotranspiration dominant
High infiltration, little runoff

Desert Watershed

Sandy, porous soil
Little rainfall, no stream development
Limited groundwater recharge

Coastal Watershed

high rainfall, no channel control, local flooding, high water table, saltwater intrusion

Wetland Watershed

Water is not a limiting factor
High rainfall, high runoff
Dominant evaporation

Tragedy of the Common

the tendency for a resource that has no price to be used until the depletion or destruction of that resource

Criteria Pollutants

pollutants judged to pose especially great threats to human health

Point source pollution

Pollutants discharged from a single identifiable location

non-point source pollution

pollutants that enter the environment or ecosystem from many different places simultaneously

Clean Air Act

Set emission standards for cars, and limits for release of air pollutants

Clean Water Act

Law that makes it unlawful for anyone to discharge any point source pollution without permits

Safe Drinking Water Act

Legislation that sets the national standards for safe drinking water.

Causes of the tragedy of the commons

over-exploitation of a public resource, collective action problem, resource is valuable and finite

Solutions to Tragedy of the Commons

-Private ownership
-Voluntary organization to enforce responsible use
-Governmental regulations

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.

carbon footprint

the total carbon dioxide emissions produced by an individual, group, or location

Sustainability

The use of Earth's renewable and nonrenewable natural resources in ways that guarantee continued use for future generations

maximum sustainable yield

the maximum rate at which a renewable resource can be exploited without impairing its ability to be renewed or replenished

Three Pillars of Sustainability

environment, economy, society

Environmental indicators

biological diversity, food production, average global temperature and co2 concentration, human population, resource depletion.

Global Indicator - biodiversity

Less \___________, less healthy planet

Global Indicator - Food Production

\___________ an indicator of the Earth's ability to support \_______. Changes or degredation to the health, water, soil, and climate of the Earth will pose a threat to \_______.

Global Indicator - Atmosphere

Life can only sustain itself in a very narrow \_______.

Global Indicator - Human population

Falling death rates indicate an increase in life expectancy, putting a growing burden on Earth's resources

Resource Depletion

the act of using resources faster than they can be restored or replaced

Green Revolution

Rapid diffusion of new agricultural technology, especially new high-yield seeds and fertilizers.

monocropping

An agricultural method that utilizes large plantings of a single species or variety

limiting nutrients

nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium

GMO

genetically modified organism

Green revolution happened through

mechanization, irrigation, commercial fertilizers, GM crops, and pesticides

negative effects of mechanization

Increased CO2 output, soil compaction, more erosion, mono-cropping

negative effects of synthetic fertilizers

algal blooms, increased CO2 output, health risks, no additional humus is added to soil

food insecurity

the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food

food apartheid

Systemic oppression related to race and class creating barriers to resources such as food and land. Leads to nutrition-related chronic diseases

subsidy

A government payment that supports a business or market

tiling

the practice of turning over topsoil to bring more nutrient rich and moist soil closer to the surface for crop production

slash and burn agriculture

a farming technique in which trees are cut down and burned to clear and fertilize the land

negative effects of slash-and-burn agriculture

deforestation, loss of biodiversity, increased CO2, erosion

concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO)

A large indoor or outdoor animal feeding operation designed for maximum output

fecal coliform bacteria

increase in \______ is an increase in disease-causing pathogens

Persisten organic pollutants (POPs)

Chemical compounds that persist in the environment and retain biological activity for a long time.

photolytic

reactions or processes that require electromagnetic radiation to move forward

lipophilic

tending to combine with or dissolve in lipids or fats.

fat-soluble

Substances that are able to be absorbed into fat and are stored within it.

DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)

A pesticide which are highly effective. However, it implicated in illnesses and environmental problem; now banned in US since 1972

Biomagnification

accumulation of pollutants at successive levels of the food chain

Bioaccumulation

The accumulation of a substance, such as a toxic chemical, in various tissues of a living organism.

PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls)

Chemical compounds used as additives to paint and plastics, banned from use in the U.S. in 1979

perchorates

Found at ignition sits of rockets, missiles, fireworks.

percholates effect

Alters neuro and physical development, fatigue, depression, and cardiovascular disease and problems.

PCB effect

cancer in humans, reproductive disruption

DDT effect

cancer, vomiting, reproductive reduction, seizures, liver damage

POPs only break down through

photolytic means

Sources of POPs

-Waste incineration
-Pesticides
-High-temperature industrial processes
-By-product in herbicide production (Agent Orange/Vietnam)
-The pulp and paper industry (paper bleaching)
-Traffic exhaust
-Cigarette smoke

Biggest bioaccumulators

DDT, methylmercury, PCBs

Methylmercury

Emitted from volacanoes, highly toxic heavy metal that biomagnifies in aquatic ecosystems and contaminates humans largely through eating of [shell]fish; damages the central nervous system (esp. children/embryos) and leads to impaired coordination and sense of touch/taste/sight.

hypoxic

low oxygen

benthic zone

the muddy bottom of a lake, pond, or ocean

eutrophication

A process by which nutrients, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, become highly concentrated in a body of water, leading to increased growth of organisms such as algae or cyanobacteria.

algal bloom

The rapid growth of a population of algae

gray water

wastewater from baths, showers, bathrooms, and washing machines

black water

Any water containing human waste

oligotrophic

Describes a lake with a low level of productivity

mesotrophic

Describes a lake with a moderate level of productivity

Eutrophic

Describes a lake with a high level of productivity

irrigations

the controlled supply of water to land in order to grow crops

prevention

taking steps to keep something from happening

mitigation

minimizing damage

waterlogging

A form of soil degradation that occurs when soil remains under water for prolonged periods.

aeration

punching holes in soil to help more oxygen enter pores and promote root growth

soil salinization

in arid regions, water evaporates leaving salts behind. (ex. Fertile crescent, southwestern US)

hard water

water that contains a high mineral content

desertificaiton

a change of semi-dry land into desert

furrow irrigation

a trench that is flooded with water

drip irrigation

the practice of using small pipes that slowly drip water just above ground to conserve water to use for crops

flood irrigation

water is poured through canals and waterways so that it flows through fields

spray irrigation

an apparatus that sprays water across a field

impacts of waterlogging

causes water table to rise, causing plants to suffocate

how does water-logging occur

repeated irrigation or sustained periods of rain

waterlogging mitigation

aerate the soil

cause of soil salinization

Agri-businesses often use groundwater (hardwater) for irrigation, when the water evaporates, the salts are left behind and build up, which is toxic for plants.

Soil salinization mitigation

flood fields or aerate soils

What causes desertification?

Farming, overgrazing, and drought

pesticide treadmill

A cycle of pesticide development, followed by pest resistance, followed by new pesticide development

aritificial selection

change in genetics due to anthropogenic forces

pesticide negatives

can kill non-target species, may contain POPs, toxic with negative health effects, potential infiltration and contaminate aquifers, pesticide treadmill

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

An agricultural practice that uses a variety of techniques designed to minimize pesticide inputs

biocontrol

The use of a species to control the population growth or spread of an undesirable species

intercropping

An agricultural method in which two or more crop species are planted in the same field at the same time

crop rotation (IPM)

Rotation to other plants reduces the food source and can drastically reduce pest numbers. Rotation may offer benefits such as increased soil fertility and reduced soil erosion.

intercropping effect

certain plants emit chemicals that repel pests and pull plants attract predators or pests.

IPM cons

complex, slow, expensive

IPM pros

Limitations on pesticide applications.
economic savings on pesticides, proved yields.