APES Unit 5

Land and Water Use

Tragedy of the Commons

When individuals use shared resources for their own self-interest rather than the common good

Externalities

Costs or benefits of a good or service not included in its purchase price.

Tragedy of the Commons as a negative externality

No one bears the cost of resource depletion.

Maximum Sustainable Yield

The maximum amount of a resource that can be harvested sustainably; about half of its carrying capacity.

Strict nature reserves and wilderness areas

Areas set aside for protection of nature.

National parks

Managed for scientific purposes

Habitat/species management areas

Actively managed to maintain specific species or communities.

Managed resource protected areas

Areas designed for sustained use of natural resources.

Protected landscapes and seascapes

Regions combining conservation with recreation or sustainable use.

National monuments

Areas with special natural or cultural interests.

NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act)

Requires environmental assessment for all projects involving federal money or permits.

EIS (Environmental Impact Statement)

Document describing project scope

Environmental mitigation plan

Outlines how a developer will address environmental impacts.

Clear-cutting

Harvesting method removing almost all trees from an area; causes habitat loss and soil erosion.

Selective cutting

Removes single or small groups of trees to minimize ecosystem disruption.

Shelter-wood cutting

Cutting trees that provide shade to promote seedling growth.

Ecologically sustainable forestry

Removes trees without compromising the forest’s long-term viability.

Tree plantation

Large area planted with one fast-growing tree species for harvest.

Prescribed burn

Controlled fire set to reduce dead biomass and prevent uncontrolled wildfires.

Undernutrition

Insufficient caloric intake.

Malnourished

Lack of proper balance of proteins

Food security

Access to sufficient

Food insecurity

Inadequate access to sufficient food.

Factors of malnutrition

Poverty

Green Revolution

New agricultural techniques (mechanization

Energy subsidy in agriculture

The ratio of energy input per calorie of food produced; higher in modern agriculture due to fossil fuel use.

Organic fertilizer

Derived from plant and animal matter; nutrient content unknown.

Synthetic fertilizer

Commercially produced using fossil fuels; runoff can cause eutrophication.

Waterlogging

Soil degradation from prolonged saturation with water.

Salinization

Soil degradation from salt accumulation due to evaporation.

Furrow irrigation

Water flows through trenches between rows; cheap but inefficient and erosive.

Flood irrigation

Entire field flooded; cheap but wastes water and causes erosion.

Spray irrigation

Uses sprinklers; saves water but expensive and causes evaporation loss.

Drip irrigation

Delivers water directly to roots; most efficient but expensive.

Irrigation freshwater use

Uses about 70% of global freshwater.

Mono-cropping

Planting a single species over a large area; increases pest risk.

Pesticide

Substance (natural or synthetic) that kills pests.

Broad-spectrum pesticide

Kills many types of organisms; used by producers.

Selective pesticide

Targets specific pests; preferred by consumers.

Persistent pesticide

Remains active for a long time in the environment.

Non-persistent pesticide

Breaks down quickly.

Pesticide resistance

When pest populations evolve resistance; leads to a pesticide treadmill.

Pesticide treadmill

Cycle of resistance requiring stronger or new pesticides.

Genetic engineering advantages

Higher yields

Genetic engineering concerns

Potential human health risks

CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation)

Facility for maximum livestock output; cheap but causes runoff and waste pollution.

Fishery

Commercially harvestable fish population in a region.

Fishery collapse

When a fish population declines by 90% or more.

Bycatch

Unintentional capture of non-target species.

Shifting agriculture

Land cleared and farmed until nutrients are depleted.

Nomadic grazing

Moving livestock to seasonal pastures; risk of desertification.

Intercropping

Planting multiple crops together to reduce erosion and pests.

Crop rotation

Changing crops each season to maintain soil fertility.

Agroforestry

Intercropping trees and crops to reduce erosion and improve biodiversity.

Contour plowing

Plowing parallel to land contours to reduce soil erosion.

No-till agriculture

Leaving soil undisturbed between seasons to prevent erosion.

Perennial plant

Plant that lives for multiple years.

Annual plant

Plant that lives for one growing season.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Uses biological

Organic agriculture

Farming without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides; no GMOs; uses natural methods like pheromones.

Free-range livestock

Farmed outdoors; more sustainable

Sustainable Fisheries Act

Regulates fisheries to prevent overfishing.

Individual transferable quota (ITQ)

Fishers receive a quota they can catch or sell; promotes sustainability.

Aquaculture

Farming of aquatic organisms; reduces pressure on wild fish but causes pollution and disease spread.

Surface mining

Removal of surface layers to access resources; includes strip

Overburden

Soil and rock removed to access minerals.

Open-pit mining

Creates a large visible pit; causes air pollution and toxic tailings.

Placer mining

Extracts metals from river sediments using toxic chemicals like cyanide.

Mountaintop removal

Blasts mountain summits to access coal; severe environmental impact.

Reclamation plan

Restores mined land through regrading

Subsurface mining

Extracts deep resources (>100m); less dust but hazardous to miners.

Acid mine drainage

Acidic water from mining; treated with limestone or bacteria.

Urban sprawl

Expansion of urban areas into rural land due to highways and cheap gas.

Highway Trust Fund

Federal fund for road construction; encourages sprawl.

Induced demand

Increased road capacity encourages more driving and congestion.

Zoning

Separates land uses (e.g.

Multi-use zoning

Allows mixed-use developments.

Urban blight

Decay of city centers leading to suburban migration.

Urban heat island

Urban areas are warmer due to human activity and surfaces.

Smart growth

Urban planning to prevent sprawl and encourage sustainable cities.

Transit-oriented development

Building communities around public transport hubs.

Urban growth boundary

Limits expansion to protect rural land.

Freshwater distribution

Less than 3% of all water is fresh; under 1% is accessible.

Aquifer

Underground layer of water-bearing rock.

Confined aquifer

Aquifer capped by impermeable rock or clay.

Water table

Top level of groundwater saturation.

Groundwater recharge

Water percolates through soil into aquifers.

Artesian well

Well tapping a confined aquifer that flows naturally.

Cone of depression

Funnel-shaped drop in water table due to overpumping.

Saltwater intrusion

Infiltration of saltwater into freshwater aquifers from overuse.

Surface water

Water above ground (rivers

Floodplain

Flat area next to rivers that floods periodically.

Levee

Embankment along a river to prevent flooding.

Dike

Barrier preventing ocean water from flooding coastal land.

Dam

Barrier across a river to control flow or generate power.

Reservoir

Artificial lake created by a dam.

Fish ladder

Structure allowing fish migration around dams.

Aqueduct

Channel or pipeline transporting water long distances.

Desalination

Converting seawater into freshwater by distillation or reverse osmosis.

Distillation desalination

Boiling and condensing water to remove salt; expensive.