APES study guide chapter 5

root cause of the tragedy of the commons 

individuals act in self-interest when using shared resources

what happens when trees are cut and burned during clearcutting

CO2 is released, soil erodes, biodiversity drops

how did GMO contribute to the Green Revolution

increased crop yields and resistance to pest/drought

how does excessive fertilizer harm aquatic ecosystems

nutrient runoff →eutrophication →algae bloom→hypoxia

most water-efficient irrigation method

drip irrigation

best for conserving water and reducing salinization 

benefit of drip irrigation vs furrow flood 

minimizes evaporation and runoff by delivering water directly to roots 

significant consequence of overusing chemical pesticides

evolution of pesticide-resistant pests

major problem with CAFO’s

manure runoff contaminates soil and water with nutrients and pathogens

how does reducing meat consumption lower GHG emission

decreases methane from cattle + reduces energy/water used for feed

practice that prevents overfishing 

catch limits, quotas, or marine protected areas 

how is overfishing a tragedy of the commons

shared fish resources are overused because no one owns them

what are mining tailings and why are they problematic

toxic waste left after mining; can leach heavy metals into water

cause o saltwater intrusion in costal areas

excessive groundwater pumping lowers freshwater pressure

how does urban sprawl affect transportation emissions

longer driving distance → more fossil fuel use → more CO2

what most directly reduces an individuals carbon footprint 

reducing driving or switching to public transportation 

not an environmental indictor

human population size

how does permeable pavement reduce urban runoff

allows water to infiltrate soil instead of becoming surface runoff

example of biological control in IPM

ladybugs used to control aphids

one benefit of no till agriculture i

reduces soil erosion and increases soil carbon storage 

major benefit of aquaculture

produces large amounts of seafood with less pressure on wild fish

which of the following is a sustainable practice in aquaculture

using recirculating systems or closed ponds to resude water release

which of the following is a method to mitigate deforestation

reforestation/ selective cutting/ sustainable forestry management

which method is used to protect forests from pathogens and insects 

inegrated pest mangement or biological controls 

what is the role of CO2 concentrations in sustainability

rising CO2 drives climate change and threatens long-term ecosystem stability

major advantage of integrated pest management

reduces chemical pesticide use while managing pest population

what does the tragedy of the commons refer to

overuse of shared resources due t individual self-interest

policy that could mitigate the negative effectts of clearcutting 

requiring buffer zones, selective cutt

significant environmental risk of green revolution monoculture farming

loss of biodiversity and increased vulnerability to pests/disease

what type of pollution is caused by agriculture runoff with fertilizers and pesticides 

nonpoint source pollution 

common environmental impact of irrigation in arid regions

soil salinization

one unintended consequence of irrigation on soil health

waterlogging or saliniation

example of biological pest control

introducing parasitoid wasps to kill caterpillars

how does overgrazing contribute to dentification 

removes vegetation → exposes soil → erosion → land becomes less fertile 

strategy that best reduces environmental impact of meat production

eating less meat or switching to plant-based protein

what happens to a marine food web when apex predators are overfished

trophic cascades → prey population booms → ecosystem imbalance

most effective strategy for reducing overfishing

catch shares, quotas, or enforcing sustainable fishing limits

how does mining contaminate groundwater 

acid mine drainage leaches heavy metals into aquifers 

environmental issue associated with urban sprawl

habitat fragmetation + increased vehicle emission

how does urbanization contribute to water pollution

runoff carries oil, chemicals, and trash into waterways

how can reducing an individuals ecological footprint promote sustainability

lowers resource demand and decreases environmental impact

why is biological diversity important for sustainability 

increases ecosystem resilience and productivity 

how do trees help reduce urban runoff 

their roots absorb water and their canopy reduces rainfall impact

in IPM why chemicals are used only in limited amount

to avoid resistance and reduce environmental harm

what is green manure in sustainable agriculture

cover crops grown and plowed back into soil to add nutrients

environmental concern with farmed fish escaping into the wild

they may spread disease, compete with natives, or alter gene pools

advantage of aquaculture over traditional fishing 

reduces pressure on wild fish populations 

what describes ecologically sustainable forestry 

harvesting in ways that maintain biodiversity and forest health 

major enviornmental consequence of deforestation 

habitat loss, CO2 release, and reduced biodiversity

why is human population growth a major concern for sustainability

increased resource demand and pollution, strains ecosystem

potential drawback of IPM

requires more knowledge, time, and monitoring than pesticides alone