APES chapters 10 and 11

the tragedy of the commons

the tendency of a shared, limited resource to become depleted if it is not regulated in some way

modern commons include:

public land used for grazing, public forests, global fisheries, the atmosphere, deep oceanic sea beds, most of antarctica

externality

the cost of a good or service that is not included in its purchase price

internalities/ direct cost

ingredients, packaging, advertising, energy

externalities/indirect costs

water pollution, air pollution, climate change, health care costs

maximum sustainable yield (MSY)

the maximum amount a renewable resource that can be harvested without compromising the future availability of that resource (occurs at half the carrying capacity)

public lands

national parks, managed resource protected areas, habitat or species management areas, nature reserves and wilderness areas, protected landscapes, national monuments

resource conservation ethic

people should use resources based on the greatest good for everyone

multiple use lands

may be used for recreation, grazing, timber harvesting and mineral extraction

range lands

dry open grassland primarily used for grazing cattle

• overgrazing leads to depletion of indigenous vegetation, soil compaction, erosion and water pollution

forests

dominated by trees and sometimes used for commercial logging

clear cutting

removing all or almost all the trees within an area

selective cutting

removing single or a small number of trees

sustainable forestry

the practice of managing forests in a way that meets the economic, social, and environmental needs of present and future generations. It involves using forest resources in a responsible and sustainable manner, with a focus on preserving the health and productivity of the forest ecosystem.

tree plantations

large areas planted with a single rapidly growing species

prescribed burn

a fire set under controlled conditions to reduce the accumulation of dead biomass on the forest floor

• once the cones are fertilized, they are sealed with resin. the fire melts the resin, opens the cones, and releases the seeds

goal of national parks

preservation, wildlife and habitat conservation

national wildlife refugees

federal public land managed for the primary purpose of protecting wildlife

national wilderness areas

areas set aside with the intent of preserving large tracts of intact ecosystems

national environmental policy act (1969)

mandates an environmental impact statement for all projects involving federal money or federal permits

national environmental policy rules

may stipulate that an environmental mitigation plan be submitted stating how the environmental impact will be addressed

• the endangered species act of 1973 may be applied to protect species from extinction

suburbs

areas that surround metropolitan centers and have comparatively low population densities

exurbs

similar to suburbs, but not connected to any central city or densely populated area

urban sprawl

urbanized areas that spread into rural areas, removing clear boundaries between the two

causes of urban sprawl

automobile/highway construction, living costs, urban blight/degredation, government policies (highway trust fund, zoning)

smart growth principles include

create mixed land uses and walkable neighborhoods, preserve open space farmland and natural beauty, strengthen and direct development towards existing communities

unmet nutritional requirements

undernutrition/undernourishment, malnourishment, food insecurity, famine, overnutrition,

undernutrition/undernurishment

not enough calories are ingested to maintain health; chronic hunger

malnourishment

diet lacks the proper balance of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals

• 1/3 of the world

• example: kwashiorkor; anemia

food insecurity

not having adequate access to food

famine

food insecurity is so extreme that large numbers of deaths occur

overnutrition

too many calories and a lack of balance of nutrients

causes of undernutrition and malnutrition

POVERTY *, political and economic factors, diversion of resources to feed livestock and poultry

feeding 8-10 billion people by 2050 is the goal

reduce food waste, reduce caloric intake, farm more land.. most arable land is already being farmed, improved crop yields, reduce meat consumption

industrial agriculture (agribusiness)

applies the techniques of mechanization and standardization to the productionof food

energy subsidy

the fossil fuel and human energy input per calorie of food produced

the green revolution

a shift in agricultural practices in the 20th century that resulted in increased food production

pros of mechanization

cheaper than human labor

cons of mehcanization

creates economies of scale: encourages monocropping