Unit 5 Notes (apes)
Timber Market Value - Economic value.
Lumber - which is when timber is shaped can be used for paper, houses, and energy
Ecological Value
Trees provide habitat, which helps moderate the local climate
Prevents soil erosion
Helps with soil formation
Helps reduce runoff
Helps store carbon
What is sustainability?
Sustainable forestry is using sustainable methods to log trees
Reusing wood
Protecting Forests |
---|
From Pests:
|
From Wildfires:
|
Clearcutting - Cutting down trees all at the same time which leads to even-aged stands
Even-aged - These grow all at the same size
Uneven-aged stems: Trees grow at different sizes
Industrial agriculture - Mechanization and standardization applied to food reproduction
Pros | Cons |
|
|
Genetically Modified Organisms
Pros | Cons |
|
|
Waterlogging - Roots that cannot get enough oxygen due to water
Salinization - Too much salt left behind through evaporation or saltwater intrusion which is toxic for plant growth
Ogallala Aquifer - A water table aquifer surrounded by sand, silt, clay, and gravel. Located beneath the great plains as one of the worldās largest aquifers.
Description | Pros | Cons | |
Flood | Flood the field and let the water soak in evenly | Easy, cheap 65% | Waterlogging/salinization |
Furrow | Build trenches and fill them with water | Low effort, cheap 75% | Waterlogging/salinization |
Spray | Pumped through nozzles | More efficiency 75-95% | More costly, uses more energy |
Drip | Slowly dripping hose, buried or on top | Most efficiency. Reduces week growth and keeps surface soil dry >95% | Most costly; might need to remove to plow |
Pesticides are substances used to control or eliminate pests, such as insects, weeds, and fungi, to protect crops and prevent plant damage.
Pros: Increases crop yield s while decreasing damage from pests
Cons: Human health risk, bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and can kill non-target organisms
Biocontrol refers to using living organisms or their products to control pests or diseases in agriculture and forestry, reducing the reliance on chemical pesticides.
Pros: No chemicals
Cons: Species can become invasive
The goal of IPM is to use a variety of methods to control the number of pests (not trying to fully eradicate) and minimize the environmental impact
Biological Methods | Physical Methods | Chemical Methods |
Bio Control | Fences and Screens | Used less |
Dust Bowl The soil was eroded which resulted in dust | Contour Plowing Stopping erosion by planting crops in circles | Terracing Farms in steps on a mountain to prevent soil erosion |
Strip Cropping Planting two or more crops together to help put nutrients into the soil | Windbreaks Trees block wind to prevent soil erosion | No Tilling Not raking up soil so soil does not erode away |
2+ Perennials Crops that grow back every year leads to less soil erosion | Crop Rotation Moving crops from field to field to keep soil fertile | Green Manure/Limestone Helps to decrease acidity |
Uses
Organic fertilizer needs to be gathered (synthetic)
Nutrient levels unknown
Harder to use, synthetic is easier
Can overgraze which causes desertification
Waste can be spread over large areas
Benefit: Animals have access to the outdoors
Concentrated animal feeding operations
Increased antibiotic use
ethical concerns
waste issues
Benefit: Effective method of producing meat because it is cost-efficient
Why eat less meat?
Leads to a decrease in greenhouse gases (methane), a decrease in land and water use, and a decrease in antibiotic use.
Cost-effective
Less fuel used
Cons:
Genetically modified fish can mate with native fish
Waste issues
How can we turn this around?
Catch limit
Treaties - CITES
Laws - Endangered species act
So many fish are being taken away, what will be the consequences?
Loss of biodiversity
Mining
Surface mining
Strip, open pit, or mountaintop
Substance mining tunnels under the ground
Coal, gravel, sand, diamonds
They are harvested as ore and then refined
Mining
āRefinement
āTransportation
āUse
āDesposal
Soil erosion
Dust pollution
Fossil fuel use
Water pollution
Mercury can be used to separate gold from ore which leads to mercury pollution as well
Cyanide is often used
Acid mine drainage
Tailings can contain sulfur that can form sulfuric acid
Turn mine into a recreational area
Replant vegetation to combat acid mine drainage
Benefits:
| Disadvantages:
|
Average temperatures are several degrees warmer in cities than in suburbs and other areas
Paint rooftops a lighter color
Plant rooftop vegetation
Mass transit
Permeable surfaces (pavements and more parks)
Walkable cities
More runoff and less infiltration in cities from impervious surfaces
Change that into more permeable surfaces through rooftop gardens and permeable pavement
Overgrazing refers to the excessive grazing of livestock on a particular area of land, resulting in the depletion of vegetation and degradation of the ecosystem. It occurs when the number of grazing animals exceeds the carrying capacity of the land, leading to negative environmental impacts.
Overgrazing can happen due to various reasons, including:
Overstocking: When there are too many animals for the available grazing resources.
Lack of rotational grazing: Failing to rotate livestock to different pastures, which allows vegetation to recover.
Limited grazing management: Insufficient monitoring and control of grazing practices.
To reduce the risk of overgrazing, the following steps can be taken:
Implementing rotational grazing: Dividing pastures into smaller sections and rotating livestock between them to allow vegetation recovery.
Proper stocking rates: Ensuring the number of animals is in balance with the carrying capacity of the land.
Resting pastures: Allowing pastures to rest and recover by temporarily excluding livestock.
Improving water sources: Providing alternative water sources to prevent over-concentration of animals in specific areas.
Overgrazing is related to the tragedy of the commons concept, which describes the depletion of shared resources due to individual self-interest. In the case of overgrazing, individual livestock owners may prioritize their own animals' needs without considering the long-term sustainability of the shared grazing land, leading to its degradation.
Timber Market Value - Economic value.
Lumber - which is when timber is shaped can be used for paper, houses, and energy
Ecological Value
Trees provide habitat, which helps moderate the local climate
Prevents soil erosion
Helps with soil formation
Helps reduce runoff
Helps store carbon
What is sustainability?
Sustainable forestry is using sustainable methods to log trees
Reusing wood
Protecting Forests |
---|
From Pests:
|
From Wildfires:
|
Clearcutting - Cutting down trees all at the same time which leads to even-aged stands
Even-aged - These grow all at the same size
Uneven-aged stems: Trees grow at different sizes
Industrial agriculture - Mechanization and standardization applied to food reproduction
Pros | Cons |
|
|
Genetically Modified Organisms
Pros | Cons |
|
|
Waterlogging - Roots that cannot get enough oxygen due to water
Salinization - Too much salt left behind through evaporation or saltwater intrusion which is toxic for plant growth
Ogallala Aquifer - A water table aquifer surrounded by sand, silt, clay, and gravel. Located beneath the great plains as one of the worldās largest aquifers.
Description | Pros | Cons | |
Flood | Flood the field and let the water soak in evenly | Easy, cheap 65% | Waterlogging/salinization |
Furrow | Build trenches and fill them with water | Low effort, cheap 75% | Waterlogging/salinization |
Spray | Pumped through nozzles | More efficiency 75-95% | More costly, uses more energy |
Drip | Slowly dripping hose, buried or on top | Most efficiency. Reduces week growth and keeps surface soil dry >95% | Most costly; might need to remove to plow |
Pesticides are substances used to control or eliminate pests, such as insects, weeds, and fungi, to protect crops and prevent plant damage.
Pros: Increases crop yield s while decreasing damage from pests
Cons: Human health risk, bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and can kill non-target organisms
Biocontrol refers to using living organisms or their products to control pests or diseases in agriculture and forestry, reducing the reliance on chemical pesticides.
Pros: No chemicals
Cons: Species can become invasive
The goal of IPM is to use a variety of methods to control the number of pests (not trying to fully eradicate) and minimize the environmental impact
Biological Methods | Physical Methods | Chemical Methods |
Bio Control | Fences and Screens | Used less |
Dust Bowl The soil was eroded which resulted in dust | Contour Plowing Stopping erosion by planting crops in circles | Terracing Farms in steps on a mountain to prevent soil erosion |
Strip Cropping Planting two or more crops together to help put nutrients into the soil | Windbreaks Trees block wind to prevent soil erosion | No Tilling Not raking up soil so soil does not erode away |
2+ Perennials Crops that grow back every year leads to less soil erosion | Crop Rotation Moving crops from field to field to keep soil fertile | Green Manure/Limestone Helps to decrease acidity |
Uses
Organic fertilizer needs to be gathered (synthetic)
Nutrient levels unknown
Harder to use, synthetic is easier
Can overgraze which causes desertification
Waste can be spread over large areas
Benefit: Animals have access to the outdoors
Concentrated animal feeding operations
Increased antibiotic use
ethical concerns
waste issues
Benefit: Effective method of producing meat because it is cost-efficient
Why eat less meat?
Leads to a decrease in greenhouse gases (methane), a decrease in land and water use, and a decrease in antibiotic use.
Cost-effective
Less fuel used
Cons:
Genetically modified fish can mate with native fish
Waste issues
How can we turn this around?
Catch limit
Treaties - CITES
Laws - Endangered species act
So many fish are being taken away, what will be the consequences?
Loss of biodiversity
Mining
Surface mining
Strip, open pit, or mountaintop
Substance mining tunnels under the ground
Coal, gravel, sand, diamonds
They are harvested as ore and then refined
Mining
āRefinement
āTransportation
āUse
āDesposal
Soil erosion
Dust pollution
Fossil fuel use
Water pollution
Mercury can be used to separate gold from ore which leads to mercury pollution as well
Cyanide is often used
Acid mine drainage
Tailings can contain sulfur that can form sulfuric acid
Turn mine into a recreational area
Replant vegetation to combat acid mine drainage
Benefits:
| Disadvantages:
|
Average temperatures are several degrees warmer in cities than in suburbs and other areas
Paint rooftops a lighter color
Plant rooftop vegetation
Mass transit
Permeable surfaces (pavements and more parks)
Walkable cities
More runoff and less infiltration in cities from impervious surfaces
Change that into more permeable surfaces through rooftop gardens and permeable pavement
Overgrazing refers to the excessive grazing of livestock on a particular area of land, resulting in the depletion of vegetation and degradation of the ecosystem. It occurs when the number of grazing animals exceeds the carrying capacity of the land, leading to negative environmental impacts.
Overgrazing can happen due to various reasons, including:
Overstocking: When there are too many animals for the available grazing resources.
Lack of rotational grazing: Failing to rotate livestock to different pastures, which allows vegetation to recover.
Limited grazing management: Insufficient monitoring and control of grazing practices.
To reduce the risk of overgrazing, the following steps can be taken:
Implementing rotational grazing: Dividing pastures into smaller sections and rotating livestock between them to allow vegetation recovery.
Proper stocking rates: Ensuring the number of animals is in balance with the carrying capacity of the land.
Resting pastures: Allowing pastures to rest and recover by temporarily excluding livestock.
Improving water sources: Providing alternative water sources to prevent over-concentration of animals in specific areas.
Overgrazing is related to the tragedy of the commons concept, which describes the depletion of shared resources due to individual self-interest. In the case of overgrazing, individual livestock owners may prioritize their own animals' needs without considering the long-term sustainability of the shared grazing land, leading to its degradation.