Bio. Farming & Agriculture (Lecture 11, Unit 2)
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28 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 What are some abiotic issues farmers have to deal with? | Soil degradation and irrigation |
| What are some biotic issues farmers have to deal with? | Insect pests and weeds |
| What is soil degradation? | Anything where soil becomes unfavorable |
| What is erosion? | The removal of soil by wind and water |
| What are some direct causes of erosion? | Water runoff=mudslides; wind=soil blows away |
| What is deposition? | The arrival of eroded material at a new location |
| What makes farms vulnerable to erosion? | Mostly annual plants are planted as crops; tiling the soil leaves dirt loose; livestock overgraze; crops are often planted in rows |
| What is topsoil? | The nutrient-rich layer beneath the leaf litter where plants grow |
| What is the difference between annual plant root length and perennial root length? | Annual plants have shallow roots; Perennial plants have long roots that keep the soil in place |
| What does "tiling the soil" mean? | Mixing the soil up before planting |
| What is the problem with tiling the soil? | It leaves nothing to hold the soil in place |
| What is the problem with crops being planted in lines? | Creates a line for water to run off in while carrying the soil with it |
| How can erosion be reduced? | Planting perennials around the forest |
| Where does soil come from in nature? | Decomposition, nitrification, weathering of rocks |
| What nutrients do plants need from the soil? How much of each nutrient is needed? | Macronutrients (large amounts), secondary macronutrients (medium amounts), micronutrients (small amounts) |
| What is soil compaction? | The compression of soil by either natural weight of overlaying sediments or human-related forces |
| What are three (3) types of legumes? | Soybeans, alfalfa, green beans |
| What is a synthetic fertilizer? | Derived from chemical processes in a lab |
| What is an organic fertilizer? | Tied up in a larger, naturally-occuring source |
| Are there bad side effects to using synthetic fertilizers? If so, what are they? | Yes. They leach into drinking water, they runoff into waterways and cause algae blooms |
| What is eutrophication? | Depletion of oxygen in the water from massive decomposition of algae in water |
| Is Ammonia harmful? | It isn't too bad, it doesn't directly hurt us in small amounts |
| What is the problem to mostly annual plants being planted as crops? What is the solution? | Problem: They don't hold very much soil in place Solution: Add some perennials to the crops |
| What is the problem with tiling the soil? What is the solution? | Problem: Leaves dirt loose and vulnerable to being blown away Solution: No till agriculture |
| What are shelter/wind belts? | Plants that block wind flow |
| What is the problem with livestock overgrazing? What is a solution? | Problem: Decrease in plant growth Solution: Limit the amount of time grazers spend on a plot of grass |
| What is pivot farming? | Crops planted on flat surfaces. Reduces runoff because runoff is caught in all directions by crops |
| What is contour farming? | Crops planted in land with a gentle slope and follows the natural slope of the hillsides. |
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