Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 6: Plant Agriculture
Plant Agriculture
1. Describe how human food production has been responsible for natural capital degradation in each of
the following ways:
a. Biodiversity loss-
b. Soil-
c. Waterd. Air Pollution –
e. Human Health-
2. What type of ecosystem was present in the western Great Plains?
3. Why did 19th century farmers have so much difficulty farming here?
4. What was the “Rain Follows the Plow” theory?
5. What are the three main staple crops for humans today?
6. Explain why the world’s food staples are plants, using the 10% rule.
7. How do the roots of wild prairie plants compare to domesticated species?
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Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 6: Plant Agriculture
Soil
8. Define soil –
9. Compare the two ways that soil can be formed:
a. Mechanical erosion –
b. Chemical erosion –
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Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 6: Plant Agriculture
10. Describe the composition of each soil layer:
a. O Horizonb. A Horizon –
c. B Horizon –
d. Parent Material –
11. Label the soil layer diagram to the right.
12. Define each of these types of water erosion:
a. Splash erosion –
b. Sheet erosion –
c. Rill erosion –
d. Gully erosion –
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Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 6: Plant Agriculture
13. How does contour plowing reduce soil erosion by water?
14. What are row crops?
15. How does strip cropping work differently, and what kind of erosion does it prevent?
16. Describe terracing. What kind of erosion does it prevent?
17. What are windbreaks?
Human Nutritional Needs
18. Give the caloric content, importance to the body, and example of each of the different
macronutrients.
Caloric Value (kcal/g)
Importance to Body
Example Source
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
19. What is undernutrition?
a. Undernourishment over an entire population is called a _________________.
20. What are micronutrients? What is an imbalance or deficiency of micronutrients called?
21. What is overnutrition?
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Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 6: Plant Agriculture
22. Describe the cause and symptoms of Kwashiorkor.
23. Describe the cause and symptoms of anemia.
24. What is a goiter, and what form of malnourishment causes it?
25. How does the typical Japanese lunch differ from that of Russia?
26. Summarize the predictions of the Population Bomb. Did these come true?
Green Revolution
27. Describe the three major changes in farming that occurred as a result of the Green Revolution.
a.
b.
c.
28. Define irrigation –
29. Describe and give the efficiency of each of these forms of irrigation:
a. Furrow Irrigation –
b. Drip Irrigation –
c. Center-Pivot Irrigation –
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Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 6: Plant Agriculture
28. What three nutrients are added as fertilizer to improve plant growth?
29. Where does inorganic fertilizer come from?
30. Where do the two types of organic fertilizer come from?
a. Animal manure –
b. Compost –
31. Explain how crop rotation can help to decrease needed fertilizer.
32. How has energy use changed since the Green Revolution?
33. What is the purpose of pesticides?
a. What do insecticides target?
34. What are the trade-offs involved with traditional chemical pesticides?
a. List some advantages-
b. List some disadvantages-
35. What is the difference between first and second generation pesticides? Give an example of each.
36. What is pesticide residue? Explain what it means to bioaccumulate.
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Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 6: Plant Agriculture
a. What specific effect did the bioaccumulation of DDT have on predatory birds?
37. List the top three fruits or vegetables most likely to have pesticide residue.
38. List the top three fruits or vegetables least likely to have pesticide residue.
39. Describe the problem of pesticide resistance.
40. List some things YOU can do to reduce exposure to pesticides.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
41. List some alternatives to using pesticides:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
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Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 6: Plant Agriculture
42. Give an example of how natural predators can be used as an alternative to pesticides.
43. What is Integrated Pest Management? Which pest control technique is the preferred option in this
system?
44. How is organic agriculture different than conventional agriculture?
45. Explain how plants can be grown through hydroponics.
Genetically Modified Organisms
46. What is a Genetically Modified Organism?
47. Describe the two most commonly used modifications to corn:
a. BT Corn –
b. Roundup-Ready Corn –
48. List some advantages of using GMO’s:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
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Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 6: Plant Agriculture
f.
g.
h.
i.
49. List some disadvantages of using GMO’s:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
50. Sustainable organic agriculture is a solution to the many environmental issues our agricultural
practices create. How so?
a. What does sustainable organic farming provide more of?
b. What does sustainable organic farming create less of?
51. Describe why organic farming is beneficial:
a.
b.
c.
d.
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Environmental Science Notes Outline
Unit 6: Plant Agriculture
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
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