All Flashcards
Define slash and burn agriculture.
Cutting down vegetation and burning it to clear land for farming.
Define tilling.
Turning over the soil to prepare it for planting.
Define fertilizers.
Substances added to soil to promote plant growth.
Define pesticides.
Substances used to kill pests.
Define herbicides.
Pesticides that kill plants (weeds).
Define insecticides.
Pesticides that kill insects.
Define rodenticides.
Pesticides that kill rodents.
Define eutrophication.
Excess nutrients in water bodies causing algal blooms.
Define biomagnification.
Toxins become more concentrated as they move up the food chain.
Define no-till farming.
Agricultural technique that reduces soil erosion and improves soil health.
What are the steps of eutrophication?
Excess nutrients runoff, algal blooms occur, algae die and decompose, oxygen depletion, aquatic life dies.
How does pesticide resistance develop?
Initial pesticide application, some pests survive, survivors reproduce, subsequent applications less effective, resistance spreads.
How can no-till farming help protect the environment?
Reduces soil erosion and improves soil health.
How can crop rotation help protect the environment?
Helps maintain soil fertility and reduces pest problems.
How can integrated pest management (IPM) help protect the environment?
Uses a combination of methods to control pests while minimizing the use of pesticides.