Glossary
Air Pollution
The presence of harmful substances in the atmosphere, which can be released by agricultural practices like burning vegetation.
Example:
The smoke from widespread slash and burn agriculture can contribute to regional air pollution, causing respiratory issues for nearby populations.
Biomagnification
The increasing concentration of a toxic substance in the tissues of organisms at successively higher levels in a food chain.
Example:
DDT, a persistent pesticide, famously underwent biomagnification, leading to thin eggshells in predatory birds like eagles at the top of the food chain.
Crop rotation
The practice of growing a series of different types of crops in the same area in sequenced seasons, which helps maintain soil fertility and reduce pest problems.
Example:
A farmer might practice crop rotation by planting corn one year, soybeans the next, and then wheat, to naturally replenish soil nitrogen and break pest cycles.
Dead Zones
Areas in oceans or large lakes where oxygen levels are so low that most marine life cannot survive, often a result of severe eutrophication.
Example:
The Gulf of Mexico experiences a large annual dead zone primarily due to nutrient runoff from the Mississippi River basin, impacting fisheries.
Deforestation
The clearing of forests for other land uses, such as agriculture, leading to habitat loss, reduced biodiversity, and increased carbon emissions.
Example:
The Amazon rainforest faces severe deforestation due to cattle ranching and soybean cultivation, threatening countless species.
Disrupted Soil Microbes
The disturbance of beneficial microorganisms in the soil, often caused by practices like tilling, which can negatively impact soil health and nutrient cycling.
Example:
Excessive tilling can lead to disrupted soil microbes, reducing the soil's natural ability to fix nitrogen and decompose organic matter.
Eutrophication
The excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to runoff from agricultural land, causing a dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen.
Example:
Runoff from a cornfield heavily treated with nitrogen fertilizers can cause eutrophication in a nearby pond, leading to an algal bloom.
Fertilizers
Substances added to soil to supply essential nutrients for plant growth, which can be synthetic or organic.
Example:
Farmers often apply fertilizers to their crops to ensure robust growth and higher yields, especially in nutrient-depleted soils.
Harm to Non-Target Species
The unintended negative impact of pesticides on organisms other than the intended pest, including beneficial insects, birds, and other wildlife.
Example:
The use of broad-spectrum insecticides can lead to harm to non-target species like pollinators, reducing crop yields that rely on them.
Herbicides
A type of pesticide specifically designed to kill unwanted plants, commonly known as weeds.
Example:
Farmers often spray herbicides on their fields to prevent weeds from competing with their crops for nutrients and sunlight.
Insecticides
A type of pesticide used to kill or control insect populations that are harmful to crops, livestock, or humans.
Example:
An outbreak of locusts might necessitate the widespread application of insecticides to protect agricultural yields.
Integrated pest management (IPM)
An ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests through a combination of techniques, minimizing the use of chemical pesticides.
Example:
An orchard might use integrated pest management (IPM) by introducing natural predators, monitoring pest populations, and only using targeted pesticides as a last resort.
Loss of Nutrients
The depletion of essential elements from the soil, often due to erosion or unsustainable farming practices, reducing soil fertility.
Example:
Continuous monocropping without proper soil management can lead to a significant loss of nutrients, requiring more synthetic fertilizers.
No-till farming
An agricultural technique that involves growing crops without disturbing the soil through tilling, which helps reduce erosion and improve soil health.
Example:
By adopting no-till farming, a farmer can leave crop residues on the surface, protecting the soil from wind and water erosion.
Organic Fertilizers
Nutrient-rich substances derived from natural sources like animal manure, compost, or plant residues, used to improve soil fertility.
Example:
A gardener might use aged chicken manure as an organic fertilizer to enrich their vegetable beds naturally.
Pesticide Resistance
The ability of a pest population to withstand the effects of a pesticide, often developing through natural selection due to repeated exposure.
Example:
After years of using the same chemical, farmers observed pesticide resistance in a particular weed, making the herbicide ineffective.
Pesticides
Chemical or biological substances used to kill or control pests, including insects, weeds, and rodents, that can damage crops or spread disease.
Example:
To protect their apple orchard from insect infestations, farmers might apply pesticides during critical growth stages.
Rodenticides
A type of pesticide used to kill rodents, such as rats and mice, which can damage crops or stored food.
Example:
To protect grain silos from contamination and consumption by pests, farmers might strategically place rodenticides.
Sedimentation
The process of eroded soil particles settling in water bodies, leading to reduced water clarity, habitat degradation, and increased flood risk.
Example:
Heavy rainfall on a tilled field can cause sedimentation in a nearby river, making the water murky and harming aquatic life.
Slash and burn
An agricultural practice involving cutting down and burning vegetation to clear land for farming, which is unsustainable in the long term.
Example:
Indigenous communities sometimes use slash and burn techniques to prepare small plots for subsistence farming, but large-scale application leads to rapid deforestation.
Soil Erosion
The displacement of the upper layer of soil by natural forces like wind or water, often exacerbated by agricultural practices that remove protective vegetation.
Example:
After a heavy rain, a farmer noticed significant soil erosion on their tilled field, with valuable topsoil washing into the nearby creek.
Synthetic Fertilizers
Manufactured chemical compounds designed to provide specific nutrients to plants, often high in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Example:
Many large-scale farms rely on synthetic fertilizers for precise nutrient delivery and rapid crop response.
Tilling
An agricultural practice that involves turning over the soil to prepare it for planting, which can improve aeration but also lead to environmental damage.
Example:
Before planting corn, many conventional farmers use heavy machinery for tilling to break up the soil and create a smooth seedbed.
Water Contamination
The pollution of water bodies or groundwater by harmful substances, such as excess nutrients from fertilizers or pesticides.
Example:
Leaching of nitrates from agricultural fields can lead to water contamination of drinking water wells, posing health risks.