Forestry and Agricultural Practices
|
Clearing the Land allows loggers to efficiently gather product and farmers to open up space for agriculture. Clearing land reduces the competition for plants (whether trees or crops) with existing species. Since the soil is now exposed, it is more likely to be negatively impacted by wind erosion and water erosion. SHELTER BELTS can be planted to to prevent wind erosion. This is a row (or multiple rows) of trees or shrubs that serve as a wind break, protecting the newly cleared field.
|
WATER TABLE - When too much water is added to the soil it fills all the pores and can drown out the plants, limited the amount of air in the soil. This raises the water table (the level, or how much soil there is before it is saturated with water). The ground needs to have a certain amount of water, but you should have to dig down a bit before you find it! If it is right at the surface, your plants will drown.
Tilling soil is a process where the soil is cut, and then the top layer is turned over. Tilling (or ploughing) can break up the soil, creating more air spaces and making it less compact. BUT, ver time it can damage the soil, making their particles so small that they become water-logged or blow away through wind-erosion.
Zero tillage uses seed drills to plant crops so that the land does not need to be turned. This comes with consequences as well. |
Summer Fallow is a period of 1 growing season where the field is not used. No new crops are grown and the soil can regenerate!
Hydroponics is a type of agricultural practice that allows you grow plants without the use of soil. Nutrients must be added to water in order to ensure the healthy growth of plants.
Herbicides, Pesticides and Biological Controls are used to manage weeds and insects that can harm crops. Herbicides and Pesticides are chemically made and can lead to serious environment issues (think back to the unit on Ecosystems). They can cause:
- a build-up of residue and other materials in soil
- harm other organisms through BIOACCUMULATION
- create adapted species that no longer are harmed by the chemicals
Biomagnification LabIn small groups, you will complete a simulation that will help solidify your understanding of the process of bioaccumulation where chemicals, such as insecticides, are magnified as organisms are consumed.
The simulation will be done in groups, but you will complete your lab analysis INDIVIDUALLY. |