1. Chapter 12 Soil and Agriculture
Mr. Manskopf
Class Web Site

2. Essential Questions Covered
What are the components of the soil?
How is soil formed?
What are some of the effects of soil erosion on the land?
Describe the impact of human activities on the land.
How do recycling and composting programs affect the soil?
What impact do pesticides have on the soil?
What affect do fertilizers have on the nitrogen cycle?

3. Who Cares About DIRT?

4. How is my food choice impacting the environment?

5. How come not everyone has enough food?

6. About 38% of Earth’s land surface is used for agriculture.

7. Section 1 Soil Explain how soil is formed.
Describe the different layers (horizons) of soil.
List four characteristics used to classify soil.

8. What is soil made of?
Soil is made up of minerals, organic matter, air, and water.
Soil composition is influenced by climate, organisms, landforms, parent material, and time

9. Soil Composition
Soil is a thin layer over most land that is a complex mix of rock, nutrients, decaying matter, water, air and billions of organisms…many microscopic decomposers

10. Why is soil important? Renewable resource…SLOW
Depends upon climate (1cm in 15yrs.)
Basis of life
Filters water
Water storage
Habitat

11. Simplified Soil Food Web

12. Soil Formation
Weathering: Physical and chemical breaking of rocks and minerals into smaller pieces
Erosion and deposition: Pick-up, transport, and drop-off of material from one place to another
Decomposition: Breakdown of waste, organisms, and organic material into simple molecules

13. Weathering of PARENT MATERIAL (ROCK)

14. Soil Horizons Soil horizons are distinct layers of soil.
A cross-section of soil horizons is a soil profile.
“A” Most Critical

15. Did You Know? In general, organic matter is concentrated in the O and A horizons, making them the most critical for agriculture.

16. Soil Characteristics
Soil groups are further classified according to properties such as color, structure, pH, and texture.
Soil texture is based on particle size.

18. Topsoil Color a Great Quick Indicator
Dark, loamy, neutral pH are some of best soils for farming
Dark color often means lots of decayed material (nutrients)

19. Section 1 Review Explain how soil is formed.
Describe the different layers (horizons) of soil.
List four characteristics used to classify soil.

20. Section 1 Quiz
1) After a catastrophe, soil formation is the first step in
A. primary succession.
B. secondary succession.
C. a climax community.

21. 2) Most of the nutrients in soil come from A. chemical weathering. B
2) Most of the nutrients in soil come from A. chemical weathering B. mechanical weathering C. erosion D. decomposition.

22. 3) A farmer interested in raising healthy crops should look for a A
3) A farmer interested in raising healthy crops should look for a A. heavy clay soil with a high pH and a dark color B. loamy soil with a low pH and a light color. C. loamy, clumpy soil with a neutral pH and a dark color D. sandy soil with a high pH, no clumps, and a light color.

23. 4) An example of a soil parent material is A. humus. B. volcanic rock
4) An example of a soil parent material is A. humus B. volcanic rock C. leaf litter D. topsoil.

24. 5) As a farmer, you would be most concerned with the quality of the soil in the A. O horizon B. A horizon C. E horizon D. R horizon.

25. 6) A rancher interested in the quality of the soil in her pasture might use which aspect of soil as a quick indicator of the pasture’s overall fertility? A. color B. smell C. structure D. pH E. Taste

26. 7) Short Answer: If you were to travel to the desert in Arizona, you might find Horizon Layer O and A missing. Why?

27. 8) Short Answer: What determines how quickly Horizon O and A form?

28. Some estimates predict that 50 million people could be displaced in the next 10 years due to desertification, a form of soil degradation.

29. Section 2 Soil Degradation and Conservation
What causes soil erosion?
How serious of a problem is it?
What are ways that farmers, ranchers and forestry lead to soil erosion?

31. Causes of Soil Erosion
Wind
Water #1
People

32. Soil Erosion
Often occurs faster than soil is formed, depleting fertile topsoil
Crops, trees, and other plant communities protect soil from erosion.

33. Did You Know? More than 19 billion hectares (47 billion acres) of the world’s croplands suffer from erosion and other forms of soil degradation resulting from human activities.

34. Impacts of Soil Erosion
Loss of soil fertility
Sediment runoff causes problems in surface water (pollution, clog ditches, boat channels, reservoirs)
#1 source of U.S. water pollution
Renewable only on LONG timeframes (200-1,000yrs. for 1 inch)

35. What time of year do you think most farm fields in U. S
What time of year do you think most farm fields in U.S. are vulnerable to erosion?

36. On Ag. land in U.S. today, soil is eroding 16 times faster than it is created

37. Areas of serious concern Stable or nonvegetative areas
Areas of some concern
Stable or nonvegetative areas

38. Farming Practices That Reduce Erosion
Intercropping: Different crops mixed together
Crop rotation: Crops are alternated.
Shelterbelts: Tall plants block wind.
Conservation tillage: Soil turnover is reduced.
Terracing: Steep slopes turned into “steps”

39. Tillage vs. Conservation Tillage

40. Contour and Strip Cropping

41. Ranching Practices Ranching is the raising and grazing of livestock.
Overgrazing causes and worsens many soil problems.
Range managers encourage grazing limits and enforce them on publicly owned land.

43. Forestry Practices
Forestry practices, such as clear-cutting, can increase erosion.
Today, practices that reduce soil erosion, such as selective logging, are increasingly common.

44. Soil Pollution
Too much, or carelessly timed irrigation can waterlog crops and lead to salinization—a buildup of salts in upper soil horizons.
Toxic pesticides can remain in soil for a long time, eventually filtering to groundwater.
Evaporation
Transpiration
Waterlogging
Less permeable
clay layer

45. Desertification

47. Soil Salinization

49. Soil Pollution

50. Section 2 Review
What causes soil erosion?
How serious of a problem is it?
What are ways that farmers, ranchers and forestry lead to soil erosion?

51. Humans have been practicing agriculture for about 10,000 years.

52. What is that?

53. Aldo Leopold
There are two spiritual dangers in not owning a farm. One is the danger of supposing that breakfast comes from the grocery store, and the other that heat from the furnace.

54. Section 3 Agriculture Describe the history of farming.
Analyze the costs and benefits of the “Green Revolution”
What are some ways farmers control weeds and pests?
Why are pollinators important to farmers?

55. What are some of the ecological and economic services that croplands provide? (what good are farms?)

56. The Beginnings of Agriculture
People were hunter-gatherers through most of human history, until agriculture developed about 10,000 years ago.

57. Why 10,000 years ago?

58. Agriculture History
In early agriculture, people began planting seeds from plants they liked most
Agriculture and livestock provided a stable food supply, which allowed the development of modern civilization.

59. Types of Agriculture
Traditional Agriculture
Industrial Agriculture

60. The Green Revolution
Introduced new technology, crop varieties, and farming practices to the developing world in the mid- to late 1900s
Benefits:
Increased crop yields and saved millions of people from starvation in India and Pakistan
Prevented some deforestation and habitat loss by increasing yields on cultivated land

61. Green Revolution Costs:
Led to a 7000% increase in energy used by agriculture
Worsened erosion, salinization, desertification, eutrophication, and pollution

62. Pests and Weed Control (Farmers Enemies)
Chemical pesticides: Effective and cheap, but can lead to resistance

64. Pests and Weed Control
Biological pest control: Permanent solution, but can harm nontarget organisms
Integrated pest management: Increasingly popular solution, combines chemical and biological pest-control methods
Cactus moth larvae are used to control prickly pear cactus, but also threaten many rare, native cacti around the world.

65. Pollinators Agriculture relies on pollinators, such as insects.
Native and domesticated pollinator populations have declined due to pesticide use, parasites, and other as-of-yet unknown causes

66. Section 3 Review Describe the history of farming.
Analyze the costs and benefits of the “Green Revolution”
What are some ways farmers control weeds and pests?
Why are pollinators important to farmers?

67. Each year, Earth gains 75 million people and loses 5–7 million hectares of productive cropland.

68. Section 4: Food Production
How is our food produced and what impact does that food production have on our environment?
What are GM foods?
What does sustainable food production look like?

69. Human Needs Large amounts of macronutrients (protein, carbs, fats)
Small amounts of micronutrients (A, C, E, iron, iodine, calcium)
Chronic under nutrition: disease increase, stunted growth etc.
Malnutrition: can not get enough protein mainly eating corn, rice, wheat
Huge childhood problem
Human Needs

70. Malnutrition UN Estimates:
5.5 million each year die prematurely due to effects of under nutrition.
Each day 15,100 people % of which are children
In U.S. estimates are 11 million do not have access to enough food

71. Over nutrition Food intake exceeds energy use and causes body fat
Too many calories not enough exercise
Lower life expectancy, heart disease, lower productivity and quality of life
In developed countries it is 2nd leading preventable cause of death after smoking
Over nutrition

72. Food Security
Since 1960, our ability to produce food has grown faster than the human population, but 1 billion people are hungry worldwide. Malnutrition and undernourishment are most common in the developing world.

73. Arable Land
Land suitable for farming
Running out
Loosing soil

74. Genetically Modified Organisms
Organisms that have had their DNA modified Commonly engineered traits include rapid growth, pest resistance, and frost tolerance. In the United States, 85% of corn and 90% of soybean, cotton, and canola crops come from GM strains.

75. Risks and Benefits of GM Crops
Potential for “superpests” that are resistant to pest-resistant crops Contamination of non-GM plants

78. Benefits of GM Crops Benefits:
Insect-resistant crops reduce the need for insecticides.
Herbicide-resistant crops encourage tillage conservation.

80. Industrial Food Production: Feedlots
Alternative to open grazing in which energy-rich food is delivered to a concentrated group of livestock or poultry

85. Benefits and Cost of Feedlots (Factory Farms)
Benefits: Reduces soil degradation and fertilizer use Costs: Requires antibiotic use; potential for water contamination and animal stress

86. What is this?

88. Industrial Food Production: Aquaculture
Fish farming in a controlled environment

89. Benefits and Costs of Aquaculture
Benefits: Can be sustainable; reduces by-catch; reduces fossil fuel use Costs: More difficult to control spread of diseases; produces a lot of waste; potential for farm-raised animals to escape into wild

92. Sustainable Agriculture
Does not deplete soil faster than it forms
Does not reduce the amount or quality of soil, water, and genetic diversity essential to long-term crop and livestock production

93. Sustainable Agriculture
Organic agriculture is sustainable agriculture that does not use synthetic chemicals.
Local, small-scale agriculture reduces the use of fossil fuels and chemicals used for transportation and storage.

94. U.S. Food travels avg. of 1,500 miles from farm to fork in U.S.
New Jersey Peach Farm: What are the advantages and disadvantages of eating locally grown food?

96. Section 4 Review
How is our food produced and what impact does that food production have on our environment?
What are GM foods?
What does sustainable food production look like?

97. Section 4 Quiz
1) Agriculture most likely began
A. 10,000 years ago in the Middle East.
B. 200,000 years ago in Africa.
C. 15,000 years ago in China D. 150,000 years ago in Egypt.

98. 2) Genetic engineering relies on placing a gene that codes for a desired trait into the __________ of a different organism from the organism where the gene was originally harvested. A. protein B. amino acid C. helix D. genome

99. 3) Your friend tells you she’s decided not to use pesticides or synthetic chemicals on her farm; instead she’ll rely on composting and biological pest control. She is practicing A. industrial agriculture B. monoculture C. organic agriculture D. sustainable agriculture.

100. 4) Sustainable agriculture is important because while human population continues to grow, which of the following will not? A. animal population B. arable land C. food production D. GM crops

101. 5) What event enabled the evolution of agriculture. A
5) What event enabled the evolution of agriculture? A. a warming climate due to volcanic eruptions in Indonesia B. a sudden growth in human population C. a decrease in natural prey species, such as large hooved mammals D. a warming climate, which ended an ice age

102. 6) A large area of cropland seeded with one crop is a(n) A. monoculture B. polyculture. C. organic practice D. traditional farming technique.

103. 7) A farmer has an infestation of aphids and greenflies
7) A farmer has an infestation of aphids and greenflies. He introduces ladybugs, which prey on aphids, and uses a limited dose of a pesticide to deal with the flies. The farmer’s approach to insect pests is A. chemical control B. biological control. C. integrated pest management D. organic pest management.

104. 8) You would expect to find most farmers who use GM crops living in A
8) You would expect to find most farmers who use GM crops living in A. relatively poor, undeveloped countries B. countries with strong environmental protection laws. C. countries with weak environmental laws D. relatively wealthy, developed countries.

105. 9) The average food item in the United States travels 2400 km to reach the buyer. One alternative to this energy-inefficient practice is A. treating the food with preservative chemicals B. buying locally produced food. C. buying organic food D. buying GM food.

106. 10) GM foods are engineered to resist herbicides so that A
10) GM foods are engineered to resist herbicides so that A. humans won’t be put at health risk from pesticides B. insect pests will avoid the crops. C. the crops will grow more efficiently D. farmers can use heavier doses of pesticides for weeds without killing the crop plants.

107. 11) In the Chart, which is the most efficient source of animal protein?

108. 12) Chart B illustrates energy transfer and trophic structure in a natural ecosystem. If this was an agriculture ecosystem, where would humans be located?