Managing the Land encompasses 4 main areas: 1. Soil Conservation 2. Pest Management 3. Waste Management 4. Mining

1. Soil Conservation Why is it important? a. Preserves organic matter in the top layer of soil necessary for plants. b. Cuts down on amount of sediments that wash into the Bay Methods of soil conservation a. Contour Plowing- Instead of plowing up and down a hill, contour plowing is perpendicular to the slope of the land

Contour Plowing

Methods of Soil conservation (cont) No-till farming – Crops are harvested without overturning soil

2. Pest Management Why is it important? a. In North America insects eat 13 % of all crops (33% worldwide) Methods of Pest Management a. Pesticides- are chemicals that are applied to crops to kill pests. (herbicides fall into this category because they kill unwanted plants) 1. They can be harmful to beneficial plants and animals.

Example: DDT DDT was a pesticide used to kill mosquitos and other insects. It caused problems when it got into the waterways and fish which were eaten by other animals.

Problems/Issues with Pesticides 2. Over time, some plants can develop pesticide resistance which is the ability to survive being exposed to a toxin. a. This is how pesticide resistance happens. See next slide! 4 1 2 3

Problems/Issues with Pesticides (cont) Population of bugs becomes a problem in your home or garden Most of the bugs die with an exception of a few superbugs that are resistant to the pesticide 4. The superbugs mate and their babies have the same trait for resistance Homeowner calls a friendly exterminator

3. Bioaccumulation- This is a build-up of a toxin as it reaches higher levels of the food chain Example: Mercury builds up in fish affecting other animals that eat them

Another Method of Pest Management: Biological Controls Making use of predator-prey relationships in nature. Examples: Buying ladybugs online to eat aphids that eat leaves in your garden Phorid flies used to kill fire ants (lay eggs in their heads)

3. Land Reclamation Why is it Important The process of returning the land back to its original or better condition after mining has taken place.

Tar Mining

Diamond Mining

Iron Mine in Brazil

Methods of Land Reclamation a. Involves returning topsoil, planting trees, neutralizing acids

Land Reclamation Before After

4. Waste Management Why is it important? a. To prevent disease and land/water contamination Methods of Waste Management a. Landfills- More than 50% of the municipal and manufacturing solid waste that ends up in landfills.

b. Incinerators- Where solid waste is burned b. Incinerators- Where solid waste is burned. This also releases toxic fumes into the air. c. Recycling- Reusing material from products that would be thrown in the trash

Modern Landfill Leachate is the contaminated water that forms as rain travels through layers of a landfill.