Agriculture Ecological Impacts Group 2 by

Macro vs Micro Nutrients

mmerrell3 — 2024-09-13 15:17:14 UTC

Commercial AG fertilizers use hefty amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus, which creates an imbalance of acro nutrients over the micro nutrients in the soil, lowering the overall quality of product grown in massive AG operations.

(Macy)

Eutrophication

mmerrell3 — 2024-09-13 15:20:08 UTC

When runoff from AG farms carrying fertilizers pumped full of nitrogen and phosphorus enters waterways, eutrophication of the water occurs as the fertilizer encourages extreme algal blooms. The algal blooms can have devastating impacts on the ecosystems present, as the rotting algae deplete the dissolved oxygen content in the water, suffocating the fish and other aquatic species.

(Macy)

Fertilizer Spraying

mmerrell3 — 2024-09-13 15:23:13 UTC

In Santa Cruz, the largest-scale AG farms are near lower-income communities made up of minorities. When toxic pesticides are sprayed through the fields, it is extremely disruptive to child development and concerns have been expressed by teachers who have noticed a decrease in productivity and focus around the times of pesticide spraying.

(Macy)

Mono Cropping

mmerrell3 — 2024-09-13 15:29:35 UTC

When produce is grown in a monocropping formation, the crops are susceptible to disease and can hop quickly from plant to plant due to close proximity. If one plant becomes infected it can create an epidemic among the crop, devastating the farmer behind the farm, wasting resources, and leaving populations in dire need of food.

(Macy)

Tribal Impacts

kkonstantinidis1 — 2024-09-13 20:05:04 UTC

Kat

Population

kkonstantinidis1 — 2024-09-13 20:23:46 UTC

Increase in agricultural production lead to increased population grown when small scale farm allowed for the growth of towns into cities into the 8 billion people on earth now dependent on large scale agriculture as a means for food

Kat

Irrigation Methods

kalebkendall — 2024-09-14 00:05:49 UTC

Different irrigation methods each have pros and cons. Drip irrigation is highly efficient, reducing water waste by delivering water directly to the plant roots, but it can be expensive to install and maintain. Sprinkler irrigation mimics natural rainfall and covers large areas, though it can lead to water loss through evaporation. Surface irrigation, like flooding or furrow systems, is easy and low-cost but wastes water and can cause soil erosion. Each method's suitability depends on crop type, water availability, and budget.

Kaleb

Carbon Footprint

kalebkendall — 2024-09-14 00:08:18 UTC

Agriculture significantly contributes to the global carbon footprint through activities like deforestation, livestock farming, and the use of synthetic fertilizers. These processes release large amounts of greenhouse gases, particularly methane and nitrous oxide, into the atmosphere. Sustainable practices such as regenerative farming, reducing food waste, and optimizing fertilizer use can help mitigate agriculture's environmental impact.

Kaleb

Soil Salinization

omunozrodriguez — 2024-09-14 14:00:30 UTC

The intricate relationship between humans and the ecosystem is vividly illustrated through the lens of agriculture, particularly in how our practices affect the water cycle. Agriculture relies heavily on water, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture noting that around 80 percent of the nation’s fresh water supply is used for this purpose.

Soil salinization in places like California's Central Valley is a major concern for farmers. The use of lower quality water with higher salt concentrations can lead to the buildup of salt in the soil, hindering crop growth and reducing overall productivity. This may result in increased pressure on water resources as farmers try to compensate for reduced crop yields.

Omar

Nitrogen and the environment

mcalvert12 — 2024-09-14 17:36:03 UTC

In an agriculture based food production cycle, plants extract nutrients from soils and store them in their tissues. Plant harvesting transports soil nutrients out of the ecosystem for processing and consumption.

In nature, nutrient-return to soils in the form of organic (plant, livestock and other organic matter resources). However, when the organic material is transferred to the consumption cycle, necessary macro and micro nutrients are not returned to the soil, leading to soil nutrient depletion. In a human designed agriculture ecosystem, inorganic fertilizers is required to maintain soil fertility.

The fertilizer industry was created in the early 1900's in response to the need for inorganic fertilizers to improving crop production rates.

Macro nutrients, Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potash (K), Calcium, Sulfur (S), and Magnesium are needed in relatively large quantities to replenish soil nutrients lost in the grow-harvest farming cycles.

The manufacturing of Nitrogen containing fertilizer is in the form of ammonia. Ammonia requires high temperature and pressure to manufacture, resulting in a high consumption of energy. The energy source has traditionally been coal and methane, resulting carbon dioxide, a major contributor to climate change.

The ecological impact of nitrogen extends to the application of nitrogen to the soil.

"Crops only take up, on average, about half of the nitrogen they get from fertilizers. The excess nitrogen runs off into waterways, or gets broken down by microbes in the soil, releasing the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide into the atmosphere" (MIT Climate Portal, July 15, 2021). "Although nitrous oxide accounts for only a small fraction of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, pound for pound, nitrous oxide warms the planet 300 times as much as carbon dioxide." (MIT Climate Portal, July 15, 2021).

(M_Calvert)