* Discuss the relationship between agriculture and the environment; * Describe issues with water associated with crop production; and * Explain how conservation.

* Understanding Agronomy

*Objectives

*Discuss the relationship between agriculture and the environment;

*Describe issues with water associated with crop production; and

*Explain how conservation practices protect the environment

*Ag. and the Environment

*Environment: external conditions that affect an organism or community and influence its development or existence*Ag crop production happens in the environment

*Is there a demand for food?

*Fiber?

*Shelter?

*Yes

*Ag. and the Environment

*What drives that demand?

*Population growth

*Ag. production has had to expand a lot since agriculture began 10,000 years ago*Forests cut down; wetlands drained; prairies plowed

*What happens to wildlife in those areas?

*Some become extinct, endangered, or threatened

*Is that just animals?

*No

*Native plants as well

*Ag. and the Environment

*The major cause for an animal or plant to become extinct, endangered, or threatened is habitat loss

*That is the alteration of the environment causing an organism to adapt or die

*Another cause is competition

*New species are introduced with few natural enemies to control them.

*Native species are also viewed as pests and controlled as such

*Water and Crop Production

*What are some issues associated with crop production’s impact on our water supply?

*Pollution is the #1 issue related to crop production

*In some areas over-use is an issue

*Water and Crop Production

*Pollution can occur in both surface and groundwater

*Groundwater is found under the surface usually in porous rock, sand, and gravel and must be accessed by drilling a well

*Two types of water pollution

*Point Source

*Pollutant added directly to body of water

*Non-Point Source

*Pollutants come from a wide area and travel through something else first

*Water and Crop Production

*What can pollute our water supply?

*Chemical pesticides and fertilizers

*Usually dissolve in water and soak into soil and drain naturally with the water

*Concentrations of nutrients and other chemicals interupt natural balance

*Some areas are more susceptible than others

*Erosion

*Sediment in water can be detrimental to aquatic life

*Water and Crop Production

*The Ag industry is the largest user of the world’s fresh water supply

*Ultimately we are using more water from aquifers than is being replaced

*So what do we need to do?

*Protecting the Environment through

Conservation*Production methods have been discovered that reduce and in some cases eliminate pollution

*Which is easier to correct: point source or non-point source pollution?

*Point source

*These issues can be taken care of

*Some land can actually be taken out of production and – here is the key

*Put back into a natural state

*Is this always economical?

*No

*Erosion can be reduced by creating terraces, grass waterways and conservation tillage

*Technological advances in irrigation practices have cut down on water use and waste

*Pumps, application, sensors

*Conservation tillage and genetically engineered crops reduce the number of times equipment has to be used

*Less emissions pollution and lower fuel use

*Protecting the Environment through

Conservation

*Genetic engineering and biotechnology*Plants that can resist pests on their own

*less pesticide use

*Could genetic engineering have a negative impact on the environment?*How?

*Cross pollination

*New genes

*Pest resistance

*Protecting the Environment through

Conservation

*Agronomy Presentation

*Choose a partner

*Choose a topic from the list

*Research that topic

*History

*Development

* Technology

*How it is done

*Why it is done

*Present the ins and outs

*Cite your sources

*Must use visual aides (pictures, videos, or models)

*Do not plagiarize! (I don’t want to see huge chunks of ‘copy/paste’)

*Assignment