Environmental Science
Question Description
Please find the attached file.
Part A. Soil Properties, Formation and Determination of Fertility (20 marks)
Review concepts of soil properties, the processes involved in soil formation, and features of the productive soils.
Based on your independent research, answer the following questions. (Remember that you are evaluated on the completeness of your answer. Don’t forget citations):
- Describe the key structural and functional properties of soils that contribute to their abilities to support producers and primary productivity. (4 marks)
- What is the process of soil formation? How does climate influence these processes, giving examples? (6 marks)
- Outline the features of a soil food web and illustrate by providing examples. Describe the relationship that exists between above ground autotroph biomass with the below ground soil community. What are the ecological goods and services provided by a healthy community of soil organisms? (10 marks)
Part B. Alternative Agricultural Practices and the Future of the Planet (20 marks)
Watch the videos ‘The Other Inconvenient Truth’ and ‘Regeneration of Our Lands: A Producer’s Perspective.’ These videos outline the challenges in feeding humanity and provide some ideas in terms of sustainable agricultural strategies that include elements of terraculture (or farming for the whole planet).
These videos are available at the following URLs:
The Other Inconvenient Truth – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Igwitg9zFvQ&feature=emb_logo
Regeneration of Our Lands: A Producer’s Perspective – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfTZ0rnowcc&t=1s
4. Describe elements of subsistence and industrialized farming. (5 marks)
5. Outline the features that are involved in sustainable agriculture and terraculture. (5 marks)
6. Research soil restoration projects and how these have addressed issues such as food security, and/or climate change, and/or drought etc. Based on this, do you believe that humanity can achieve our 2030 goals of sustainability by improving soil health? (10 marks) Remember that your grade will be determined by how well you develop your answer and your justifications. You must include in-text citation.
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