GEOG 204 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Nitrogen Cycle, Aquifer, Cornucopia
26 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
More and more food is coming from animal protein. Loss of means to grow or buy food. Increasing use of synthetics is a main reason for increasing crop yields around the world. Increased artificially fixed nitrogen = pollution 3 ways: run-off leads to eutrophication (increases nutrients in water and grows algae. When algae dies it uses up oxygen, so less oxygen in water and not enough for fish so fish die. Water is dead) and contamination of water supplies (infant deaths, cancers: can be converted (denitrification) into nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas, converted by volatilization into atmospheric ammonia = acid rain. Rapid depletion of groundwater in semi-arid and arid regions. Destroys the pests natural predators and helpful species (bees and other pollinators for ex. ) Monopolized by multi-nationals terminator technologies (sterilized seeds), patented tech. 75% of food comes from just 12 crops. Food from the oceans fastest growing food production sector in world.
