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21 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Soil degradation |
Soil degradation is the decline in soil quality caused by its improper use, usually for agricultural, pastural, industrial or urban purpose |
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Humus |
the organic component of soil, formed by the decomposition of leaves and other plant material by soil microorganisms |
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Tilling |
prepare and cultivate (land) for crops. |
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CAFO |
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) Definitions. AFO. An Animal Feeding Operation(AFO) is an operation that meets both of the following conditions: The animals are confined for at least 45 days during any 12 month period |
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Forestry |
the science or practice of planting, managing, and caring for forests |
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Habitat fragmentation |
Habitat fragmentation is the process by which habitat loss results in the division of large, continuous habitats into smaller, more isolated remnants |
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Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act |
The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) is the primary federal law that regulates the environmental effects of coal mining in the United States. SMCRA created two programs: one for regulating active coal mines and a second for reclaiming abandoned mine lands |
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RCRA |
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), enacted in 1976, is the principal federal law in the United States governing the disposal of solid waste and hazardous waste |
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CERCLA |
Superfund or Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) is a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances and pollutants |
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Sanitary landfill |
Sanitary landfills are sites where waste is isolated from the environment until it is safe. It is considered when it has completely degraded biologically, chemically and physically |
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Municipal waste |
Municipal solid waste (MSW), commonly known as trash or garbage in the United States and as refuse or rubbish in Britain, is a waste type consisting of everyday items that are discarded by the public |
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Municipal waste |
Municipal solid waste (MSW), commonly known as trash or garbage in the United States and as refuse or rubbish in Britain, is a waste type consisting of everyday items that are discarded by the public |
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Industrial solid waste |
Industrial solid waste is defined as waste that is generated by businesses from an industrial or manufacturing process or waste generated from non-manufacturing activities that are managed as a separate waste stream |
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Hazardous waste |
Hazardous waste is waste that is dangerous or potentially harmful to our health or the environment. Hazardous wastes can be liquids, solids, gases, or sludges. They can be discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or pesticides, or the by-products of manufacturing processes |
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E-waste |
e-Waste Definition. e-Waste for short - or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) - is the term used to describe old, end-of-life or discarded appliances using electricity. It includes computers, consumer electronics, fridges etc which have been disposed of by their original users |
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Genetically modified organism |
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination. |
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Desertification |
the process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture |
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Compost |
decayed organic material used as a plant fertilizer. |
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Salinization |
Soil salinity is the salt content in the soil; the process of increasing the salt content is known as salinization. Salts occur naturally within soils and water. Salination can be caused by natural processes such as mineral weathering or by the gradual withdrawal of an ocean |
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Soil texture |
Soil texture refers to the weight proportion (relative proportion by weight percentage of sand, silt, and clay) of the mineral soil separates for particles less than two millimeters (mm) as determined from a laboratory particle-size distribution |
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Rangeland |
open country used for grazing or hunting animals. |
