Sustainable Agriculture Literature Review - Boulder County

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! !! "#$%&!'())!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!B=!@#-2$!CD11+-.D/! Although terrestrial impacts of pesticides do occur, the main impacts to ecological systems are through water contaminated by pesticide runoff. The specific impacts of pesticide use on the environment and living organisms are difficult to assess, however, there are two principal mechanisms that cause negative impacts: bioconcentration and biomagnifications. ! Bioconcentration is the movement of a chemical from the surrounding medium into an organism such that higher concentrations occur within the organism. 328 The primary "sink" for some pesticides is fatty tissue, which is a type of lipid. Some pesticides, such as the banned insecticide DDT, are "lipophilic," meaning that they are soluble and accumulate in fatty tissue, such as edible fish tissue and human fatty tissue. Other pesticides, such as glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup and other commercial brands), are metabolized and excreted. Biomagnification is the increasing concentration of a chemical as it is transferred up through the food chain. As smaller organisms are eaten by larger organisms the concentration of pesticides and other chemicals are increasingly magnified in tissues and other organs. Very high concentrations can be observed in top predators, including man. The effects of pesticides in the environment vary depending on both the organism, the concentration, and the pesticide in question, but general effects may include the following: 329 - Death of the organism - Cellular and DNA damage - Cancers, tumors, and lesions on fish and animals - Reproductive inhibition or failure - Suppression of immune system - Disruption of endocrine (hormonal) system - Teratogenic effects (physical deformities such as hooked beaks on birds) - Poor fish health (marked by low red to white blood cell ratio, excessive slime on fish scales and gills, etc.) - Intergenerational effects (effects are not apparent until subsequent generations of the organism) - Other physiological effects such as eggshell thinning These effects are not necessarily caused solely by exposure to pesticides or other organic contaminants and may be associated with a combination of environmental stresses on organisms such as eutrophication and pathogens. Most of these impacts are chronic so they are not noticed by casual observers, but have consequences for the entire food chain. 330 "&%" !*+,-#./#012!34$.%+1-+$2! 5.-2$#-+$2!627.28!
! !! "#$%&!'())!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!E=!*D.1!F2#1-&! Summary ! 5. Soil Health There are 23 main soil combinations in <strong>Boulder</strong> <strong>County</strong> that sustain a variety crops, livestock, native grasslands, shrublands, wetlands, and forests, serving important functions for both plants and animals. The quality, yield, and viability of agricultural crops are directly dependent upon a healthy and fertile soil. Improving soil quality is considered to be a key element of a sustainable agriculture production system. Much of the early research on soil health focused primarily on soil’s capacity for crop production, while other factors, such as structure, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity, were either not considered or were accorded secondary importance. Recently, awareness has been increasing about how environmental factors interact and impact economic sustainability. Reduction of soil quality is a growing concern, particularly since anthropogenic soil degradation has been reported on almost 40 percent of the world’s agricultural lands. Reasons for this soil degradation include increased erosion, atmospheric pollution, extensive soil cultivation, over-grazing, land clearing, salinization, and desertification. The primary agricultural practices identified in the literature that strongly affect soil health positively or negatively include tillage method, soil amendments, soil conservation, grazing practices, and crop rotation. One of the most important aspects of healthy soils is the organic matter content, which is heavily influenced by these farm practices. Most soils in Colorado have low amounts of organic matter, containing less than 1.5 percent. Methods such as cover crops and green manures can serve as organic material sources for agricultural systems, helping to decrease the potential for soil erosion, while improving soil tilth, water-holding capacity, stability, and structure. The use of cover crops and green manures needs to be evaluated on both environmental and economic conditions, as a number of factors can affect their financial viability. Conservation tillage methods were identified as one of the most important factors for building healthy and fertile soil. Methods of conservation tillage were strongly associated with increasing the amount of soil organic matter, nutrient availability, and erosion resistance. While there were many benefits associated with conservation tillage, two main concerns were raised regarding economic viability and the increased use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. A study conducted in the Fort Collins area concluded that a conservation tillage system required more nitrogen fertilizer than conventional tillage to produce equal yields, but less irrigation and machinery were necessary. A similar study found comparable results and showed that on irrigated continuous corn, no-till was actually more profitable than conventional-till because of lower machinery and labor costs as well as a decrease in fossil fuel use. These results highlighted that conservation tillage methods are crucial for improving and maintaining soil health and can be done at a profit. In multiple studies it was noted, however, that ultimately, farmers and landowners should be the ones to decide which soil management practices should be implemented because soil type is specific to each location. "&&" !*+,-#./#012!34$.%+1-+$2! 5.-2$#-+$2!627.28!
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SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE LITERATURE
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Sustainable Agriculture Literature Review - Boulder County

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