Question 1:

There is a debate between large agro businesses and sustainable farming regarding agriculture in the US. Is sustainable agriculture at odds with the increase in human population in the US?  What are the ecosystem problems associated with agro businesses? Identify the one factor you consider to be the most serious, but also one that you think can be changed. Factors you might want to review are: fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, irrigation, soil conservation, jobs, costs, carbon footprints, and genetic modification. Post your choice along with the reasons you chose it supported by documentation from your text and other sources. Then describe how you might solve the problem and support your solution with references.

Question 2:

When analyzing effects of human activity on ecosystems, the effects on the people’s health must be examined. For example, the effects of lead additives in paint and gasoline on the nervous systems of human infants and children are well known. Impacts to human health are of particular concern in the case of surface coal mining and hydraulic fracturing. Since the first discussion this week was on agriculture, we are also going to look at the health impacts of organophosphate pesticide use. Present an analysis of health impacts from living in an ecosystem where one of these (organophosphate use, surface coal mining, hydraulic fracturing) is present. In your discussion post, present a summary of the health effects of one of the following:

• hydraulic fracturing,
• organophosphate pesticides, or
• surface coal mining.

Each Question should be at least 250 words and must substantively integrate the assigned readings from the module with proper APA style formatting// You may use additional sources and materials as long as they are relevant to the discussion and cited properly.

Elements of Ecology - 9TH 15
by: Smith, Thomas M.