Agriculture and the Environment Assignment

Answer one of the following questions (see note below). Total length of your answer should be about 2000 words. Submit this assignment electronically via Blackboard. This assignment is worth 40% of the final assessment for this unit.

Question 1

Briefly describe one of the following soil problems (both natural and induced) and its main causes.

• Acidification
• Sodification

For the selected soil problem where it is a result of agricultural or other land use activities discuss:

• the environmental effects of the problem
• measures that can be implemented to remediate land affected by the problem

Question 2

Sustainability in contemporary agriculture means ensuring that biodiversity is maintained and enhanced and that ecological processes continue. In 1991 the Federal Government Working Group on Sustainable Agriculture defined ‘sustainable agriculture ‘ as:

The use of farming practices and systems which maintain or enhance

• the economic viability of agricultural production
• the natural resource base (including air, soil, water, plants and animals)
• other ecosystems that are influenced buy agricultural activities.

Discuss measures that can be implemented to ensure sustainability in agricultural production in one Victorian agricultural activity.

Question 3

Biosolids generated by wastewater treatment facilities have great potential for use as fertiliser supplements and soil amelioration agents. Briefly discuss the application of solid organic wastes to Australian Agricultural soils including in your answer:

• factors that determine the potential of a particular waste to improve soil fertility
• the potential positive and negative effects on soil properties of applying organic wastes

You may choose to focus your answer on one particular waste stream ( eg food processing waste)

Question 4

Briefly outline the major environmental consequences of irrigated agricultural activities, including in your response:

• The particular agricultural practices that cause the problem
• the environmental effects of the problem
• measures that can be implemented to remediate land affected by the problem

Question 5

Discuss a major type of erosion that occurs in Australia including in your answer:

• the cause and environmental impact of the erosion
• the major measures that can be undertaken to prevent or reduce the erosion

Question 6

Explain what ‘eutrophication' is , what are its causes and how does it affect the environment. What measures can be taken to avoid it?

Note if you wish, you can choose to give shorter answers to two of the above questions but the total length should still be about 2000 words.