CMC'S
NEWS' REVIEW (X), by Marina Dorca
News'
title:
Ditching
farm pollution – literally
Reducing
fertilizer runoff benefits both farmers and the environment
Date
of publication: April
17, 2015
Source
of information: Science
news for students:
Scientific
field:
Environmental
biology
Extract:
Fertilizers
and pesticides from farms become pollutants once they leave the farm.
These chemicals are carried away by ditches, and most of them end up
in lakes or rivers.
This
causes some negative effects. This runoff can poison animals
in rivers where ditches empty and it can harm the environment.
Besides, washed away fertilizer helps algae and bacteria grow faster.
A
demonstration project, Shatto Ditch Project, is trying to improve the
situation by giving other alternatives to runoff ditches.
Farmers consider that they have decreased their costs in ditch
maintenance and fertilizers.
Critical
appraisal: Dear
environment:
Sometimes
we do not think about the consequences of what we do. We simply carry
on doing the same actions as if it was a routine, like that's what we
are supposed to do. I've chosen this article because it's a clear
example that we can change things and make our world a little better.
By
reading this article, I have realised that little ideas can end up
being great changes if we do dare to try. Shatto Ditch Project,
created by Jennifer Tank, has demonstrated that there are always
other alternatives if we firmly look for them. Tank,
seeing the problematic caused by the runoff of ditches, devised a two
tier ditch for funneling water near farms. This new method entailed
lots of advantages: there were less costs for farmers to assume, and
it was environmentally friendly. Besides, the soil had more nutrients
as they were retained in the soil.
In
conclusion, I believe that this society should have more
consciousness and more committed to our world. If we had real
concern, we'd be always thinking about what's the best and most
ecological way of doing things, and this planet of ours may be
better.
Glossary:
algae
Single-celled organisms. As aquatic organisms, they grow in water.
Like green plants, they depend on sunlight to make their food.
bloom
(in
microbiology) The rapid and largely uncontrolled growth of a species.
floodplain
The
nearly flat land that runs along the side of a river, for some
distance out from the water. When the river floods, it spills over
into this plain, which is built up, over time, with the silt left as
the waters recede.
limnology
A branch of ecology that studies inland waters, including lakes,
streams and groundwater.
microcystins
A
class of toxins produced by some freshwater algae that are also known
as cyanobacteria. Most of these toxins work by poisoning the liver.
no
till
The somewhat recent practice by some farmers to leave crop residues
(stalks, leaves and roots) in place over the winter, instead of
turning over the dirt and burying these materials as soil nutrients.
peer
review
(in science) A process in which scientists in a field carefully read
and critique the work of their peers before it is published in a
scientific journal.
phosphorus
A highly reactive, nonmetallic element occurring naturally in
phosphates. Its scientific symbol is P.
runoff
The
water that runs off of land into rivers, lakes and the seas. As that
water travels over land, it picks up bits of soil and chemicals that
it will later deposit as pollutants in the water.
Silt
Very
fine mineral particles or grains present in soil. They can be made of
sand or other materials.
tillage
(v.
to till) A common practice by farmers of turning over soil on
croplands to remove weeds and/or cultivate the land.
toxin
A
poison produced by living organisms, such as germs, bees, spiders,
poison ivy and snakes.
Word
find: Here
you have a wordsearch in which you have to find some of the words
mentionned all over the article. Good luck! ;)
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