Question

caring for the land
identify the problem and the solution and the main cause and effect relationship in the information below.
chemical pesticides and fertilizers
in the natural plant cycle, plants take nutrients from the soil and return them when leaves and other plant parts die and decompose. when people take plant matter (grains and hay) from the soil, they are also removing nutrients. over time, if the nutrients arent replaced, the soil can no longer provide enough nutrients for plants to grow. in early years, farmers replaced these nutrients by adding animal manure, growing a legume crop, resting fields or rotating crops from year to year so fields could restore some of their nutrients through natural processes.
in the 1920s, farmers began using tractors instead of horses and mules. they began using inorganic nitrogen fertilizers to replace the organic nitrogen the fields had been getting from animal manure. nitrogen is one of the major nutrients plants need to grow. in the 1940s, farmers learned to use chemicals to kill insects and weeds. these chemicals now help one american farmer provide food and fabric for 130 non - farmers.
chemicals have caused some problems, too. chemical pesticides can kill other organisms besides the ones for which they are intended. some of the organisms they kill are useful ones that help crops grow. chemical fertilizers also cause reactions in the soil that, over time, can make the soil less desirable for plant growth. chemicals used in agriculture can also contaminate the water we drink. sometimes they move through the soil and enter the underground water supply, and sometimes they are carried by rainwater into lakes, rivers and streams. farmers are concerned about these problems. they are trying new methods that will help them grow enough food for all the people to eat without damaging their land and water supplies. these methods help farmers use fewer chemicals on their fields. one method is integrated pest management. under this method, farmers first find out how many and what kinds of pests they have. they dont use chemical pesticides unless there are enough pests to cause economic crop damage. they often choose environmentally - friendly pesticides or beneficial insects to control the pests.
another method makes use of a computer installed in the farmers tractor. the farmer takes soil samples from his or her fields and has them chemically tested at a laboratory. the computer receives mapping information from a satellite in space and then uses the results of the soil tests to tell the fertilizer spreader where to place the fertilizer and how much to use. this is called \precision farming.\
problem

cause

solution

effect(s)

does the solution create another problem? if so, what is it?

Explanation:

• Problem: Chemical pesticides and fertilizers have negative impacts such as killing non - target organisms, causing soil reactions that are bad for plant growth, and contaminating water.
• Cause: People started using inorganic nitrogen fertilizers (instead of natural methods like animal manure) in the 1920s and chemical pesticides in the 1940s.
• Solution: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) where farmers assess pests before using pesticides and use environmentally - friendly pesticides or beneficial insects. Precision farming which uses a computer in the tractor, soil testing, and satellite mapping to apply fertilizers.
• Effect(s): Chemicals help one American farmer provide for 130 non - farmers. But they also have the negative effects mentioned in the problem.
• Does the solution create another problem? If so, what is it?: Integrated Pest Management and precision farming may have higher initial costs (e.g., for computer equipment, soil testing). Also, precision farming relies on technology which may be complex for some farmers to operate.

Answer:

• Problem: Chemical pesticides and fertilizers harm non - target organisms, soil quality, and water.
• Cause: Shift from natural nutrient replacement (e.g., animal manure) to inorganic fertilizers (1920s) and introduction of chemical pesticides (1940s).
• Solution: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and precision farming.
• Effect(s): Increased food production (one farmer for 130 non - farmers) but environmental harm.
• Does the solution create another problem? If so, what is it?: Yes. Higher initial costs (e.g., for technology in precision farming) and complexity of new methods (e.g., operating computer - based systems in precision farming).