Eco+Questions

= Eco Questions = Let's practice some brainstorming and problem solving skills. Select one (or more) of these questions to answer in the space provided. Identify your responses with your user name.

Instead of using chemicals, what other ways can farmers fertilize their fields and remove pest populations from their land?
Um.. to fertilize fields they could use.. yuck.. manure? It would decompose into the soil, I guess. Katy

They could use um, well, I don't really know. I might ask Karla for info. while she's working on her project cause her topic is uh basically soil/dirt.-Suvitha B-)

Well, I agree with whoever wrote manure it its a good idea.- Karla

I said manure, and also, I just saw this cool story on the news about this dude that, in the middle of N.Y.C., made this huge farm that was totally natural, totally organic, and also all of the greenhouses etc. were powered by solar!!! In the middle of the hugest city ever!!!The guy went totally green!!!!-Katy

Oh my gosh!!! THAT"S AWESOME!!-Karla

well manure would help-zoe

What are invasive species?
Species that have traveled from another country into ours.I think.-Katy

Species that are taking over. EXAMPLE: Some type of urchin came to the USA attached to boats and they landed up in fisheries blocking pipes and eating all the food for the fish.-Suvitha B-)Yeah, I heard about that on the news. Also, at the aquarium in Chicago has a cool educational game on invasive species. But, anyway... Invasive species is a species that is overpopulating and taking over (like Suvitha said). -Karla species that invade, take over like suvitha said. -zoe Hey. were did Suvitha's post thing go?- Karla Yeah! Who took out Suvi's answer?Also, that little game thing at chicago museum was really cool... And educational I guess....-Katy

What would happen if all the world's earthworms died?
We would have less soil, more trash, we would not be able to grow as many plants. & Ms. Hicks class would not be able to do the (really fun) worm unit!!!-Katy

Well, of course we would have no more soil and, well worms are decomposers so they would be a lot of "junk". Plus worms are a very good type of food for a variety of birds.-Suvitha B-) Well, the things that we compost would take a LOT more time to decompose. And there would e WAY more garbage on the ground.- Karla

I agree with Suvitha. Many birds would die, which would make all of the consumers that eat birds for lunch wipe out, which would make the consumers who eat THEM wipe out, and on and on and on until many of the worlds species become extinct. I know that may sound dramatic, but it could happen! Also the economy would get a little worse because worms are often sold as fishing bait, so all of the stores that used to sell them would lose a lot of $$$.. And bait shops would almost totally wipe out!!!!-Katy

What laws have been enacted to protect the environment?
Well, of course the no littering on the highway, and the people who hunt game are only allowed to hunt a limited amount. There are game reserves for rare animals.-SuvithaB-)

Yea, when I was doing my research on wolves: I found out that they had made like places that are for wolves to live without people hunting them, and there are a lot of animal preserves.... (or is that what you call it) for, of course animals. - Karla

Also, You can only hunt Does(Doooooeeee, a deeeeerrr, a feeemaaale deeer,) If you get a Doe tag, and even then you can only hunt a limited amount a year.Same deal with Cows, ( female elk) And many other species of wild game. I'm in the middle of huntin' country, people, you gotta know this kinda' stuff out here.- Katy

In what ways can we try and help endangered species survive?
Yay-this is my research area! Anyway- we can always reduce, reuse, recycle, we can go green, we can stop water & land pollution- when businesses need material they drill & mine in & through animals' habitats- they cut down forests, ruining habitats, etc- so if we need & use less- less habitats are destroyed & less endangered species! & you guys know that polluting kills tons of species.- Katy I agree with katy. it is best to stop cutting down trees and clearing land where animals live.and also to stop polluting.-suvitha Oh & yall, also I just saw this thing on animal planet where a wrench & some other trash was carelessly thrown into an ocean & so an octopus picked it up & began to play with it. ( Octopi are very intelligent & playful) The predator of the octopus, The cuddlefish, Swam up behind it, & because the octopus was so preoccupied with the trash, the cuddlefish easily swallowed it down. Many octopi species are endangered, so that is REALLY bad!!!! & that is killing animals-katy

We can.... STOP HUNTING THEM!! or if they are not being hunted then they probably have an overpopulation of predators, right? And at that point I have no clue what to do.-Karla

At that point, we try to rehome the predators in a different place where there is an overpopulation of their prey.-Katy

How can people benefit from the conservation of wildlife populations?
we can benefit because we get many resources from animals & also because we need all species to help out with keeping populations right- not too many- not endangered. -Katy Animals are a important resource for us and others.and they help the soil.-suvitha.

Also, animals help the economy. Like when people come to Yellowstone national park,for example, they pay to come in to see the animals, and yall' know that all the animals in yellowstone are protected... also when there are those things that you put a quarter in and you can see everything like, really closely when you look in most people are looking for animals... the businesses that own those get money from all of the quarters that people put in them. Plus the farming industry! Also people ride horses and mules and such for personal enjoyment! CUZ it's really really fun! Also I think we all know what rodeos are. Well most of the time you have to pay to enter the competition. you also have to pay to come watch the rodeo, so the money that business gets goes to the employees of the rodeo, so when the employees get more $$$ they go to the shops in their town and buy stuff, which helps those shops. And plus THEIR employees will go buy stuff, and on and on and on.Also, simply put, PET STORES!!!-Katy Also, I just want to say, I am NOT money crazy. I was just providing an answer to the question.-Katy

Why are rainforests important to global ecology?
Tons of animals, insects, plants, PEOPLE live there, so if we cut them down (the rainforests, not the people) millions of animals & plants etc.will be killed also, we will not have as many important resources left because we get lots of resources from the rainforest. Katy

What steps can you take to reduce the amount of trash you produce?
WilliamD.you can recycle every day. Another way to help is to encourage OTHER people to help, right? I'm right. Hayes gabbyelt : You could compost,reduce,reuse and recycle or you could use more eco-friendly matierials. Katymelt: I agree with Gabby also,& instead of buying lots of little packages, buy 1 big one! suvithav: You can recycle things that can be recycled and compost fruit peels and c​ores.​ That will help reduce a lot of trash. by Evan Reduse, reuse, and plant more trees. Hayes- But anyway, I had another idea, why not INVENT new eco-friendly products? Cool, huh? - If I made alot of paper waste than what I can to reduce it is recycle. Do you agree? ~ delia YES!!-zoepelt William: I agree too! Yeah, definetly!! ~Karla :-) Yes because that is nature wise and it reduces pollution. Right? ~ Suvitha williamd. definitely! how much trash does it take to fill a big land fill? I agree w/ dlove & hayes!- katy Yea, these are all great ideas.- Karla ====How does nature create pollution? Suvitha: Maybe if there's not enough decomposers in one area, dead or dying organisms can just stay rotting for a long time pollution the Earth. But animal waste can also pollute the Earth.==== Yeah, thats sounds like a good answer to me, better than mine. ~Karla :-) Farms have animals wich sometimes have to go to the bathroom so when it rains all of that poop can wash into streams and rivers and pollute water but at the same time fertilize the ground!!! ~Delia I'm not sure but maybe animal poop? Also if stuff just lies around and rots it will become trash and it will be really, smelly. zoepelt gabbyelt: The enviroment can pollute by erosion. yeah thats good too ~ Delia good but thats not a way that is should be put. more like..animal waste ( i think) is one of the causes for pollution. I personaly don't know : william d I have no Idea. I mean, poo? Nah, that's not right.By, the hayes. See ya. I don't believe nature causes much pollution, i mean- manure would decompose & become soil, so would leaves & other plants but I still agree w/ suvi & dlove... Katy I don't think poo would cause much pollution, poo is organic (I think) \. It would decompose by itself and turn into soil and make it better to farm with. So in a way, that's helping the Earth.- Karla I tihnk it would decompode by itself over a long period of time but the decomposers would probably get to it before it does...
 * How does nature create pollution?**

What environmental problems are caused by the use of fossil fuels as energy sources?
Air is polluted causing animals and plants to die because they don't have a suppliment of fresh air. Also because fossil fuels can affect the water, causing living things in the water to die. Oh and Zoe, fossil fuels can effect these things so yeah-SuvithaB-) AIR POLLUTION!! -zoepelt I agree with u zoe -zipporah Air pollution-mariena William O.'s answer: I think that air pollution is one of the ways!!!! Air pollution and acid rain too ~ louie maybe air pollution-williamd Air polliution, too much co2, & guys not ONLY air pollution. Maybe by drilling & mining to get fossil fuels we are digging into animal & plant habitats & stuff & that also causes erosion o, & like louie said- acid rain!!!..... Katy Oh, & off of air pollution, that can cause asthma (the smog) - Katy Yea, all of that stuff... :-).-Karla