Mazzol Article Summary

Agronomists have been working on these problems for years, but the rapid population growth of humans makes overcoming these challenges increasingly urgent. If we can’t feed the world, it will eventually feed on us.” (Newsweek/United Nations) Scientists find a way to add “medicine” to plant genes, which help it withstands pest attacks and drought problems.“Some GMO corn crops can protect harvests in water-limited conditions better than conventionally produced crops. Other GMOs can also promote use of no-till farming, which keeps more moisture in the soil. No-till also enables farmers to make fewer passes through the field using machinery, which means less fuel used and greenhouse gases emitted.”(Monsanto) GMOs are useful for helping with planting crops in any area of the world.

8. What might happen if the beneficial traits that scientists inserted into agricultural crops spread to non-agricultural settings?

Poor soil management can lead to biological, chemical, and physical degradation, which can in turn negatively alter the activity of

Football is as fun as it sounds, at least that’s what you have always heard, but is it really?. Football is a very enthusiastic game, it’s one of the games that is both fun to play and watch. Football is the most talked about topic in Mckeel, often people are in a debate that should Mckeel have a football team? Or not? Students often support the topic of having a football team in Mckeel. What they forget to pay attention to is that this decision can come at a cost, both for your health and even for your parents' money. Mckeel should not have a football team because it can cause serious injuries, it’s very expensive and it takes a commitment of both your time and effort you put into the game.

Vast numbers and kinds of organisms, mainly microorganisms, inhabit soil and depend on it for shelter, food, and water. Plants anchor themselves in soil, and from it they receive essential minerals and water. Terrestrial plants could not survive without soil, and because we depend on plants for our food, humans could not exist without soil either (Wiley, 2013).

The pH of soil is important for the absorption of nutrients into the plant. Of the 17 needed plant nutrients 14 of them are acquired through the soil. Acidity is needed to break down and dissolve these nutrients. The nutrients are able to dissolve into the soil faster when the acid is acting as a solute. Another way the pH affects the soil is by influencing microorganisms. The bacteria is crucial in the growth and development of the plant, the bacteria’s role is to break down and decompose organic matter in the soil. If the pH of the soil is too high the acid will slow down and eventually stop the microorganisms. Most plants ideal pH is between 6-7, slightly acidic. Many plants are outliers and thrive in pH such as carrots and corn, which can withstand pH as low as 5.5. If the pH of the soil is too high for the desired crop farmers can add material such as limestone, and wood ashes to raise the pH to the desired level. The pH of the soil can also be changed naturally through the leaching of calcium, magnesium and sodium by rainwater. Carbon dioxide from rotting organic matter can also increase the pH of the soil. Acids can also be created organically in the form of sulfuric and nitric

December 1, 1997. Michael Carneal, 14, armed with a semi-automatic pistol killed three classmates and injured five others. He was regularly teased as a “dweeb” or “faggot” had been called “gay” in the school paper and was regularly bullied. Carneal had also experienced rejection from the girl he liked. She was the first person he shot. Once arrested Carneal said he had grown tired of being teased (Leary, Kowalski, Smith and Phillips, 2003).

Franklin D Roosevelt once said, “the history of every Nation is eventually written in the way in which it cares for its soil.” The United States began seeing sustainable management practices in farms, and healthier soil through this act. In 1982 through 2007, the United States soil erosion had declined by 43%” (Montanarella, 2015). Every year the United States loses about $400 billion dollars due to crop soil that is eroded. Soil is a limited resource and the largest resource for growing food, accommodating diverse ecosystems, and providing food resources. Therefore laws, acts, and provisions are necessary to protect this natural resource.

“ Without soil, land plants as we know them could not grow, and without plants no animals could survive”(53). This quote shows the great importance of one of our most important resources soil. “Perhaps the most important organisms in the soil, are the smallest-the invisible hosts of bacteria and threadlike fungi”(54). And, this quote shows how important the small organisms are. These include bacteria, fungi, and insects, which play such are large roll in life and are commonly being overlooked. One way they are being overlooked is by having chemicals sprayed on them and no one wonders what will happen. Well, if you are spraying chemicals to kill insects, it is most definite that the insects, such as earthworms, are going to be killed as well. These organisms are what make our soil so fertile, and without them we won’t be able to grow as much food. That being said, if we continue to plague the organisms of the soil with chemicals eventually, we will have less soil. We will no longer be able to grow as much crop due to this and we will not sustain the same lifestyle that we had

1) First, the scientists need to find an organism that contains the trait they would like their corn to have. In our example, they've identified a protein in Bt soil bacteria that can kill pests like rootworm but isn't harmful to mammals. (Farmers have been spraying their fields with Bt for decades, but it can wash away

During our class discussion last week, we discussed Microbes Help Grow Better Crops, by Richard Conniff. In the article by Richard Conniff, he states that, “Adding bacteria to a crop to prevent human disease could be the start of a whole new path to food safety.” This statement by Richard Conniff explains to us the idea of preventing diseases by adding bacteria to a crop. As a result, we will be able to prevent most human diseases from existing in the first place. We as a society haven’t implemented the idea about adding bacteria to crops yet, but suggesting ideas that can help prevent problems for us as a whole is the first step to making our future better for us. Diseases such as, salmonella and E-coli can be prevented with the new understanding

In the criticism by Sherry L. Morton-Mollo she examines how Myers wanted to stop war being seen as romantic or heroic. She mentions the irony of the title stating multiple meanings of it, "Fallen soldiers may be seen as becoming angels." She includes the actual meaning to an fallen angel, an angel who has fallen to sin, and compares them to war and the soldiers in the novel. Morton-Mollo states that Myers wanted to show the "ambiguity" of war with the title, which she then states raises complex questions like "Who are the Devils and who are the angels of the story." She also includes that through his character Myers shows that war strains human emotional resources to the limit.

Modern technology is already being used in agriculture. The best example is the use of gene technology or what’s popularly known as agricultural biotechnology in developing drought and herbicide resistant crops. Through genetic engineering, scientists have been able to introduce traits into existing genes to make crops resistant to drought and herbicides. One good example is the use of Bacillus Thuringiensis, commonly known as Bt. Bacillus Thuringiensis, is a bacterium that dwells in soil. It acts as a reservoir “of cry toxins and cry genes for production of biological insecticides and insect-resistant genetically modified crops.”

Since 2.3 billion people will be added to the world from 2009 to 2050, biotechnology- Genetically Modified Organism- is a must to combat the global food crisis(Weisser para. 2). When the United States developed Bt corn, “[they] have been genetically engineered to resist herbicides and pests and even withstand drought.”(para. 16). Unlike corn that have never been modified, the Bt corn were able to survive better because of their resistant to herbicides, pests, and drought; resulting, a corn that can survive in harsh environment. By creating a modified corn that can survive in harsh environment, a large supply of corn- food- can be produced. If biotechnology can genetically modified corn to survive in harsh condition, more food can be produced; resulting 2.3 billion people can be fed; therefore, addressing the global food crisis. To put it briefly, limiting biotechnology would prevent addressing the global food crisis. Not only can genetic engineering address the global food crisis, but it can also improve medicine

our crops to be infected with diseases and infestations such as pests and weeds. By