Методические указания "Растительный мир. Почвоведение" 3 курс 2 часть

МИНИСТЕРСТВО ЛЕСНОГО ХОЗЯЙСТВА И ОХРАНЫ

ОБЪЕКТОВ ЖИВОТНОГО МИРА НИЖЕГОРОДСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

Государственное бюджетное профессиональное

образовательное учреждение Нижегородской области

«КРАСНОБАКОВСКИЙ ЛЕСНОЙ КОЛЛЕДЖ»

МЕТОДИЧЕСКИЕ УКАЗАНИЯ

по дисциплине «Иностранный язык (английский)»

по темам «Растительный мир», «Почвоведение»

для студентов III курса часть 2

по специальности 35.02.01 «Лесное и лесопарковое хозяйство»

Красные Баки

2021

Lesson 9

Bushes/Shrubs

1. Write the words:

1. акация – acacia

2. акация белая – black locust (Robinia pseudo acacia)

3. акация жёлтая – yellow acacia (Caragana arborescens)

4. барбарис – barberry

5. боярышник – hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha)

6. бузина – elder

7. вереск - heather (Erica cinerea)

8. виноград – vine

9. жасмин – jasmine

10. жимолость – woodbine (Lonicera)

11. калина – guilder rose, snowball tree

12. крыжовник – gooseberry bush

13. лещина – hazel (Corylus)

14. малина – raspberry-cane

15. можжевельник – juniper

16. сирень – lilac

17. смородина – currants

18. терновник – blackthorn

19. тёрн – sloe (Prunus spinosa)

20. шиповник – hedge-rose (Rosa canina)

2. Translate the text

A shrub or bush is a small- to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple stems and shorter height, less than 6 m-10 m (20 ft–33 ft) tall. Small shrubs, less than 2 m (6.6 ft) tall are sometimes termed subshrubs.

Shrubs are perennial woody plants, and therefore have persistent woody stems above ground (compare with herbaceous plants). Usually shrubs are distinguished from trees by their height and multiple stems. Some shrubs are deciduous (e.g. hawthorn) and others evergreen (e.g. holly). Ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus divided the plant world into trees, shrubs and herbs.

Some definitions state that a shrub is less than 6 m and tree is over 6 m. Others use 10 m as the cut off point. Many species of tree may not reach this mature height because of less than ideal growing conditions, and resemble a shrub sized plant. However such species have the potential to grow taller under the ideal growing conditions for that plant.

Small, low shrubs, generally less than 2 m (6.6 ft) tall, such as lavender, periwinkle and most small garden varieties of rose, are often termed subshrubs.

In botany and ecology, a shrub is more specifically used to describe the particular physical structural or plant life-form of woody plants which are less than 8 metres (26 ft) high and usually have many stems arising at or near the base. For example, a descriptive system widely adopted in Australia is based on structural characteristics based on life-form, plus the height and amount of foliage cover of the tallest layer or dominant species.

For shrubs 2–8 metres (6.6–26.2 ft) high the following structural forms are categorized: dense foliage cover (70–100%) — closed-shrub; mid-dense foliage cover (30–70%) — open-shrub; sparse foliage cover (10–30%) — tall shrubland; very sparse foliage cover (

For shrubs less than 2 metres (6.6 ft) high the following structural forms are categorized: dense foliage cover (70–100%) — closed-heath or closed low shrubland—(North America); mid-dense foliage cover (30–70%) — open-heath or mid-dense low shrubland – (North America); sparse foliage cover (10–30%) — low shrubland; very sparse foliage cover (

3. Match the following words with their translation.

4. Read the words in the box and complete the sentences below using the words above.

1. We live in a world full of … .

2. A tiny plant called … grows in lake water.

3. Some plants, like tropical … , grow only in steamy jungles.

4. You can meet … everywhere.

5. Some plants smell wonderful, like a … in bloom.

6. Plants are necessary for the production of … for building houses and … cloth for clothes

5. Match these words with their definitions.

6. Translate into English:

Кустарники образуют развитый подлесок в таёжных лесах Канады, США (шиповник, калина, смородина, клён голый, черёмуха пенсильванская, кизил) и России (ива, шиповник иглистый, ольха серая, рябина обыкновенная). На севере тайги появляется кустарниковая форма карликовой берёзы.

Кустарниковый ярус хорошо развит в широколиственных и смешанных лесах. По мере похолодания климата термофильные кизил, скумпия, калина, боярышник сменяются холодостойкой лещиной, крушиной, жимолостью, бересклетом, волчеягодником.

В степях и полупустынях нередко развиваются заросли ксерофитных кустарников, формирующих кустарниковую степь с доминированием тёрна, степного миндаля, степной вишни, спиреи.

В пустынных областях умеренного пояса разнообразие кустарников достигает максимума, особенно в сухих горах.

7. Complete the grid below by adding the other forms of the given word.

Lesson 10

Deciduous and coniferous

1. Read and translate the text

Trees can also be divided into deciduous and coniferous categories. Deciduous trees are plants that drop their leaves every year, usually during periods of dryness or cold weather. Their branches remain free of foliage until conditions improve. For the tree, this means that it can save energy by not working to keep the leaves green and healthy. Trees lose their leaves when they go dormant, which is a means of self-preservation. The majority of plants require sun, light, and water to survive, and when any one of these elements is lacking, the stress triggers hormonal changes. These changes prompt the tree to put more energy into simply surviving.

Coniferous trees keep their leaves and then shed only the oldest leaves. Conifers are the trees of the coldest regions. Only conifers are found north of about latitude 55 degrees. Conifers are fast growing trees that have adapted to a variety of environmental conditions. Coniferous trees can be small bushes or one-hundred-meter-high redwoods. Coniferous trees grow up instead of out and are of a triangular shape. The leaves can be long needles, or small, flat scales. Seeds grow in cones. There are three major groups of conifers – firs, spruces and pines – and they can be identified by their needles.

2. Choose the correct answer.

1. How are trees that drop their leaves every year called?

A evergreen B deciduous C carnivorous D coniferous

1. Why do deciduous trees drop their leaves?

A they fight the infection B they spend energy

C they work to keep their branches healthy D they save energy

1. Do coniferous trees drop their leaves?

A Yes, they do. B No, they don’t. C only the oldest leaves D sometimes

1. Where can coniferous trees grow?

A in deserts B in savannah C in the coldest regions D in the jungle

1. How can coniferous trees be identified?

A by their needles B by their leaves C by their fruits D by their cones

1. A tree has leaves. What does a palm have?

A fronds B needles C spikes D grains

1. What is the tallest kind of tree?

A teak B mahogany C redwood D spruce

1. From what tree does aspirin come?

A willow B palm C cedar D redwood

1. Which of these is not a coniferous tree?

A spruce B redwood C cypress D elm

1. Which of these is not a deciduous tree?

A poplar B spruce C maple D elm

1. Which of these terms applies to trees that shed their leaves?

A coniferous B deciduous C bulbous D evergreen

1. Which of these trees can grow in standing water?

A pine B mangrove C sequoia D spruce

3. Read and translate:

1. A palm has fronds, a specialized kind of leaf.

2. The coast redwood of California, the world's tallest tree, can reach up to 370 feet (113 meters) tall and grow bark as thick as 1 foot (30 centimeters).

3. Aspirin is made from salicylic acid, which was originally derived from the willow (in Latin, ‘salix’) tree.

4. Conifers are a group of trees and shrubs that produce cones. Most conifers are evergreens, or trees that keep their leaves year-round. Elms are deciduous, meaning they lose their leaves.

5. The spruce is a conifer, with needles instead of leaves. It does not lose those needles, whereas a deciduous tree sheds its leaves in fall.

6. Deciduous trees shed their leaves in the fall. Often they change color, to yellow or red, before they shed.

7. Most trees cannot live on tide-drenched seashores because their roots cannot get air from the wet soil. The mangrove, however, takes air into its vine like roots through their pores.

4. Do you know these trees?

a) а pine-tree;

b) an oak;

c) а willow;

d) a poplar;

e) а linden;

f) a maple;

g) а mountain ash;

h) a larch;

i) а chestnut tree;

j) a birch

5. Match the parts of the sentences and translate them:

Lesson 11

Forestry in Russia

1. Read and translate the text:

Russia occupies one eighth of the global land area and most of nontropical Eurasia. Its territory presents landscapes of 8 natural zones, passing from arctic deserts and tundra all the way through the taiga zones to broadleaved forests and steppe areas. Over 11,000 species of vascular plants, 320 mammals, about 730 birds, 75 reptiles, about 30 amphibians and 270 freshwater fish species may be found in Russia.

In spite of a long history ofj economic development, the lands of Northern Eurasia are relatively little disturbed, especially in Siberia and the Far East. Industrial and agricultural expansion into these regions has been difficult due to permafrost, the cold climate and the land which is difficult to cultivate. Almost 90% of tundra, up to 70-75% of taiga forests and 20-30% of Asian steppes have remained close to their natural state.

Somewhat more than half of the forests are young forests greatly altered by man, whereas less than 15% can still be classified as frontier forests (large virgin forests). The other forests consist of fragments of old-growth and other mature forests and areas dominated by marsh-bog complexes.

Compared with similar vegetation zones in Scandinavia, for instance, the Russian zones are found to still have a relatively high proportion of patches close to their natural state. Natural restoration of forest is much quicker in the south than in the north. It is also evident that the species diversity is much higher here. The Russian zones, although not totally untouched, are of the highest quality that exists, and there is no doubt about quality the value of these sites.

Many species in the Red Data Books for Sweden and Finland still exist in viable populations in the Northwest of Russia. The main reason is that the forests although intensively used or disturbed in many places, have not been the subject to the systematic and intensive forestry methods applied in the neighbouring Finland and Sweden.

The annual growth of the Russian forests is nearly 1000 million m3. However, much of this potential cannot be used by the forest industry due to environmental constraints, the remoteness of forests from domestic and international markets, absence of a transportation network and technological limitations.

It has been estimated that the economically exploitable forests comprise 55% of the forested areas under state forest management. Mortality amounts to 49% of the gross growth. This is an extremely high figure compared with most other countries. This is due to the fact, that there are still huge areas in Russia with unexploited old-growth forests, as well as a significant amount of forest fires, insect outbreaks, etc. The high figure for mortality demonstrates a special feature of Russian forests, namely that large areas are still unman- aged and thus to environmentalists appear undamaged by man. Similar, sizeable areas have nearly disappeared from Scandinavia, where "ecological forest management" has now been developed to restore some of the original features of the forests.

The vast majority of the old-growth forests remaining in Europe are located in the Northern Russia. These Russian forests have seemed like an endless source of cheap raw material for the West-European forest industry. Consequently, the Russian forests have received much emphasis in the debate on conservation of the biodiversity of boreal forests.

At present, Russia has 99 state zapovedniks, i.e. strict scientific nature reserves with the total area of 33.2 million ha and 34 national parks with the total area of 6.8 million ha. There are plans to establish some 40 additional zapovedniks and parks. Practically all the national parks are located in forest fund areas and are managed by the state forestry authorities. The total protected area is about 5% of the forest resource area in Russia, but only about is strictly protected.

The Russian forests have been divided into three categories with respect to their economic and ecological characteristics. The first category comprises with a protective function, e.g. forests along watersheds. However, these forests, comprising some 20% of the forested land, are certainly not strictly protected. According to Greenpeace in Russia, intensive intermediate and sanitary tree fellings are practised in 95% of these forests, and even clear-cutting (maximum size 10 hectares) is allowed in 50% of the area. The second category includes forests in populated areas and forests with low timber production, comprising 5.5% of the total area. The vast majority of forests, 74.5%, is included in category three, industrially exploitable forests, where clear-cutting (maximum size 50 ha) is the main forestry practice.

2. Choose the nouns to the adjectives from the text and write your own sentences:

natural, industrial, mature, viable, exploitable, additional, protective

3. Change the sentences into Past and Future Perfect:

Ex.: Much of the forest reduction has occurred in relatively recent times, largely because of fire and human activity. - Much of the forest reduction had occurred largely because of fire and human activity, before people realized it was a serious problem. Much of the forest reduction will have occurred largely because of fire and human activity, before people realize it is a serious problem.

1. The forests have demonstrated many times their ability to survive even extraordinary adversity.

2. Education, prevention, and control have reduced the amount of wildfires.

3. The undertaken measures have made American forests among the most productive, sustainable, and healthy in the world.

4. The grasslands of the world have become the richest agricultural lands.

5. Foresters have learned how to nurture the trees and accelerate their growth.

4. Answer the questions:

1. What kinds of landscape does the territory of Russia present?

2. Why did the lands of Northern Eurasia remain close to their natural state?

3. How can the forests of Russia be classified?

4. Why do the endangered species in Sweden and Finland still exist in viable populations in the Northwest of Russia?

5. What is the annual growth of the Russian forests?

6. Why is only a little of this potential used by the forest industry?

7. What are the main reasons for high mortality in Russian forests?

8. Why did the Russian forests receive much emphasis in the debate on conservation of the biodiversity of boreal forests?

9. How many zapovedniks and national parks are there in Russia at present?

10. How are Russian forests divided, with respect to their economic and ecological characteristics?

5. Open the brackets:

1. Russia (to occupy) one eighth of the global land area and most of nontropical Eurasia.

2. Its territory (to present) landscapes of 8 natural zones, passing from arctic deserts and tundra all the way through the taiga zones to broad-leaved forests and steppe areas.

3. Russia's vast forests (to be) a natural resource of global importance, both ecologically and economically.

4. There (to be) huge areas where human influence is slight and many natural values are present.

5. Now the forests (to serve) Russia and the rest of the world as a source of timber, as a symbol of wilderness and as a critical stabilizer of the global climate.

6. Match these words with their translation.

7. Match the words to make phrases.

Lesson 12

The Main Types of Soil

1. Read the text to learn about soil composition and soil loss:

To understand the potential for feeding the world on a sustainable basis we need to know how soil is formed, how it is being lost, and what can be done to protect and rebuild good agricultural soil. With careful husbandry, soil can be replenished and renewed indefinitely. Many modern farming techniques deplete soil nutrients, however, and expose the soil to the erosive forces of wind and moving water. As a result, we are using this resource much faster than it is being replaced.

Building good soil is a slow process. Under the best circumstances, good topsoil accumulates at a rate of about 10 tons per hectare (2.5 acres) per year – enough soil to make a layer about 1 mm deep when spread over a hectare. Under poor conditions, it can make thousands of years to build that much soil. Perhaps one-third to one-half of the world’s current croplands is loosing topsoil faster than it is being replaced. In some of the worst spots, erosion carries away about 2.5 cm (1 in) of topsoil per year. With losses like that, agricultural production will soon begin to fall.

Most soil is about half mineral. The rest is air and water mixed with a little organic matter from plant and animal residue. The mineral particles are derived either from the underlying bedrock or from materials transported and deposited by glaciers, rivers, ocean currents, windstorms, or landslides. The weathering processes that break rocks down into soil particles are also of importance.

The organic content of` soil can range from nearly zero for pure sand, silt, or clay, to nearly 100 percent for peat or muck. Much of the organic material in soil is humus, a sticky, brown, insoluble residue from the bodies of dead plants and animals. Humus is much more important to soil quality than its proportion indicates. It gives soil its structure, a description of how the soil particles clump together. Humus coats mineral particles and hold them together. By binding particles in loose crumbs, humus gives the soil a spongy texture that holds water and nutrients needed by plant roots, and maintains the spaces through which delicate root hairs grow in search of sustenance.

Without soil organisms, Earth would be covered with sterile mineral particles far different from the rich, living soil ecosystems on which we depend for most of our food. The activity of the myriad organisms living in the soil creates its structure, fertility, and tilth (structure suitable for tilling or cultivation).

 Soil organisms usually stay close to the surface, but that thin living layer can contain thousands of species and billions of individual organisms per hectare. Algae, bacteria, and fungi flourish in the top few centimeters of soil. A single gram of soil (about a teaspoonful) can contain hundreds of millions of these microscopic cells. Algae and blue-green bacteria capture sunlight and make new organic compounds. Bacteria and fungi decompose organic detritus and recycle nutrients that plants can use for additional growth.

Soils are classified according to their structure and composition into orders, suborders, great groups, subgroups, families, and series. There are hundreds of thousands of specific types within this taxonomic system!

One of the main limitations to maintain current, high levels of agricultural production is loss of arable lands due to erosion, toxification, desertification, and conversion to non-agricultural uses. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations estimates that total world cropland losses amount to an area equal in size to the United States and Mexico combined (11 million hectares or 27 million acres) every year. Conversion to nonagricultural uses – urbanization, highways, industrial sites, strip-mining, and abandonment of marginal farmland – is responsible for half that loss. Toxification by hazardous wastes, chemical spills, salinization of irrigated lands, misapplication of pesticides, or deposition of atmospheric pollutants makes about 2 million hectares (5 million acres) unusable each year. Desertification consumes some 1.25 million hectares of cropland and about 10 million hectares of rangeland per year. Finally, around 2 million hectares of cropland are abandoned each year because of severe erosion problems.

The damage that modern man has done to the soil by intensive farming methods is great. Another problem is salinization from excessive irrigation. But salinization is not entirely a problem of modern, high-technology agriculture. Our ancestors probably discovered irrigation about 5,500 years ago. The ancient Mesopotamians, who lived about 4,500 years ago, were enthusiastic farmers. They built extensive irrigation channels in river valleys to try to increase their crop yields. Unfortunately, this led to waterlogging and salinization of the soil. The yield of the staple crop, barley, fell dramatically and prolonged famine occurred. The people who survived the famine had to change their staple crop from barley to wheat, which tolerated the salty soil better.

The problem of soil erosion has occurred ever since man began to destroy forests. There is geological evidence that a rapid increase in the rate of soil erosion occurred about 4,000 years ago in the northern European countries, particularly Britain, France and Germany. There was also an increase in silt deposits in rivers. The time of this change corresponds to the introduction of agriculture to Europe. The destruction of forests, together with ancient man’s agricultural methods, almost certainly caused this environmental damage.

2. Answer the questions:

1) What do we need to know about soil to understand the potential for feeding the world?

2) Is building good soil a quick process? How long does it take to accumulate good topsoil?

3) Where are the soil mineral particles derived from?

4) What is humus?

5) Which soil organisms inhabit the top few centimeters of soil?

6) What are the soils classified into?

7) Why are we losing billions of metric tons of topsoil every year?

8) What does nonagricultural use stand for?

3. Say true or false:

1) Soil is an essential nonrenewable resource.

2) Our existence on Earth depends on maintaining fertile, tillable soil for crops.

3) There are only a few soil types on the Earth.

4) Under the best conditions, soil can accumulate 5 mm deep per year.

5) Human-caused erosion prevents soil losses.

6) Ecologically inappropriate farming and grazing practices are largely responsible for the destruction of our precious soil resources.

4. Match the words with their definitions:

5. Give Russian equivalents for:

Sustainable development, careful husbandry, to deplete soil nutrients, under the best circumstances, under poor conditions, to accumulate at a rate of, plant and animal residue, a spongy texture, to make new organic compounds, insoluble residue, to recycle nutrients, taxonomic system, conversion to nonagricultural uses, to be responsible for the soil loss, hazardous wastes, chemical spills, misapplication of pesticides, to make unusable.

6. Rearrange the words to form sentences:

1) Ecosystem, is, renewable, a, resource, a, soil, in, healthy.

2) Around, is, soil, everywhere, us.

3) Take, for, years, may, accumulation, it, thousands, of, soil.

4) Alternative, could, farming, be, many, in, methods, used.

5) Agricultural, are, resources, dramatically, present, depleting, soil, systems.

6) Most, long-term, threat, to, erosion, is, future, the, certain, soil, the.

Lesson 13

Soil Pollution

1. Give the Russian equivalents to the following words:

productive, texture, associate, insecticide, erosion, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, manufacture, protein, stable, alternative, pheromone, hormone, sterilization, radiation, packaging material, battery metals, temperature extremes, construction, medicinal substances

2. Guess the meaning of the underlined words. Translate the sentences.

1) Soil erosion occurs when topsoil moves from one place to another as a result of various natural and man-made factors. 2) Water is one of the most essential ingredients that are required for the normal growth of crops. 3) The salts present in the water accumulate in the top layer of the soil, resulting in decreased growth of crops. 4) Excessive use of chemicals such as pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers is one of the prime factors causing soil pollution. 5) If prevention is not possible there are also standards in place for clean up of polluted soil. 6) Another method is excavation where the contaminated soil is taken away. 7) Harmful substances may be introduced to the soil through water that has been in contact with the soil.

3. Translate the following word combinations:

rocky surface; decayed remains; uppermost topsoil; over thousands of years; weathering of bedrock; sufficient food; to disturb the biological balance; large quantities, necessary nutrients; to correct soil deficiencies; over the years, protein content; unwanted populations; domestic refuse; hazardous substances; smelting industries; weathered soil particles; intact and healthy; innumerable food chains; a cure for cancer and aids

4. Match the word from list A with its definition in list B.

5. Place the appropriate word from the list in each of the blanks below:

detection, pesticides, bio-degradation, fertilizers, grazing animals, grassland, crops

1. A huge amount of pesticides is used to fight parasite insects that can destroy part of all our ...

2. Ground-waters pollution is particularly dangerous for the water we drink, coming from natural sources of the areas where … are used.

3. Intensive farming tends to deplete the soil of its mineral content using artificial … containing phosphorus and nitrogen.

4. The … of heavy metals compounds in the soil is very difficult.

5. Heavy metal deposits on grassland soils remain in the top few centimetres and are directly eaten with soil by ...

6. There is such a wide variety of organic substances that their … and monitoring in the soil is practically impossible.

7. One of the good agricultural practices is reducing the intensity of … use (by lowering cattle density).

6. Read and translate the text:

Soil is the thin layer of organic and inorganic materials that covers the Earth's rocky surface. The organic portion, which is derived from the decayed remains of plants and animals, is concentrated in the dark uppermost topsoil. The inorganic portion made up of rock fragments, was formed over thousands of years by physical and chemical weathering of bedrock. Productive soils are necessary for agriculture to supply the world with sufficient food.

A soil pollutant is any factor which deteriorates the quality, texture and mineral content of the soil or which disturbs the biological balance of the organisms in the soil. Pollution in soil has adverse effect on plant growth.

Pollution in soil is associated with:

-Indiscriminate use of fertilizers

-Indiscriminate use of pesticides, insecticides and herbicides

-Dumping of large quantities of solid waste

-Deforestation and soil erosion

-Acid rain

Soil nutrients are important for plant growth and development. Plants obtain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen from air and water. But other necessary nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sulfur and more must be obtained from the soil. Farmers generally use fertilizers to correct soil deficiencies. Fertilizers contaminate the soil with impurities, which come from the raw materials used for their manufacture. The over-use of fertilizers reduces quantity of vegetables and crops grown on soil over the years. It also reduces the protein content of wheat, maize, grams, etc., grown on that soil.

Plants on which we depend for food are under attack from insects, fungi, bacteria, viruses, and other animals, and must compete with weeds for nutrients. To kill unwanted populations living in or on their crops, farmers use pesticides. However, pesticides not only bring toxic effect on human and animals but also decrease the fertility of the soil. Some of the pesticides are quite stable and their biodegradation may take weeks and even months. Pesticide problems such as resistance, resurgence, and heath effects have caused scientists to seek alternatives. Pheromones and hormones to attract or repel insects and using natural enemies or sterilization by radiation have been suggested.

In general, solid waste includes garbage, domestic refuse and solid materials such as paper, plastics, glass, old construction material, packaging material and toxic or otherwise hazardous substances. Since a significant amount of urban solid waste tends to be paper and food waste, the majority is recyclable or biodegradable in landfills. Similarly, most agricultural waste is recycled and mining waste is left on site. The portion of solid waste that is hazardous such as oils, battery metals, heavy metals from smelting industries and organic solvents are the ones we have to pay particular attention to.

Soil erosion occurs when the weathered soil particles are carried away by wind or water. Deforestation, agricultural development, temperature extremes, precipitation including acid rain, and human activities contribute to this erosion. Humans speed up this process by construction, mining, cutting of timber, over cropping and overgrazing. It results in floods and cause soil erosion. Forests and grasslands are an excellent binding material that keeps the soil intact and healthy. They support many habitats and ecosystems, which provide innumerable food chains to all species. Their loss would threaten food chains and the survival of many species. During the past few years quite a lot of vast green land has been converted into deserts. The precious rain forest habitats of South America, tropical Asia and Africa are coming under pressure of population growth and development (especially timber, construction and agriculture). Many scientists believe that a wealth of medicinal substances including a cure for cancer and aids, lie in these forests. Deforestation is slowly destroying the most productive flora and fauna areas in the world.

7. Answer the questions.

1. How would you define the term soil?

2. What is the uppermost topsoil?

3. What are productive soils necessary for?

4. What is a soil pollutant?

5. What are the main causes of soil pollution?

6. What are the effects of soil pollution?

8. Substitute the words in bold type for their synonyms:

get, upper layer, worsen, consisting, pollutants, substances, hazardous, turned, scarcity

1. Soil is the thin layer of organic and inorganic materials that covers the Earth's rocky surface.

2. The organic portion is concentrated in the dark uppermost topsoil.

3. The inorganic portion made up of rock fragments, was formed over thousands of years.

4. A soil pollutant is any factor which deteriorates the quality, texture and mineral content of the soil.

5. Pollution in soil has adverse effect on plant growth.

6. Plants obtain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen from air and water.

7. Farmers generally use fertilizers to correct soil deficiencies.

8. Fertilizers contaminate the soil with impurities, which come from the raw materials used for their manufacture.

9. During the past few years quite a lot of vast green land has been converted into deserts.

Lesson 14

Soil Protection

1. Read and translate the text:

The protection of soils is of great importance to our planet. Incorrect exploitation of this natural resource caused the emergence of processes of destruction of the upper layer of the earth, as well as loss of its fertility. As a result, from the use of the agro-industrial complex, huge areas fell on which it is impossible to achieve the required yield.

Soil conservation today is an acute problem that is taking on a global scale. It has a direct bearing on the issues of providing the population of our planet with food.

Soil protection is a whole system of measures aimed aton the implementation of certain actions to protect, improve the quality and rational use of land resources. Carrying out these works allows preserving and increasing fertility, as well as maintaining the stability of the upper layer.

The main causes of loss of fertility are:

- erosion processes;

- secondary salinization of soils on which the irrigation system is applied;

- destruction of vegetation and soil layer for the purpose of mining;

- construction;

- pollution by harmful elements;

- loss of humus, etc.

The most destructive is the soil layer during the course of erosion processes. Combating these phenomena, as well as taking preventive measures to prevent it, is an important component of the protection of land resources.

The fertile layer also suffers from the secondary salinity. It sharply reduces the productivity of fields, which is the reason for their exclusion from the use of farming. Special distribution of secondary salinity is in areas with arid climate, where there is a need for watering the land. This increases the level of groundwater, which, evaporating, contribute to salt accumulation in the fertile layer. To prevent this phenomenon, appropriate measures must be taken. These include the implementation of control measures of water-salt regimes and compliance with their regulatory value.

A global problem that has affected all ourthe planet is soil pollution. It is a process, as a result of which various chemical elements and toxic substances accumulate in the upper layer of the earth. The sources of their allocation are vehicles and industrial centers, as well as agro-industrial production. The surface layer of the soil suffers from the entry of a large amount of harmful substances from the atmospheric air, and also when fertilizers containing pesticides and various ballast elements are introduced. Actively pollute land resources vehicles. With exhaust gases, lead and nitrates enter the atmosphere, as well as other harmful substances.

Soil conservation contains the main strategicdirections that are complex and multifaceted. Industry and energy industries should gradually move to produce products that are ecolabized, allowing to produce little or no-waste use of available resources. The work of agricultural enterprises is also subject to restructuring. It should be subordinated to the need to take measures to introduce the most effective means, which are allowed to deal with pests. The criterion for choosing the fertilizers to be introduced is their small pesticide hazard.

Soil conservation should also be included in the constant control over the condition of the upper layer of the earth. The adoption of preventive measures can include the presentation of specially designed mock-ups. Signs of soil protection are of a warning nature.

2. Answer the questions:

1) What caused the emergence of processes of destruction of the upper layer of the earth?

2) What does soil protection mean?

3) What are the main causes of loss of fertility?

4) The surface layer of the soil suffers from the entry of a small amount of harmful substances from the atmospheric air, doesn’t it?

5) Are signs of soil protection of a caution nature?

3. Match English phrases and their Russian equivalents

4. Fill in the missing words in the sentences below. Choose from the following putting the verbs in the right tense and voice.

try, introduce, increase (3), secrete, suit, fall, accelerate, deplete, accumulate. cost, grow, absorb (2), use, wash, cause, associate, fail, kill, have, reduce, make

1. Organic vegetables … also … without pesticides.

2. Pesticides … … by the crops and … into the rivers and the sea.

3. Some pesticides … in the human body and … … in breast milk.

4. Some pesticides may … cancer, miscarriage or even birth defects.

5. Intensive farming of high-yield strains … usually … with heavy use of both fertilizers and pesticides.

6. Organic farming methods … usually … these high-yield strains.

7. Intensive farming methods which successfully … crop yields in temperate zones often … in tropical climates.

8. Tropical heat … microorganisms, so tropical soil … a lower organic content.

9. This … its capacity to ... water and … it particularly vulnerable to erosion.

10. In general, tropical regions … more … to subsistence farming than to the large-scale, intensive production of cash crops.

11. If the people … to introduce intensive farming methods, yield may … temporarily, but they eventually … still further and soil erosion … .

12. Intensive farming techniques … crop yield in the short term but … the quality of the soil in the long term, particularly in tropical regions.

13. Intensive farming is yet another example of the “live now, pay later” philosophy that may ultimately … us the earth.

5. Choose the best alternative to complete the following sentences

1. The top layer of the soil is rich in … .

a) clay b) limestone c) humus

2. The quality of soil depends on the … of humus in it.

a) weathering b) amount c) types

3. The middle layer of the soil … less organic material.

a) contain b) changes c) absorbs

4. The lower layer is made of inorganic material, … to the parent rock.

a) contrary b) similar c) like

5. Without nitrogen plants and animals cannot … .

a) form b) bind c) grow

6. Repeated cropping and overgrazing cause … of the top layer of the soil.

a) weathering b) erosion c) moisture

7. The end stage of the loss of topsoil is … .

a) desertification b) erosion c) weathering

8. Salinization is caused by perennial … in arid climates.

a) farming b) irrigation c) evaporation

9. The quality of soil can be … by adding fertilizers.

a) damaged b) increased c) improved

10. Artificial fertilizers cause environmental … by a process called eutrophication.

a) effect b) damage c) growth

6. Give the English equivalents

угрожать, поддерживать жизнь растений, стать неплодородной (о земле), опустынивание, обезлесение, верхний слой почвы, углекислый газ, выветривание (эрозия) породы, температурные изменения, засоление (почв), чрезмерное стравливание пастбища, истощать (почвы), впитывать влагу, известняк, оставаться под паром (о пахотной земле), чередовать культуры, интенсивное земледелие, разрушать породы, плодородие почвы.

Использованная литература:

1. A Few Glimpses of Ecology: Взгляд на экологию: учебно-методическое пособие по английскому языку для бакалавров и специалистов экологического факультета 2 этап обучения / И. И. Копейкина. – Краснодар

2. English for Foresters. Английский язык для специалистов лесного хозяйства: учебное пособие / Т.В.Токарева. – 2-е изд., испр. – Йошкар-Ола: Марийский государственный технический университет

3. Английский язык для студентов-экологов = English for Ecology Students: учеб. -метод. пособие для студентов геогр. фак. БГУ / сост.: Т. В. Елисеева, И. Г. Шалимо, И. Л. Шарейко. – Минск: БГУ