1.74  Land, Water, Food, and Climate

1.74 Assignments for Class 11, 7 May 2018

1.74 Assignments for Class 11, 7 May 2018
In Class 11 we consider some new approaches & technologies that have been proposed to improve food security. The readings are:
1. Ronald: Favorable review of transgenic crop technology (led by Kali, please confirm)
2. Wolfenbarger&Phifer: Reasonably objective review of pros and cons of genetically modified crops
3. Gebbers&Adamchuk: Brief review of precision agriculture
4.Altieri: Moderately long but articulate and useful review of agro-ecology, by a prominent advocate

Please contact me if you would like to lead a discussion of any of the papers that are not yet taken. If you have done 2 or fewer papers please volunteer since this is nearly your last opportunity. All papers will be uploaded onto Stellar by 5PM today.

Announced on 03 May 2018  11:52  a.m. by Dennis McLaughlin

1.74 Assignments for Class 10, 30 April 2018

In Class 9 we continue our discussion of agriculture and Climate. The plan is to discuss:
1. Gruber and Galloway on nitrogen and phosphorus (Amaya, left over)
2. Lobell&Gourdji2012 Climate&Crops
3.AR5 Chap. 7 on Food security & climate -- We will only discuss the Introduction (7.1) and the sections on food production (7.2.1, 7.3.2, 7.4.1 and Box 7-1).
Please contact me if you would like to lead a discussion of either Lobell or the IPCC report.

Announced on 26 April 2018  7:16  p.m. by Dennis McLaughlin

1.74 Discussion leader needed for Class 9, 23 April 2018

I still need someone to guide discussion on the Yudelman pesticide paper. It is a bit longer than usual but quite informative and it provides valuable context for our upcoming discussion of GMOs. Please let me know if you are interested in helping with this paper.

Announced on 20 April 2018  7:24  p.m. by Dennis McLaughlin

1.74 Assignments for Class 9, 23 April 2018

In Class 9 we continue our survey of interactions between agriculture and the natural environment. We will discuss Gruber and Galloway on nitrogen and phosphorus (Amaya, left over from last class) and then turn to two somewhat longer readings ... Yudelman, on pesticides, and the IPCC AR5 Summary of Climate Change for Policy Makers. The AR5 report divides into B. Observed changes, C. Drivers, D, Processes, E, Predictions. It would be helpful if one person could lead Parts B and C and another could lead Parts D and E. Please contact me if you would like to lead a discussion of Yudelman or of one of the two AR5 topics.

Announced on 18 April 2018  3:50  p.m. by Dennis McLaughlin

1.74 Assignments for Class 8, 9 April 2018

In Class 8 we consider environmental impacts of current and expanded agricultural production, with an emphasis on groundwater depletion and changes to the global nitrogen and phosphorous cycles.
The assigned readings are:

Hertig & Gleeson, 2012 A survey of groundwater resources and depletion.
Smil, 1997 : A review of human dependence on nitrogen fixation
Cordell, 2009: A survey of phosphorous and food security
Gruber and Galloway, 2008: A look at coupling between the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous cycles

I promised those of you who expressed interest in leading a discussion last time that you can be responsible for one of the papers in the April 9 class. Please remind me in an email if I did this and let me know which of the above papers you prefer. Also, please contact me with a choice if you have not yet led a discussion.

Announced on 06 April 2018  10:41  a.m. by Dennis McLaughlin