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Climate Change and Agriculture in the Garden State

Provided by: Rutgers University |Published on: April 27, 2021

Videos Grades 6-8, 9-12

Synopsis

This video explains the relationship between climate change and agriculture in New Jersey.
Students will learn how heat stress, inadequate chilling, an increase in pests, and early spring warming are affecting crops.
The video also discusses solutions that can help improve crop resiliency, build organic matter in the soil, and increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil.

Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Engineering

Authors: Rutgers University

Region: New Jersey

Languages: English

Positives

The video explains how climate change mitigation efforts and adaptive methods are important for the agricultural industry.
It shows how Rutgers University is developing plant varieties that can survive the challenges of climate change.

Prerequisites

Students should be familiar with terms such as annual crop, perennial crop, invasive species, irrigation, cover crops, swale, no-till, and land grant.

Differentiation & Implementation

Social studies classes could research which crops are most important to New Jersey's economy and discuss how those crops could be affected by the potential problems detailed in the video.
Biology classes could use this resource for lessons about nutrient cycling, decomposition, photosynthesis, and the carbon cycle, or learn more about regenerative farming with this ACE lesson.
Earth science classes could watch this video about a farmer in Spain who plants trees to prevent soil erosion and then compare this practice to the ones used by farmers in New Jersey.
Other resources on this topic include this Ecosia video on reintroducing traditional practices in farming and this video and article about how fungi might help some crops to withstand higher temperatures.

Scientist Notes

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Resource Type and Format