which human agricultural practice leads to the breaking down of chemicals and nitrous oxide production?
a. cutting down trees and plant crops.
b. The use of community landfills.
c. Raising cattle on natural grasslands.
d. The use of synthetic fertilizers.
d. The use of synthetic fertilizers.
The agricultural practice that leads to the breaking down of chemicals and nitrous oxide production is d. The use of synthetic fertilizers.
The human agricultural practice that leads to the breaking down of chemicals and nitrous oxide production is the use of synthetic fertilizers. To arrive at this answer, let's go through each of the options:
a. Cutting down trees and plant crops: While deforestation for agriculture can have negative environmental impacts, such as habitat loss and increased carbon dioxide emissions, it does not directly lead to the breaking down of chemicals or nitrous oxide production.
b. The use of community landfills: Community landfills are primarily related to waste management and disposal, rather than agricultural practices. Although the decomposition of organic waste in landfills can produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas, it is not directly linked to the breaking down of chemicals and nitrous oxide in agricultural practices.
c. Raising cattle on natural grasslands: Cattle grazing on natural grasslands can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, primarily methane, through their digestive process. However, this option focuses more on methane production rather than the breaking down of chemicals and nitrous oxide production.
d. The use of synthetic fertilizers: Synthetic fertilizers are commonly used in agriculture to provide nutrients to crops. One of the main components of synthetic fertilizers is nitrogen, which can contribute to the release of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, when it is broken down by soil bacteria. Therefore, the use of synthetic fertilizers directly leads to the breaking down of chemicals and nitrous oxide production.
Thus, the correct option is d. The use of synthetic fertilizers.