Alvernia Home >Library Home > Article Databases > Science Research Guide

Environmental Issues Resources

 

Research Process

Finding Books

Finding Articles

Finding Websites

Selected Literature Resources

Research Process

• Define the questions – start by exploring the issues associated with your project.

What are the ecological principles that apply to your project?

i.e. biodiversity - monocultures lead to pest problems

 

What environmental issues are related to each of these topics?

i.e. nutrient conservation – excess nutrients may lead to human health problems, crop production problems and water pollution

 

What practices help minimize the environmental issues?

i.e. pest management – plant diversity, crop rotation

 

• Schedule an appointment with a librarian
• 610 796-8223




• Start early and enjoy the learning experience

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Finding Books

• You m ay need to find books that address a broad topic that will include your more narrow issue:
  i.e. agricultural ecology, sustainable food system, sustainable agriculture, organic farming, organic gardening, vegetable gardening, plant nutrition, soils, etc.

•  Look at subject terms assigned to relevant books

• Click on Borrow this item from another library (Interlibrary Loan) to request a book from another library

• Use WorldCat to search across many libraries for books

• Use Net Library to search for ebooks

 

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Finding Articles

• Use Academic Search Premier

• Broaden search by including synonyms

organic OR ecological Or sustainable

• Truncate terms

manag* = manage, manages, managing, management

• Narrow search – Narrow Results by Subject

• Look at subject terms assigned articles

Finding Websites

• Use a search directory instead of a search engine

Google Directory

Yahoo Directory

Librarians' Index to the Internet

• Narrow your search by including the phrase "cooperative extension"

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Selected Literature Resources

Books

Brady, N. & Weil R. (1999). The nature and properties of soil. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Carson, R. (2002). Silent spring. Boston: Houghton Mifflin

Clay, J. (2004). World agriculture and the environment : A commodity-by-commodity guide to impacts and practices . Washington , D.C.: Island Press.

Egendorf, L. (Ed.). (2006). Food . Detroit: Greenhaven Press.

Goodall, J.,  McAvoy, G. &  Hudson, G. E. (2005). Harvest for hope: A guide to mindful eating. New York: Warner Books.

Jackson, D. & Jackson, L. (2002).The farm as natural habitat: Reconnecting food systems with ecosystems . Washington, D.C.: Island Press.

Kimbrell, A. (Ed.). (2002). Fatal harvest: The tragedy of industrial agriculture. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.

Kingsolver, B. ( 2007). Animal, vegetable, miracle: A year of food life . New York: HarperCollins.

Molden, D. (2007). Water for food, water for life: A comprehensive assessment of water management in agriculture. Sterling, VA: Earthscan.

Pollan, M. (2006). The omnivore's dilemma: A natural history of four meals. New York: Penguin Press.

Schrubb, M. (2003). Birds, scythes, and combines : A history of birds and agricultural change. New York: Cambridge University Press.

 

Websites

American Public Media. (n.d.). Sustainability. Retrieved December 26, 2007, from http://sustainability.publicradio.org/

Cornell Soil Health. (2007). Retrieved September 10, 2007, from Cornell University Web site: http://www.hort.cornell.edu/soilhealth/Cornell%20Soil%20Health%20Manual.htm

Crop rotation. (n.d.). Retrieved July 27, 2007, from http://www.organicgardening.org.uk/factsheets/gg19.php

Grubinger, V. (n.d.). Cover crops. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from http://www.neon.cornell.edu/training/ppts/GrubingerCCnotes.doc

Hinman, T. (2006). A whole farm approach to managing weeds in onions:
Eric and Anne Nordell's Beech Grove Farm, Pennsylvania. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from http://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/attranews_0906.html#story5

Holzhueter, K. (n.d.). A truly regenerative agriculture. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from http://www.newfarm.org/features/1204/nordell/index.shtml

Kersbergen, R. (n.d.). Cover crops for soil health.Retrieved July 27, 2007, from http://www.nevbc.org/sessions_03/soil_health/cover_crops_soil_health.pdf

Mohler, C. & Johnson, S. E. (2002). Crop rotation on organic farms: A planning manual. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from http://www.neon.cornell.edu/croprotation/index.html

National Agriculture Library. (2007). Water quality information center. Retrieved August 2, 2007, from http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/Bibliographies/dynamic.html

Natural Resources Conservation Center. (n.d.). Backyard conservation. Retrieved August 2, 2007, from http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard/

National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. (n.d.). Retrieved September 10, 2007, from http://attra.ncat.org/

Nuss, R, Sandford, D. L. & Sellmer, J. (2001). Soil management in home gardens and landscapes. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/uj234.pdf

Penn State Cooperative Extension Berks County. (n.d.). Retrieved September 10, 2007, from http://berks.extension.psu.edu/

Perry, L. (2005).Crop rotations. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from http://www.farm-garden.com/backyardgardener/crop_rotations

Sustainable Agriculture Organizations and Publications. (n.d.). Retrieved September 10, 2007, from http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/susagorg.php

Tobias, M. (1999). Growing vegetables. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/filelibrary/5669/33465.pdf

TropSCORE, & Cornell University. (n.d.). Worldwide portal to information on soil health. Retrieved July 27, 2007, from Cornell University Web site: http://mulch.mannlib.cornell.edu/

UMass Vegetable Program. (n.d.). Retrieved September 10, 2007, from the UMass Extension Web site: http://www.umassvegetable.org/

 

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Updated: December 27, 2007

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