1. Food Supply, Plant Growth and Productivity - Agricultural Production Flashcards
What is food supply?
The ability of human populations to access food of sufficient quality or quantity
Why must food production be sustainable?
So it does not degrade the natural resources on which agricultural depends
What is all food production ultimately dependant upon?
Photosynthesis and the factors that control it
Where does most human food come from?
A number of plant crops (cereals, potato, roots, legumes)
What are three things we must do because the area to grow crops on is limited?
Control plant growth
Breed higher yielding cultivars
protect plants from pests, diseases and competition
Why do livestock produce less food per unit area than plant crops?
Due to loss of energy between the trophic levels