(12) Environment and Ethics

Question 1

Describes a substance originally made from plant an animal matter that can be broken down

Answer 1

Biodegradable

Question 2

Is the protection of people, animals and the environment from infectious diseases, pests and other biological threats

Answer 2

Biosecurity

Question 3

Are widely used in agriculture to improve crop yields

Answer 3

Fertilisers

Question 4

Is a change in the pattern of weather, and related changes in oceans, land surfaces and ice sheets, occurring over decades or longer

Answer 4

Climate change

Question 5

Chemicals sprayed onto paddocks to kill weeds that compete for nutrients in the soil needed by food crops such as wheat, oats, rice and barley

Answer 5

Herbicides

Question 6

Are chemicals that are sprayed onto crops to control particular pests such as grasshoppers so that they do not destroy the crop

Answer 6

Pesticides

Question 7

Occurs if groundwater rises and reaches the surface and salt emerges through the topsoil

Answer 7

Salinity

Question 8

Occurs when plants take up nutrients and release acidic waste from their roots

Answer 8

Soil acidification

Question 9

Benefits of fertilisers

Answer 9

Widely used in agriculture (especially nitrogen based ones)

Necessary to improve the nutrient profile of farming lands

Fertilisers promote leaf growth, gives phosphorus to help roots, flowers and seeds and potassium to help the growth of strong stems

Question 10

What is an intensive farming system

Answer 10

Crops re-planted in the same paddock each season

Soil cannot replenish nutrients that it loses naturally when crops grow.

Question 11

Herbicides

Answer 11

Are biodegradable

Go through rigorous testing to make sure no residue is left on the food when harvesting

Question 12

Concerns of herbicides

Answer 12

Imported herbicides that may contain dioxin (a chemical that is highly toxic to humans)

Question 13

Pesticides

Answer 13

Produce food products with fewer blemishes by controlling particular pests such as grasshoppers

Question 14

Concerns of pesticides

Answer 14

They have varying toxicity levels and must be used responsibly

Question 15

Impact of agricultural chemicals (artificial fertilisers, herbicides & pesticides)

Answer 15

Can lead to soil acidification if not used properly

Can contaminate water-ways and groundwater supplies through nitrate run off

Can have a detrimental impact on biodiversity

Question 16

Impact of chemical crop spraying on environmental sustainability

Answer 16

Aerial spraying has potential to drift onto non-targeted crops or land

Nitrogen released into the atmosphere is a major air pollutant which contributes to acid rain

Over half the nitrate sprayed is dissolved by rain and run off can contaminate rivers and groundwater (can impact sensitive ecosystems, contributing to the blue-green algae in rivers/streams/dams)

Question 17

Aerial spraying

Answer 17

Most cost-effective way of covering broad-acre crops (e.g. wheat)

Question 18

Soil acidification

Answer 18

Happens naturally as soil is weathered over millions of years

Nitrogen is necessary for nutrient balance in the soil, however excessive nitrogen cause soil acidification

Soil acidification can reduce the water holding capacity of the soil and contributes to soil erosion

Question 19

Approximately how much of Australian agricultural land is considered acidic

Answer 19

50%

Question 20

What has caused the increased rate of soil acidification in Australia

Answer 20

Nitrogenous fertilisers

Question 21

Surface water that has migrated from the surface through the ground and becomes stored in porous soils and rocks. Used for people’s drinking water in remote regions, to water crops and stock. Wetland, coastal mangroves, wild animals and birds also rely on this type of water for their survival

Answer 21

Groundwater

Question 22

How can groundwater be contaminated?

Answer 22

If nitrogen based fertilisers are used, they can leach onto the ground, dissolve in water and contaminate these groundwater supplies

Question 23

How do farmers use water in primary food production?

Answer 23

To water their orchards, vineyards, vegetable market gardens, in the production of rice, to produce pasture for dairy cows and sheep, and for drinking water for their animals

Question 24

Where do farmers get their water supply from?

Answer 24

Water comes from irrigation, groundwater supplies, river systems, dams or tanks on their farm or they use recycled water

Question 25

Types of irrigation for Australian primary food production

Answer 25

The natural landscape is changed, dams and channels are built and paddocks levelled to move water from natural water ways to agricultural production areas

Question 26

Why farm productivity is threatened by salinity

Answer 26

Plants will not grow in salty soil

Question 27

2 main causes of salinity

Answer 27

Dry land salinity

Irrigation salinity

Question 28

Caused by land clearing to plant crops. If deep rooted crops (that drink a lot of water) are taken out and replaced with seeds/shallow rooted plants then the water table will rise

Answer 28

Dry land salinity

Question 29

When groundwater rises because irrigation systems provide water too quick and drainage can’t handle it

Answer 29

Irrigation salinity

Question 30

How does salinity kill vegetation and crops?

Answer 30

As the water table reaches the surface, waterlogging occurs, salt and water emerge through the topsoil, causing salty crust which kills vegetation and crops

Question 31

Strategies to ensure environmental sustainability in water used for primary food production

Answer 31

Monitor water quality – test for salinity

Use only enough water for maximum growth (drip-irrigation systems)

Install sensors to monitor soil moisture and therefore determine amount of water needed.

Question 32

Farming considerations to ensure sustainable crop production

Answer 32

Soil health
Water availability
Production costs
Possible pests or diseases
Current market price

Question 33

Relies heavily on chemical fertilisers (nitrogen and phosphorus) to increase crops yields

Land clearing and use of chemical fertilisers has led to salinity and soil acidification

Grows best at or below 23ᵒ C

As a broad-acre crop, it relies on rainfall instead of irrigation

Answer 33

Wheat

Question 34

Alternative of wheat

Answer 34

GMO wheat

Question 35

Why GMO wheat may be a alternative solution?

Answer 35

Requires less water to grow

Drought, salt, and frost tolerant

Question 36

Relies heavily on water and uses flood irrigation

Grows in the summer months and farmers use a crop rotation system

Rice yield decreases as drought increases

Groundwater supplies can be used but can be contaminated

Answer 36

Rice

Question 37

Farming considerations for sustainable animal production

Answer 37

Reducing methane emissions

The density (how many) of grazing livestock in a paddock

How long the paddock needs to be kept free for vegetation to regenerate

Question 38

Solution for methane gas production in cows

Answer 38

Feed cattle food that is easier to digest and will emit less methane (e.g. salt bush, acacias and native grasses)

Question 39

Cattle production in Australia

Answer 39

Northern cattle (dairy)

Southern cattle (meat)

Question 40

Northern cattle (e.g. Brahman breed)

Answer 40

Are hardy, can survive the hot and dry climate due to their short thick coat; their thick hide is resistant to ticks and parasites; their dewlap (floppy neck) helps them keep cool

Question 41

Southern cattle (e.g. Aberdeen breed)

Answer 41

Higher quality meat (used for export) for all year round pastures

Question 42

Imported from South Africa in 1996

Low maintenance as they shed their fleece

Produced for their lamb meat

A very sustainable breed as they graze on a wide variety of pastures (e.g. saltbush (will survive drought)

Answer 42

Dorper sheep

Question 43

Why is goat production and sustainability considered as a replacement meat for sheep (lamb)?

Answer 43

They graze on plants, weeds and pests

Goats can tolerate hot, dry and drought conditions

Potential valuable export commodity in China, India and North America