13.4 and 13.5: Fertilisers

Question 1

The need for fertilisers

Answer 1

Intensive farming removes mineral ions from the soil without replacing them

Question 2

Type of fertilisers

2

Answer 2

natural and artificial

Question 3

Natural fertiliser

Answer 3

Consists of the dead and decaying remains of plants and animals as well as animals wastes such as manure, slurry and bone meal

Question 4

Artificial fertiliser

Answer 4

Inorganic
Mined from rocks and deposits then converted into different forms and blended into appropriate proportions. compounds containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are most almost always present

Question 5

Greatest long term productivity

Answer 5

From a mix of natural and artificial fertiliser

Question 6

Nitrogen is needed for

Answer 6

plant growth

Question 7

Forms of nitrogen containing fertiliser

4

Answer 7

ammonium salts, animal manure, bone meal and urea

Question 8

Negative effects of nitrogen containing fertiliser

Answer 8

reduced species diversity
leaching
eutrophication

Question 9

Leaching

Answer 9

a process by which nutrients are removed from the soil which may lead to pollution of water sources

Question 10

Eutrophication

Answer 10

Caused by leaching of fertiliser into watercourses

Question 11

Reduced species diversity due to fertilisers

Answer 11

favours the growth of grasses, nettles and other rapidly growing species which out-compete other species
eg: meadows only survive with low nitrogen conc.s in the soil

Question 12

Increasing primary productivity in farming

4

Answer 12

overcoming limiting factors to photosynthesis
fertilisers
efficiency of energy transfer
pesticides

Question 13

Overcoming limiting factors to photosynthesis

3

Answer 13

maximising light exposure
using warmer temps. in greenhouses
irrigation to maximise water supply

Question 14

Pesticides

Answer 14

removes pests

prevents loss of biomass

Question 15

Types of Pesticides

3

Answer 15

Pesticides
Fungicides
Herbicides

Question 16

Herbicides

Answer 16

kill weeds

reduces competition for sunlight and nutrients

Question 17

Fungicides

Answer 17

prevent fungal diseases

Question 18

Increasing the efficiency of energy transfer

2

Answer 18

simplifying food webs

reducing respiratory losses

Question 19

Ways to increase secondary productivity in farming

2

Answer 19

reduce energy loss

increase growth rate

Question 20

Reducing the energy loss for an increase in secondary productivity
3

Answer 20

limit movement
heating in barns
antibiotics

Question 21

Increasing the growth for an increase in secondary productivity
3

Answer 21

selective breeding
steroids
harvest when young