3.1 (a) Food supply, plant growth and productivity

Question 1

What is food security?

Answer 1

Food security is the ability of human

populations to access food of sufficient quality and quantity

Question 2

Increase in..

Answer 2

Human population and concern for food security leads to a demand for increased food
production.

Question 3

Food production must be..

Answer 3

Sustainable and not degrade the natural

resources on which agriculture depends

Question 4

Agricultural production..

Answer 4

Depends on factors that control photosynthesis and plant

growth

Question 5

The area to grow crops is..

Answer 5

Limited

Question 6

Increased food production..

Answer 6

Will depend on factors that control plant growth — breeding of higher yielding cultivars
use of fertiliser
protecting crops from pests
diseases and competition

Question 7

All food production..

Answer 7

Is dependent ultimately upon photosynthesis

Question 8

Plant crop examples

Answer 8

Cereals, potato, roots and legumes

Question 9

Breeders seek to..

Answer 9

Develop crops with higher nutritional values, resistance to pests and diseases, physical characteristics suited to rearing and harvesting as well as those that can thrive in particular environmental conditions

Question 10

Livestock..

Answer 10

Produce less food per unit area than crop plants due to loss of energy between trophic levels

Question 11

Livestock production..

Answer 11

Is often possible in habitats unsuitable for growing crops