3.5 Food production

Question 1

How is food yield increased?

Answer 1

With the use of fertilisers and pesticides#
Shorten the food chain
GM crops
Selective breeding

Question 2

What are fertilisers?

Answer 2

Chemicals that increase crop yield

Question 3

What is the main chemical in fertilisers?

Answer 3

Nitrates

Question 4

How do nitrates lead to plant growth?

Answer 4

They are absorbed into plants and used to create amino acids, which are then used to create proteins, which increase plant growth.

Question 5

What are the stages in eutrophication?

Answer 5

1. Fertilisers are sprayed onto crops
2. Fertilisers leach into surrounding water supplies
3. The excess nitrates cause an algal bloom
4. Algal blooms reduce light levels, causing underwater plants to die
5. Bacteria consume the dead plants and multiply
6. The increased number of bacteria use up all the oxygen in the water
7. The lack of oxygen causes all the aquatic organisms to die

Question 6

What is a GM crop?

Answer 6

A crop that has had its genes modified to enhance their characteristics (such as resisting pests or disease), meaning they need fewer agricultural chemicals

Question 7

What is bioaccumulation?

Answer 7

The buildup of toxic substances in living organisms as they are passed up food chains

Question 8

What is biological control?

Answer 8

The use of pest’s natural predators to control pest numbers