3A - Food Supply Flashcards
Define the term Food Security.
Food security is the ability of human populations to access food of sufficient quality and quantity to support healthy living
What are some examples of important food crops?
Examples of important food crops include cereals, potato, roots and legumes.
Why are people needing to be cautious about where they raise livestock?
Livestock produce less food per unit area than plant crops
due to loss of energy between trophic levels.
It is more energy efficient to raise food crops.
But, livestock production is often possible in habitats that are unsuitable for growing crops.
What are some of the costs, benefits and ethics between different levels of animal welfare in livestock production?
Different levels of animal welfare:
Intensive farming is less ethical than free range farming due to poorer animal welfare.
Free range farming requires more land and is more labour intensive, but animals can be sold at a higher price and have a better quality of life.
Intensive farming often creates conditions of poor animal welfare but is often more cost effective, generating higher profit and costs are low.
What are the concerns for food security because of the increase in the human population?
The increase in the human population means that there is a huge increase in the demand for food production.
What is important in food production?
Food production must be sustainable and not degrade the natural resources on which it depends. eg. soil erosion, loss of soil fertility by removing minerals, deforestation, loss of water supply, pollution of water supply
All food production ultimately depends on photosynthesis. What are some of these factors which affect photosynthesis?
Key factors which affect photosynthesis will include temperature, light intensity, carbon dioxide concentration and water availability.
The area to grow crops in is limited so how can there be an increase in plant growth in the same area?
Crop yield for the same area can be improved by breeding higher yielding cultivars, using fertiliser, protecting crops from pests, diseases and competition.
Breeders try to develop crops with higher nutritional values, resistance to pests and diseases, with physical characteristics suited to rearing and harvesting, and the ability to thrive in particular environments.
What do breeders try to develop crops with?
higher nutritional values, resistance to pests and diseases, with physical characteristics suited to rearing and harvesting, and the ability to thrive in particular environments.
What is very high activity called?
hysteria
What are some behavioural indicators of poor animal welfare?
Behavioural indicators of poor animal welfare include:
Stereotypy
Misdirected behaviour
Failure in sexual or parental behaviour
Altered levels of activity such as very low activity (apathy) or very high activity (hysteria)
What is very low activity called?
apathy
What are some of the natural resources that food production must not degrade as it depends on them?
soil erosion, loss of soil fertility by removing minerals, deforestation, loss of water supply, pollution of water supply
Describe what is meant by access to food
-food is available when needed and affordable
Describe what is meant by quality of food
-food has the nutrient content to provide a balanced diet
