3.B - Extreme weather events affecting food production Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

how heatwaves affect food production

A
  • periods of abnormally hot weather
  • 2003-3000 deaths
  • occurred once every 3yrs, now occur every 200 days
  • eg Portugal lost 3500 ha of forestry and farmland to fires = increase of imported food
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

how Droughts affect food production

A
  • crop failure and a decrease of quality and quantity of water
  • increase soil erosion, gullying, subsistence, rockfalls and weathering
  • meteorological droughts increase
  • eg 2003 Ethiopia 20M people needed food aid
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

how floods affect food production

A
  • climate warms increasing rainfall resulting in flooding
  • flooding destroys crops, disrupts distribution, increase soil erosion and damages infrastructure
  • eg UK - 35,000ha of high quality arable land flooded, 58% of UK’s productive farmland lies within floodplains
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

how tropical storms affect food production

A
  • dry regions receive annual rainfall from tropical storms
  • climate change intensifies hurricanes, tropical storms and cyclones = more danger
  • ocean temps increase = energy of storm increases
  • creates pinch points over entire food production system
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

how farming and carbon cycle affect food production

A
  • food production enhances climate change
  • affects of climate change
  • farming = a carbon sink
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

why is food production enhancing climate change

A
  • its is 1/3 of greenhouse gas emissions
  • co2 released during deforestation
  • methane rebased via intensive crop and livestock production
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

why does the affects of climate change impact food production?

A
  • the global food system is modified as growing periods are extended and shortened in different regions
  • increase in events: droughts, TS, wildfires and river/ costal floods
  • the increase = more crops and infrastructure destroyed and disrupts distribution
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

why is food production affected by farming being a carbon sink?

A
  • soils have limited co2 store

- in developing countries permanent set-a-side land is sequestering large amounts of co2 if left unmanaged or reforested

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

how water scarcity affects food production

A
  • humans use 1% of world water as it is fresh water, drinkable etc
  • of that 1%, 68% is used via agriculture but 60% is lost due to poor irrigation systems
  • water is key to growth
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

countries affected by water scarcity

A

Australia - water insecurity via El Nino, caused droughts and disrupts river flow in Murray, Darling Basin

Kenya

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Australia’s measures to mitigate against water scarcity

A
  • put a cap on amount of water extracted from major rivers

- withdrawal of subsidies and trade in water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Kenya’s mitigation methods against water scarcity

A
  • mulching: laying plant leaves between rows of cultivated crops = reduction in soil erosion and increase in retained water
  • drip irrigation: less loss via evapotranspiration
  • training farmers: in water harvesting technology
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

virtual water

A

water intensive food products
eg - watermelon = high% of water
eg - avocado = high% of water to grow

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

virtual water affects on food security

A
  • water-scarce countries import virtual water products to relieve pressure on domestic water resources
  • major exporters of virtual water: Australia, USA and Brazil
  • major importers of virtual water: Japan, South Korea
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

affects of tectonic hazards on food production

A
  • volcanic ash destroys pasture land
  • ash contains fluorine causing fluorosis in livestock post consumption
    eg 2000 animals died in New Zealand 1996
  • ash = increase sulphur and decreased levels of PH level in soil, crops destroyed
    eg Mt Etna 2002 - 85% of vegetables crops lost and 140M euros area lost
  • secondary impacts = food disruption
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Nepal earthquake 2015 - background

A
  • 7.8Mw earthquake
  • killed 8000 people
  • 35M in need of food aid
17
Q

Nepal earthquake 2015 - global governance

A
  • immediate action
  • FAO appealed for disaster aid: 5kg rice to 40,000 house, seeds to 50,000 households and 25kg bags of animal feed to 20,000 households
  • FAO working to stabilise and monitor mountain slopes
  • FAO helping farmers become more resilient to landslides etc
18
Q

Nepal earthquake 2015 - impacts on agriculture

A
  • farmers loss of income
  • missed planting season = reduction in food supply
  • stocks, machinery, irrigation and drainage destroyed
  • livestock killed
  • damage to access routes: roads and bridges