Agriculture Flashcards
1
Q
when did agriculture emerge
A
about 10 000 years ago
2
Q
what did the transition to a sedentary lifestyle increase
A
- the carrying capacity of land
- a significant increase in population
3
Q
what did the industrial revolution bring to farming
A
- mechanization
- advances in farm equipment
- advances in artificial selection
4
Q
what type of farming is much of the world’s cropland devoted to
A
modern, industriallized farming
5
Q
has food production outpaced the growth of our population
A
yes - but still over 800 million hungry people
6
Q
what does ensuring food security require
A
- increased aricultural productivity
- decrease in poverty
- better food distriution
7
Q
problems involving food security
A
- obesity (overnutrient)
- malnutrion
- undernourishment
8
Q
what did the green revolution greatly increase
A
agricultural productivity per unit of land
9
Q
what was the goal of the green revolution
A
feed the world’s people
10
Q
what did agricultural scientists work towards during the green revolution
A
selective breeding to develop strains or crops that grew fast, were more nutritious or were resistant to disease or drought
11
Q
what did the green revolution expand the use of
A
- fossil fuels
- chemical fertilizers
irrigation
12
Q
what is a negative for monoculture
A
reduction in crop diversity
13
Q
what often force chemists to design ever more toxic poisons for pesticides
A
pests evolving resistance to the current chemical pesticides
14
Q
integrated pest management attempt to
A
minimize use of synthetic chemicals
15
Q
why is conservation of native pollinating insects important to our food supply
A
they are ensuring the reproduction of many of our crop plants
16
Q
what technologies does genetic modification depend on
A
recombinant DNA
17
Q
how is modifications through genetic engineering unlike traditional selective breeding
A
- Selective breeding mixes genes of individuals of the same species where recombinant DNA mixes genes of different species
- Selective breeding deals with whole organisms while genetic engineering involves the genetic material from the organism
-Traditional breeding selects from among combinations of genes that come together on their own, genetic engineering creates novel combinations directly
18
Q
ecological impacts from GM crops
A
- the spread of transgene that could pollute and damage native species
2.pests could evolve to resist GM crops and become “super pests”
19
Q
is GM foods universally accepted
A
no - many people have ethical or other concerns
20
Q
importance of crop diversity
A
can provide insurance against failure of major commerical crops
21
Q
what has led to the development of high-density feedlots
A
increased consumption of animal products
22
Q
negatives of feedlots
A
- Waste can pollute surface waters and ground water with excess nitrogen and phosphorus
- Poor waste containment practices can increase risk of disease outbreaks
- Antibiotics and needed to control diseases in the crowded conditions of a feedlot which the chemicals can be transferred up the food chain
23
Q
positives of feedlots
A
- Housing cattle, sheep and other livestock in concentrated feedlots and off the land reduces the impact they would exert on large portions of the landscape
24
Q
how do food choices link to energy choices
A
your choice of food directly affects energy based on how that food is created
(more energy and land is required to raise beef than grain)
25
what is a small part of the market and is growing rapidly
organic agriculture
26
how is organic agriculture related to fossil fuels, pesticides and inorganic fertilizers
it has lower output but also lower inputs
27
does organic agriculture have fewer or more environmental impacts than industrial agriculture
fewer
28
what are some examples of locally supported agriculture
- farmer's markets
- community-supported agriculture
29
is locally supported agriculture becoming more or less popular
more popular
30
how is urban farming growing in cities
- rooftop gardens
- community gardens
- integrated food services
31
Arable land
Land that is suitable for the annual planting of crops
32
Agriculture
Practice of raising crops and livestock for human use and consumption
33
what is an example of resource intensification and why
agriculture - its a way to increase the productivity of a unit of land
34
Cropland vs rangeland
Cropland
land used to raise plants for human use
rangeland
land used for grazing livestock
35
was agriculture a major achievement or was it always done by humans
not something humans have always done (a major achievement)
36
the steps of the appearance of agriculture
1. we initially were hunter-gathers
2. warming of temps after glaciation period led to cultivation and domestication
3. as hunter gathers brought back wild fruits, grains and nuts to their camp the seeds took root and as the plants grew over generations more and more larger and flavorful fruits would emerge
4. Artificial breeding began once people realized they could guide the breeding process of crops and animals
5. The cultivation of crops and animals led people to settle in more permanent camps near water sources
37
Cultivation vs domestication
Cultivation
the raising and breeding of plants from seeds
domestication
the taming of animals as a source of food and labour
38
Traditional agriculture
Small-scale and biologically powered farming (use of drat animals, lots of irrigation water and fertilizers)
39
do Traditional agriculture use fossil fuels
no
40
describe the amount of food produced in Traditional agriculture
enough for family and friends and extra to sell at the market
41
Oldest form of traditional agriculture is
subsistence agriculture
42
subsistence agriculture
Farming families produce only enough food for themselves and do NOT make use of modern machinery or teams of animals
43
what initially introduced farmers to fossil fuels and the replacement of horses with oxen
industrial revolution
44
High input farming (modern farming) depends on
irrigation, fossil fuel powered machinery and chemical fertilizers/pesticides
45
Industrialized agriculture is associated with monoculture or polyculture
monoculture
46
polyculture vs monoculture
polyculture
Farming system that mixes different crops together (like beans, squash and peppers) in the same field
monoculture
fields planted with single type of crops
47
Food security
The guarantee of an adequate and acceptable food supply to all people at all times
48
Undernourished vs overnutrition vs malnutrition
Undernourished
People who receive less than 90% of their daily caloric need
Overnutrition
Taking in too many calories per day
malnutrition
A shortage of nutrients the body needs that can occur in both undernourished and overnutrition
49
Green revolution
Enormous increases in agricultural productivity during the mid to late twentieth century
50
Green revolution developed based on the
desire for greater quantity and quality of food
51
Before green revolution the best way to increase agricultural productivity was through a form of
extensification (Increasing resource productivity by bringing more land into production)
52
negatives of green revolution
1 Intensive cultivation of farmland has affected integrity of soil and water supplies
2. Intensive use of water, fossil fuels and chemical fertilizers increased pollution, salinization and desertification
53
positives of green revolution
1. The use of already-cultivated land reduced pressures to convert additional natural lands for new cultivation
2. Decreased some degree of deforestation and habitat conversion
54
why were fertilizers developed
enhance productivity in nutrient-limited soils
55
Fertilizers
Any various substance that contains essential nutrients
56
Two types of fertilizes
Inorganic (industrial) and Organic fertilizers
57
inorganic vs organic fertilizers
Inorganic (industrial)
- Mined or synthetically manufactured mineral supplements
organic
- Natural materials (animal manure, crop residues, fresh vegetation) and compost
58
poor Irrigation impacts
Poor designed irrigation systems can lead to waterlogging and salinization of soils
59
benefit of monoculture
has increased ease of harvesting and outputd
60
drawback of monoculture
A field of crops that are all genetically similar will all be equally susceptible to viral diseases, fungal pathogens or insect pests
61
why do pests pose threat to monoculture
a pest adapted to specialize individual crop can move through the field
62
pests
Any organism that damages crops that are valuable to us
63
weeds
Any plant that competes with crops
64
uses of chemical pesticides in Canada
1. agriculture (91%)
2. domestically, forestry, industrial, disease prevention (9%)
65
Biological control
The attempt to battle pests and weeds with organisms that prey on or parasitize them rather than by using pesticides
66
what is one concern about biological control
often requires introducing a foreign animal or microbe into a foreign ecosystem = Could develop the same effects as invasive species
67
IPM stands for
Integrated pest management
(Numerous techniques are integrated to achieve long-term suppression of pests)
68
is IPM isolated to farmers
no - used on golf courses and sports fields
69
Main threats to pollinating insects
- Landscape changes in agricultural settings
- Growing use of certain pesticides
- Introduction of invasive plants
- Pathogens and parasites
- Climate change affecting range of pollinator species
70
Genetic engineering
Any process whereby scientists directly manipulate an organism genetic material in the lab by adding, deleting or changing segments of DNA
71
Genetically modified organism (GMO)
Scientists extract genes from the DNA of one organism and transfer them into the DNA of another organism to create genetically engineered organisms
72
Transgenic organism
Organism that contains DNA from another species
73
Transgenes
Genes that have moved between the species
74
Biotechnology
The application of biological science to create products derived from organisms
75
what principle should be used in regards to GMOs
precautionary principle (one should not proceed until the ramifications of an action are well understood)
76
Crop diversity
domesticated varieties and the wild relatives of crop plants
77
Feedlots
Essentially huge warehouses or pens designed to deliver energy-rich food to animals living at extremely high densities
78
Sustainable agriculture
Agriculture that does not deplete soils faster than they form
79
Organic agriculture
Agriculture that uses no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides but instead relies on biological approaches such as composting and biocontrol.
80
Motivation for buying organic foods
- better taste, desire to but locally and the concern that pesticides increase health risks
- buy to improve environmental quality by reducing chemical pollution and soil degradation
81
Motivation for not buying organic foods
- Organic foods are more expensive
- Products are less uniform and aesthetically appealing
82
benefits of organic agriculture
- Biocontrol methods can be used to control pests when organic farming lacks the use of chemical pesticides
- Lack of synthetic chemicals maintains soil quality and encourages pollinating insects
83
what is the world's population expected to swell by the end of this century
9 billion
84
describe agriculture development in different cultures
it arose independently for different cultures in the world
85
what type of agricultural occupies 25% of world's croplands
monoculture and industrial agriculture
86
what has boosted food security worldwide in this century
global production of food has outgrown population growth
87
extensification vs intensification
extensification
- bringing more land into production
intensification
- better productivity per unit of land
88
what are the three main ways fertilizers can pollute the environment
1. air pollution from evaporation from the crops and soil
2. infiltration of the inorganic ions into the ground water
3. runoff from the agricultural land that causes eutrophication
89
3 main grains that make up our diets
1. wheat
2. corn
3. rice
90
are pests a bigger problem in monoculture or polyculture
monoculture
91
85% of pesticides in Canada are _____
herbicides
92
does the effectiveness of pesticides increase or decrease over time
decreases as pests become resistant
93
what are some examples of IBM techniques
1. habitat alteration
2. biocontrol
3. crop rotation and transgenic crops
4. alternative tilling methods
5. mechanical pest removal
94
how is genetic engineering similar to traditional breeding
1. both can be applied to plants and animals
2. both alter gene pools for preferred characteristics
95
why are most GM crops engineered today
to resist herbicides and some to resist insects
