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Environmental Science 2000 > Agriculture > Flashcards

Agriculture Flashcards

1
Q

when did agriculture emerge

A

about 10 000 years ago

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2
Q

what did the transition to a sedentary lifestyle increase

A
  1. the carrying capacity of land
  2. a significant increase in population
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3
Q

what did the industrial revolution bring to farming

A
  1. mechanization
  2. advances in farm equipment
  3. advances in artificial selection
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4
Q

what type of farming is much of the world’s cropland devoted to

A

modern, industriallized farming

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5
Q

has food production outpaced the growth of our population

A

yes - but still over 800 million hungry people

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6
Q

what does ensuring food security require

A
  1. increased aricultural productivity
  2. decrease in poverty
  3. better food distriution
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7
Q

problems involving food security

A
  1. obesity (overnutrient)
  2. malnutrion
  3. undernourishment
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8
Q

what did the green revolution greatly increase

A

agricultural productivity per unit of land

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9
Q

what was the goal of the green revolution

A

feed the world’s people

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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

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11
Q

what did the green revolution expand the use of

A
  1. fossil fuels
  2. chemical fertilizers
    irrigation
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12
Q

what is a negative for monoculture

A

reduction in crop diversity

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13
Q

what often force chemists to design ever more toxic poisons for pesticides

A

pests evolving resistance to the current chemical pesticides

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14
Q

integrated pest management attempt to

A

minimize use of synthetic chemicals

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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

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16
Q

what technologies does genetic modification depend on

A

recombinant DNA

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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

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18
Q

ecological impacts from GM crops

A
  1. the spread of transgene that could pollute and damage native species

2.pests could evolve to resist GM crops and become “super pests”

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19
Q

is GM foods universally accepted

A

no - many people have ethical or other concerns

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20
Q

importance of crop diversity

A

can provide insurance against failure of major commerical crops

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21
Q

what has led to the development of high-density feedlots

A

increased consumption of animal products

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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
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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
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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)

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25
Q

what is a small part of the market and is growing rapidly

A

organic agriculture

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26
Q

how is organic agriculture related to fossil fuels, pesticides and inorganic fertilizers

A

it has lower output but also lower inputs

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27
Q

does organic agriculture have fewer or more environmental impacts than industrial agriculture

A

fewer

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28
Q

what are some examples of locally supported agriculture

A
  • farmer’s markets
  • community-supported agriculture
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29
Q

is locally supported agriculture becoming more or less popular

A

more popular

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30
Q

how is urban farming growing in cities

A
  • rooftop gardens
  • community gardens
  • integrated food services
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31
Q

Arable land

A

Land that is suitable for the annual planting of crops

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32
Q

Agriculture

A

Practice of raising crops and livestock for human use and consumption

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33
Q

what is an example of resource intensification and why

A

agriculture - its a way to increase the productivity of a unit of land

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34
Q

Cropland vs rangeland

A

Cropland
land used to raise plants for human use

rangeland
land used for grazing livestock

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35
Q

was agriculture a major achievement or was it always done by humans

A

not something humans have always done (a major achievement)

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36
Q

the steps of the appearance of agriculture

A
  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
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37
Q

Cultivation vs domestication

A

Cultivation
the raising and breeding of plants from seeds

domestication
the taming of animals as a source of food and labour

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38
Q

Traditional agriculture

A

Small-scale and biologically powered farming (use of drat animals, lots of irrigation water and fertilizers)

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39
Q

do Traditional agriculture use fossil fuels

40
Q

describe the amount of food produced in Traditional agriculture

A

enough for family and friends and extra to sell at the market

41
Q

Oldest form of traditional agriculture is

A

subsistence agriculture

42
Q

subsistence agriculture

A

Farming families produce only enough food for themselves and do NOT make use of modern machinery or teams of animals

43
Q

what initially introduced farmers to fossil fuels and the replacement of horses with oxen

A

industrial revolution

44
Q

High input farming (modern farming) depends on

A

irrigation, fossil fuel powered machinery and chemical fertilizers/pesticides

45
Q

Industrialized agriculture is associated with monoculture or polyculture

A

monoculture

46
Q

polyculture vs monoculture

A

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
Q

Food security

A

The guarantee of an adequate and acceptable food supply to all people at all times

48
Q

Undernourished vs overnutrition vs malnutrition

A

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
Q

Green revolution

A

Enormous increases in agricultural productivity during the mid to late twentieth century

50
Q

Green revolution developed based on the

A

desire for greater quantity and quality of food

51
Q

Before green revolution the best way to increase agricultural productivity was through a form of

A

extensification (Increasing resource productivity by bringing more land into production)

52
Q

negatives of green revolution

A

1 Intensive cultivation of farmland has affected integrity of soil and water supplies

  1. Intensive use of water, fossil fuels and chemical fertilizers increased pollution, salinization and desertification
53
Q

positives of green revolution

A
  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
Q

why were fertilizers developed

A

enhance productivity in nutrient-limited soils

55
Q

Fertilizers

A

Any various substance that contains essential nutrients

56
Q

Two types of fertilizes

A

Inorganic (industrial) and Organic fertilizers

57
Q

inorganic vs organic fertilizers

A

Inorganic (industrial)
- Mined or synthetically manufactured mineral supplements

organic
- Natural materials (animal manure, crop residues, fresh vegetation) and compost

58
Q

poor Irrigation impacts

A

Poor designed irrigation systems can lead to waterlogging and salinization of soils

59
Q

benefit of monoculture

A

has increased ease of harvesting and outputd

60
Q

drawback of monoculture

A

A field of crops that are all genetically similar will all be equally susceptible to viral diseases, fungal pathogens or insect pests

61
Q

why do pests pose threat to monoculture

A

a pest adapted to specialize individual crop can move through the field

62
Q

pests

A

Any organism that damages crops that are valuable to us

63
Q

weeds

A

Any plant that competes with crops

64
Q

uses of chemical pesticides in Canada

A
  1. agriculture (91%)
  2. domestically, forestry, industrial, disease prevention (9%)
65
Q

Biological control

A

The attempt to battle pests and weeds with organisms that prey on or parasitize them rather than by using pesticides

66
Q

what is one concern about biological control

A

often requires introducing a foreign animal or microbe into a foreign ecosystem = Could develop the same effects as invasive species

67
Q

IPM stands for

A

Integrated pest management

(Numerous techniques are integrated to achieve long-term suppression of pests)

68
Q

is IPM isolated to farmers

A

no - used on golf courses and sports fields

69
Q

Main threats to pollinating insects

A
  • 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
Q

Genetic engineering

A

Any process whereby scientists directly manipulate an organism genetic material in the lab by adding, deleting or changing segments of DNA

71
Q

Genetically modified organism (GMO)

A

Scientists extract genes from the DNA of one organism and transfer them into the DNA of another organism to create genetically engineered organisms

72
Q

Transgenic organism

A

Organism that contains DNA from another species

73
Q

Transgenes

A

Genes that have moved between the species

74
Q

Biotechnology

A

The application of biological science to create products derived from organisms

75
Q

what principle should be used in regards to GMOs

A

precautionary principle (one should not proceed until the ramifications of an action are well understood)

76
Q

Crop diversity

A

domesticated varieties and the wild relatives of crop plants

77
Q

Feedlots

A

Essentially huge warehouses or pens designed to deliver energy-rich food to animals living at extremely high densities

78
Q

Sustainable agriculture

A

Agriculture that does not deplete soils faster than they form

79
Q

Organic agriculture

A

Agriculture that uses no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides but instead relies on biological approaches such as composting and biocontrol.

80
Q

Motivation for buying organic foods

A
  • 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
Q

Motivation for not buying organic foods

A
  • Organic foods are more expensive
  • Products are less uniform and aesthetically appealing
82
Q

benefits of organic agriculture

A
  • 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
Q

what is the world’s population expected to swell by the end of this century

84
Q

describe agriculture development in different cultures

A

it arose independently for different cultures in the world

85
Q

what type of agricultural occupies 25% of world’s croplands

A

monoculture and industrial agriculture

86
Q

what has boosted food security worldwide in this century

A

global production of food has outgrown population growth

87
Q

extensification vs intensification

A

extensification
- bringing more land into production

intensification
- better productivity per unit of land

88
Q

what are the three main ways fertilizers can pollute the environment

A
  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
Q

3 main grains that make up our diets

A
  1. wheat
  2. corn
  3. rice
90
Q

are pests a bigger problem in monoculture or polyculture

A

monoculture

91
Q

85% of pesticides in Canada are _____

A

herbicides

92
Q

does the effectiveness of pesticides increase or decrease over time

A

decreases as pests become resistant

93
Q

what are some examples of IBM techniques

A
  1. habitat alteration
  2. biocontrol
  3. crop rotation and transgenic crops
  4. alternative tilling methods
  5. mechanical pest removal
94
Q

how is genetic engineering similar to traditional breeding

A
  1. both can be applied to plants and animals
  2. both alter gene pools for preferred characteristics
95
Q

why are most GM crops engineered today

A

to resist herbicides and some to resist insects

Environmental Science 2000 (10 decks)

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