Agriculture Flashcards

1
Q

What are the key principles of Agirculture?

A

Selection of species, control of biotic and abiotic factors, manipulation of food speces

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2
Q

What 3 factors does selection of species for agriculture depend on?

A

Market demand, environmental conditions, controllability of conditions or adaptations

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3
Q

What is the importance of temperature in agriculture

A
  • Thermal growing season
  • Some crops are damaged by frost
  • Higher temperature increases water need due to evapotranspiration
  • Biogeochemical processes often happen faster in higher temps
  • Mammals and birds use food energy to maintain body temp, less is needed if temp is kept high
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4
Q

How can we control temperature in agriculture?

A
  • Low-lying areas are more likely to have frost
  • Southern facing slopes in the north and North facing in the south receive more solar insolation
  • Greenhouses
  • Burning or dispersing cold air
  • Shelter buildings for livestock
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5
Q

What is the importance of light in agriculture?

A
  • Photosynthesis
  • Day length can affect crop growth
  • Day length can affect livestock reproductive function like long days increasing milk production and sheep mating during shorter days
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6
Q

How can we control light in agriculture?

A

Artificial lighting can be used to extend growing season or to artificially shorten day length to trigger livestock behaviours

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7
Q

What is the importance of water in agriculture?

A
  • Water is the physiological solvent for all life
  • Nutrient absorption takes ions from water
  • Cell water increases turgidity
  • Water is used for mineral transport
  • Gaseous exchange stops if too much water is lost
  • Humidity increases fungal infection risk
  • Irregular water supplies can cause crops to split
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8
Q

What problems can be caused by waterlogged soils, how can waterlogging be prevented?

A

Problems:
- Fungal disease risk
- Anaerobic soil that encourages denitrifying bacteria that reduce fertility
Solutions:
- Drainage methods like ditches and pipes
- Avoiding soil compaction
- Encourage worms with soil organic matter

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9
Q

What problems can be caused by water shortages, how can water shortages be prevented?

A

Problems:
- Plants close stomata, preventing gaseous exchange, stopping growth
- Cell dehydration in crops
- Increased erosion/desertification if livestock have to travel further for water
- Dead livestock
Solutions:
- Crop irrigation
- Soil mulching
- Reducing compaction

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10
Q

What are the features of Soil Fertility?

A
  • Nutrients
  • Aeration
  • Salinity
  • pH
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11
Q

What are macronutrients and micronutrients? Give an example of each.

A

A macronutrient is a nutrient needed in large amounts such as nitrogen, phosphorus, or calcium.
A micronutrient is a nutrient needed in smaller amounts, such as iron, zinc and copper

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12
Q

What natural processes can make nutrients available?

A
  • Legume’s nitrogen fixing bacteria
  • free-living soil bacteria
  • crop rotation/multiculture
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13
Q

What are the advantages of Organic Fertiliser?

A
  • Locally available
  • Increase soil humus
  • Increases soil biota
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14
Q

What are the disadvantages of Organic Fertiliser

A
  • Nutrient composition cannot be controlled
  • Slow release
  • Bulky and high water content means difficult transport
  • Usually cannot be added to a growing crop
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15
Q

What are the advantages of Inorganic Fertiliser?

A
  • Nutrient composition can be controlled
  • Rapid release
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