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ES Unit 4 > Agriculture > Flashcards

Agriculture Flashcards

1
Q

Define ‘Pasture’

A

An area of land used for grazing livestock

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2
Q

Define ‘Sustainable’

A

An activity that can be carried out without making life more difficult for people in the future

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3
Q

Define ‘Photoautotroph’

A

An organism that produces high-energy food substances using light (e.g. all photosynthetic organisms)

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4
Q

Define ‘Food chain’

A

A sequence of organisms to show their feeding relationships and food energy flow

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5
Q

Define ‘Trophic level’

A

A position in a food chain (e.g. primary producer)

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6
Q

Define ‘Autotroph’

A

Organisms that build up high-energy molecules using a source of energy. They do not rely on other organisms (they are self feeders e.g. plants)

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7
Q

Define ‘Heterotroph’

A

Organisms that can’t produce their own high-energy molecules; they must gain their energy from other living organisms

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8
Q

Define ‘Herbivore’, ‘Carnivore’ and ‘Omnivore’

A

Herbivores get their energy from plants

Carnivores get their energy from animals

Omnivores get their energy from both

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9
Q

Ruminants are herbivores. They have a large complex stomach. The largest stomach chamber is called the ‘rumen’. Outline the ‘rumen’

A

In here there are symbiotic bacteria that produce the enzyme cellulase which allows the digestion of cellulose (other heterotrophs such as humans cannot utilise cellulose)

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10
Q

Give an example of an omnivore

A

Pig 🐷

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11
Q

What 3 groups can heterotrophs be divided into?

A

Herbivores

Carnivores

Omnivores

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12
Q

Name the 5 factors that affect the selection of food species

A

Environmental

Social

Religious

Ethical

Technological

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13
Q

Species can be controlled to increase their suitability for cultivation, yield and saleability. How?

A

The use of hormones and antibiotics to control growth

An increase in the desirable features of the food (e.g. growth/nutrition/taste) by genetic manipulation

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14
Q

Name the two types of genetic manipulation

A

Selective breeding

Genetic modification

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15
Q

Define ‘Genetic Modification’

A

Altering an organism’s genetic make-up by artificially introducing genes from another organism, often of another species

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16
Q

Define ‘Biota’

A

Living organisms

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17
Q

Define ‘Limiting Factor’

A

If the presence or absence of an environmental factor limits a process such as growth, it is a limiting factor (e.g. a nutrient being the limiting factor for plant growth)

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18
Q

Name 6 abiotic limiting factors that can be controlled

A 
Nutrient supply 
Water supply
Temp
Light
Acidity 
Carbon dioxide
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19
Q

Name 3 biotic limiting factors that be controlled

A

Population

The reduction of competition with other species by pest and disease control

Increasing the populations of desirable species such as soil biota and pollinating insects

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20
Q

Define solar insolation

A

Sunlight landing on a surface

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21
Q

Give two ways in which water might affect crops

A

Humid conditions can increase fungal diseases (e.g. of soft fruit)

Irregular water supplies can cause some fruit to expand and split

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22
Q

What is the temperature most plants need to grow?

A

Temperatures above 5 Celsius

Grass stops growing at temps below this, so dairy cattle that are pasture-fed must be kept in warmer of areas of the U.K. such as South-West England

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23
Q

Define ‘Lodging’

A

Where (cereal) crops are flattened by strong winds

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24
Q

What might solar insolation be affected by?

A

Latitude

Cloud cover

Seasonal and daily changes

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25
Q

Define ‘Latitude’

A

The angular distance of a place, expressed in degrees and minutes

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26
Q

Ploughing is difficult on gradients over 10 ° . Why is this?

A

Ploughing tractors can not operate on very steep slopes

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27
Q

Define ‘Topography’

A

The 3D shape of the land surface

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28
Q

Define ‘Aspect’

A

The direction something faces in terms of sunlight

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29
Q

Tsetse flies in Africa carry the disease ‘sleeping sickness’; who is this a problem for?

A

Cattle

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30
Q

Why might religion affect the selection of species for cultivation?

A

Some religions have dietary requirements (e.g. Hindus do not eat cattle)

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31
Q

Define ‘Tenant Farmer’

A

A farmer that rents their land; they may have less incentive to invest in their farms to improve the production system used

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32
Q

Name 3 political factors that might affect the selection of species for cultivation

A

State control

Financial support/subsidies

Quotas

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33
Q

Outline ‘state control’ as a political factor that might affect the selection of species for cultivation

A

In a few cases governments have had complete control of commercial agriculture and have controlled what is grown

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34
Q

Outline ‘financial support/subsidies’ as a political factor that might affect the selection of species for cultivation

A

The importance of food production often leads governments to provide support to agriculture, which might involve financial help or tax reductions

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35
Q

Outline ‘quotas’ as a political factor that might affect the selection of species for cultivation

A

Governments sometimes use quotas to limit production and prevent overproduction (e.g. milk quotas in the UK)

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36
Q

Define ‘Quota’

A

A limit on the number of items

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37
Q

Name 2 economic factors that may affect the selection of species for cultivation

A

Market demand

Labour supply

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38
Q

Outline ‘labour supply’ as an economic factor that might affect the selection of species for cultivation

A

Low farm wages make it difficult to get enough workers for labour-intensive methods such as soft fruit production

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39
Q

Name 6 technological factors that may affect the selection of species for cultivation

A 
Transport infrastructure 
Mechanisation 
Fertilisers 
Irrigation
Fuel supplies
Seeds and livestock
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40
Q

Outline ‘fertilisers’ as a technological factor that might affect the selection of species for cultivation

A

Until the 1900s nitrates were mined in South America. The development of the Haber process allowed the manufacture of synthetic nitrate fertilisers and their more widespread use

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41
Q

Define ‘Haber process’

A

A chemical process used to manufacture ammonia from which nitrate fertilisers can be made

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42
Q

Outline ‘fuel supplies’ as a technological factor that might affect the selection of species for cultivation

A

Energy intensive production systems are only possible where such inputs are readily available (e.g. MEDCs)

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43
Q

What 3 methods are there of asexual reproduction?

A

Vegetative propagation

Micropropagation

Cloning

44
Q

Define vegetative propagation

A

Natural asexual reproduction

Some plants, such as the strawberry, naturally reproduce asexually (although the strawberry plant also reproduces sexually)

45
Q

Outline micropropagation

A

Involves growing plants from small pieces of plant tissue on a sterile nutrient medium such as agar jelly which contains sugars and mineral nutrients

46
Q

Outline ‘Cloning’

A

Involves taking genetic material from the body cell of one individual and implanting it into the egg cell from
a different individual so it develops like a normal fertilised egg

47
Q

Name 3 methods of animal breeding

A

Selective breeding

Artificial insemination

Embryo transfer

48
Q

Define ‘Breed’ (in terms of a breed of animal)

A

A group of animals or plants within a species that have a distinctive appearance or characteristics

49
Q

Define ‘Hybrid vigour’

A

The good health achieved by the breeding between breeds that are not closely related (cross breeding)

50
Q

Give two reasons why cross breeding (often used within selective breeding) is good

A

Can be used to combine desirable characteristics in a hybrid breed

Reduces problems of homozygous recessive genes found in inbred varieties

51
Q

Outline ‘Artificial insemination’

A

Allows the semen from one male to be used to impregnate many females

Sperm is collected and frozen and then used when needed

52
Q

By artificial insemination, how many calves can a bull produce each year?

A

10,000 calves

53
Q

Outline ‘Embryo transfer’

A

Enables a female to be the mother of more offspring then she could naturally produce

E.g. a pedigree cow given an injection of a hormone to stimulate ovulation and he release of eggs which are washed out of her uterus and can be fertilised using the semen of a pedigree bull

54
Q

What is IR8?

A

A green revolution rice variety

55
Q

What is the ‘Green Revolution’?

A

The agricultural changes since the mid 20th century, where high yielding cereal varieties were bred to increase food production

56
Q

Genetic engineering can be used in plants as well as animals. Give two examples of GM crops

A

‘Roundup-ready’ soya beans which are resistant to the herbicide ‘roundup’ which can be used to kill weeds without killing the crop

BT corn- the bacterium BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS produces a toxin that kills insects. The gene had been transferred to corn

57
Q

What is golden rice?

A

Golden rice includes genes from a daffodil and a soil bacterium which produce beta-carotene. This forms vitamin A when the rice is eaten (so this rice can tackle vitamin A deficiency in many tropical countries where rice is a staple food)

58
Q

Give 3 disadvantages of GM crops

A

Some claims that people eating GM foods suffer allergies

‘Horizontal gene transfer’ may occur where bacteria and viruses combine the inserted gene into their own genetic material and gain new characteristics

Pollen from GM crops may be transferred to organic crops which could invalidate their organic status

59
Q

Name 3 advantages of GM crops

A

Allow desirable genes to be introduced from other species which could never be achieved by selective breeding within the crop species itself

If GM crops are pest-resistant then pesticide use may be unnecessary, so reduces environmental damage

60
Q

Define ‘Auxin’

A

A group of plant hormones

61
Q

Define ‘Gibberelin’

A

A group of plant hormones

62
Q

What do gibberelins do?

A

Inhibit shoot growth - used on cereals to produce shorter stems

They stimulate seed germination

They inhibit root growth so more energy goes into fruit or seed growth

They increase fruit size and grape cluster size

63
Q

Name two types of animal hormone used for growth control

A

BST (bovine somatotropin)

Anabolic steroid hormones

64
Q

Define ‘BST’

A

Bovine somatotropin- an animal hormone used to stimulate milk production

65
Q

Define ‘Anabolic steroid hormones’

A

A female or male hormone used to increase livestock goss growth efficiency

66
Q

What is growth rate?

A

A measure of the increase in body mass per unit time

67
Q

What is gross growth efficiency? (GCE)

A

A measure of the efficiency with which food eaten by livestock is converted into body mass

68
Q

By how much can anabolic steroid hormones increase GGE?

A

Up to 10%

69
Q

What are ‘Endemic pests’?

A

Always present, usually in small numbers

70
Q

What are ‘Epidemic pests’?

A

Not normally present but there may be ‘outbreaks’ and become a problem when the population suddenly increases

71
Q

Ethene is a plant growth hormone. What does it do?

A

Stimulates the ripening of fruit such as bananas

72
Q

Why might intensive rearing make it easier for pests and diseases to spread rapidly?

A

It involves keeping large numbers of animals close together

73
Q

Name the 5 pesticide application methods

A

Spraying of crops

Powder coating of seeds

Soil injection to kill pests in soil

Dipping of livestock to kill skin parasites

Drenching where livestock drink the pesticides to kill internal parasites

74
Q

Name the 5 properties of pesticides

A

Specificity

Persistence

Toxicity

Bioaccumulation/magnification

Mode of action

75
Q

Outline ‘Specificity’ as a pesticide property

A

Some pesticides = ‘broad spectrum’ and kill a wide range of species

Other pesticides = ‘narrow spectrum’ and kill a smaller range of species as they are more specific

76
Q

Outline ‘Mode of action’ as a property of pesticides

A

Surface acting pesticides are sprayed on the crop

Systemic pesticides are absorbed then translocated through the plant

77
Q

What are the two main types of herbicides?

A

Hormone herbicides - these are systemic and kill weeds by modifying some aspect of growth

Contact herbicides

78
Q

Give an example of a hormone herbicide and how it works

A

2, 4 D - kills broad-leaf weeds by causing excessive cell elongation

79
Q

What are the 3 types of insecticides?

A

Organochlorines

Organophosphates

Pyrethroids

80
Q

Outline ‘organochlorines’

A

Very toxic to insects

Low toxicity to mammals

Are liposoluble and persistent so can build up along food chains

An example is DDT

81
Q

Outline ‘organophosphates’

A

Less persistent than organochlorines and do not build up along food chains

Are very toxic to mammals including humans

Ah example is parathion

82
Q

Outline ‘pyrethroids’

A

More toxic to insects

Easily degraded when exposed to UV

Low mammal toxicity but are toxic to fish

83
Q

Define ‘Zoonose’

A

A micro-organism that is carried by livestock which, if transferred to humans, causes disease

84
Q

Why are livestock given antibiotics? 3 reasons

A

To control infections in sick animals

To prevent infections occurring

To increase the gross growth efficiency of the livestock by reducing the population of gut bacteria

85
Q

What are 2 problems with antibiotics?

A

If an antibiotic does not kill all the bacteria then the most resistant ones will survive

Bacteria can exchange genetic information, so antibiotic resistance that develops in a harmless species could be transferred to a human pathogen

86
Q

Name 5 methods of pest control that DO NOT use pesticides

A

Mulching

Sterile-male techniques

Biological control

Pheromone traps

Crop rotation

87
Q

Outline ‘Mulching’ as a method of pest control

A

A layer of material e.g. shredded bark which can inhibit weed growth

88
Q

Outline ‘Pheromone traps’ as a method of pest control

A

Many insects attract a mate by releasing a scent (pheromone). If the scent is made artificially then it can be used to trap one sex which will prevent successful breeding

89
Q

Outline ‘Sterile-male techniques’ as a method of pest control

A

The females of some insect species only mate once. If a female mates with a sterile male then she will never produce any offspring

90
Q

Name an example of biological pest control

A

Parasitic wasps are used to control pests such as whitefly in greenhouses

91
Q

Integrated pest control attempts to control pests by using a range of methods. Outline the main principles

A

Cultural techniques to make environment less beneficial for pests

Cultivating species less likely to suffer pest attack

Appropriate non-pesticide techniques

Use of pesticides when essential- specific and non-persistent

92
Q

‘Temperature’ is a limiting factor which may limit agricultural productivity. How might it be controlled?

A

Artificial heating of greenhouses used to extend growing season

Heating livestock animal houses reduces the amount of food energy they use to keep warm, increasing growth

93
Q

‘Carbon dioxide’ is a limiting factor which may limit agricultural productivity. How might it be controlled?

A

Can be increased in enclosed places such as greenhouses by burning fuels such as paraffin

94
Q

Maintaining a high humus content in soil helps to do what?

A

Retain water

95
Q

What might too much water lead to?

A

Can lead to the soil becoming anaerobic. This encourages denitrifying bacteria rather than aerobic nitrifying bacteria so soil nitrate levels will be low

96
Q

Name 2 macronutrients (a plant nutrient needed in large amounts)

A

Nitrogen

Phosphorus

97
Q

Outline ‘Nitrogen fixation’

A

Leguminous plants have root nodule bacteria such as ‘rhizobium’, which fix nitrogen that can be used by the growing crop

98
Q

Name 2 advantages of natural fertilisers

A

Cheap as they are waste products (e.g. manure)

Increase humus content so reduces erosion risk

99
Q

Name 2 disadvantages of natural fertilisers

A

Usually bulky so difficult to transport and apply

Application will not provide large amounts of nutrients quickly as slow release

100
Q

Name 2 advantages of artificial fertilisers

A

Available for crop use as soon as they are applied

Mechanical application is easy

101
Q

Name 2 disadvantages of artificial fertilisers

A

Do not add humus to the soil

Expensive to manufacture as a lot of energy is required

102
Q

Soil can be made less acidic by the addition of what?

A

Lime

103
Q

What is ‘Intensive agriculture’?

A

Farming where high yields are achieved by using large inputs per unit area

104
Q

What is ‘Extensive agriculture’?

A

Farming where the maximum total yield is achieved by distributing inputs over the total available area. Inputs are usually low

105
Q

What crop may be used to conserve nutrients?

A

Green manure

ES Unit 4 (6 decks)

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