B18.11 Making food production efficient

Question 1

Why are shorter food chains more efficient?

Answer 1

A greater proportion of energy that entered the food chain is available to humans

Question 2

What are the ways farmers can increase efficiency of food productions?

Answer 2

Limiting the movement of food animals so they don’t use their muscles as much - reducing respiration - more biomass
Controlling temperature - so animals do not need to respire as much - more biomass

Question 3

What are the positives and negatives of fish farming?

Answer 3

Positives - reduce movement as they are in cages - grow and mature in these conditions
Negatives - compromise of fisherman livelihood as they make less money - ethical concerns