B3 - Food Production Flashcards
Why does reducing the number of stages in a food chain increase the efficiency of food production?
In a food chain, there is less energy and biomass every time you move up a stage
Why does growing crops instead of having grazing animals increase food production?
The crops are a stage lower than the farm animals in the food chain meaning that there is more energy and biomass in the crops than in the animals
Give 2 reasons that we don’t just grow crops since they are more efficient
People need a varied diet in order to keep healthy
Some land is unsuitable for crops but suitable for farm animals
How do we restrict energy lost by farm animals?
Some animals can be intensely farmed meaning they are kept close together indoors
How does intense farming increase food production?
Saves the animals from wasting energy on movement and stops them from giving out as much energy as heat
They will grow faster on less food
What is the other advantage of intense farming?
It is cheaper for the farmer and the consumer
What is mycoprotein?
Protein made by fungi
Apart from increasing food production, what is the other use of mycoprotein?
A meat substitute in vegetarian meals such as Quorn
Which type of fungus in the main source of mycoprotein?
Fusarium
How is the fungus grown?
Grown in fermenters with glucose syrup as a food source
What has to be supplied to the fungus?
Oxygen (fungus respires aerobically)
Nitrogen (as ammonia)
Other minerals
How and why are the fermenters sterilised?
Fermenter and incoming nutrients are sterilised by steam and heat because other microorganisms that could grow must be prevented
Give 4 advantages of mycoprotein
Protein can be rare in developing countries, mycoprotein helps
Mycoprotein grown in a fermenter is very efficient
Microorganisms grow very quickly and don’t need much space
Microorganisms can feed on waste material
What is the disadvantage of mycoprotein?
Food made by microorganisms does not sound very appetising
What are the 5 arguments against intensive farming?
The environment of intensive farming can be considered as cruel to the animals
Crowded conditions allow an easy spread of a disease
To prevent disease, animals are given antibiotics and humans eat those animals and so antibiotics will be less effective in the future
Animals need to be kept warm to prevent heat loss. This uses fossil fuels
Fish stocks are getting low but fish is a commonly used food in intensive farming
