Challenge of Resource Management Flashcards
what is agribusiness?
agriculture conducted on strictly commercial purposes
how does agribusiness operate?
large scale intensive farming with a high input of chemicals, machinery and investments in irrigation
what is the impact of agribusiness in the UK?
a greater range of products can be grown in the UK, so there is less of a need to import crops
what are three ways to increase water supply?
saving water, water transfer, building reservoirs
what are some issues caused by poor water quality?
toxic waters transfer toxins to humans
pesticides kill parts of the ecosystems
how can we manage water quality?
-green roofs
-education campaigns
-legislation
how do green roofs manage water quality?
filter out pollutants naturally in rainwater. flood risk from runoff is reduced. absorb co2
how do education campaigns manage water quality?
these inform the public about how to put appropriate things in sewage
how does legislation manage water quality?
the UK has strict laws so factories and farms limit the water types they put into rivers
what are economic challenges associated with fossil fuel exploitation?
-coal must be imported into the UK
-miners suffer from diseases so health services face a cost
-climate change requires flood defences etc
what are environmental challenges associated with fossil fuel exploitation?
-burning fossil fuels release greenhouse gases so climate change
-acid rain
-access roads destroy habitats
what are economic challenges associated with nuclear exploitation?
-nuclear power stations are expensive to build
-nuclear transport is expensive
what are environmental challenges associated with nuclear exploitation?
-nuclear spillages release radiation into the air which affects wildlife and people
what are economic challenges associated with renewables?
-high setup costs
-low profitability
-visual environment impact could inhibit tourism
what are environmental challenges associated with renewables?
-wind turbines can affect bird migration patterns
-ugly
-noisy so can disrupt wildlife
what are two reasons for increasing food consumption? (global)
population growth, level of development
what are 6 factors affecting global food supply?
climate, water stress, pests, conflict, poverty, technology
how does climate affect global food supply?
deserted areas bake soil, drought (ethiopia), floods. all prohibit adequate plant growth
how does technology affect global food supply?
HIC’s can invest in tech such as harvesters, but LIC’s can’t which limit their productivity
how do pests affect global food supply?
mice and rats eat crops so crop yield decreases. LIC’s cannot afford pesticides
how does water stress affect global food supply?
without water, farmers cannot water their crops. LIC’s cannot afford irrigation
how does conflict affect global food supply?
-farmers have to leave their land to fight
-farmers have to flee for refuge
-crops burnt in battle
common in areas like Syria, Sudan and Yemen
how does poverty affect global food supply?
people who live in poverty are weaker so cannot work as much to afford food. or farmers cannot work as hard
what are the impacts of food insecurity (global)?
famine, undernutrition, soil erosion, rising prices, social unrest
what does famine lead to?
undernutrition
what does undernutrition lead to?
-weakened immunity
-vulnerability to disease
-deficiencies
-hindered physical and cognitive development in children
how many people suffered from undernutrition in 2012-2014?
1 in 9
how does food insecurity lead to soil erosion?
land is exhausted, blown and washed away so soil erosion occurs