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Environmental science > Chapter 11 > Flashcards

Chapter 11 Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What 3 factors affect agriculture?

A

Temperature
Water
Light

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2
Q

What are the importance of suitable temperatures?

A 
Length of thermal growing season
Frost-free period
Impact on evaporation
Biochemical reactions
Thermoregulation
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3
Q

What field locations can affect temperature?

A 
Low lying areas
South-facing slopes
Frosts in orchards
Transparent woven plastic
Livestock can be kept warm by shelters
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4
Q

Why is light important?

A

Photosynthesis
Longer days increase milk production
Poultry grow best with short days but more eggs are produced with long days
Some livestock mate when the days are shorter

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5
Q

How can light be controlled?

A

Artificial light

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6
Q

Why is water important?

A 
Physical functions
Nutrient absorption
Used to transport materials
Needed to replace lost water
Gaseous exchange
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7
Q

3 ways water supply can affect crops?

A

Amount
Reliability
Quality

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8
Q

Whare are 2 problems caused by waterlogged soils?

A

Higher risk of fungal disease

Anaerobic soils

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9
Q

What methods are used to reduce water soil levels?

A 
Excavation of drainage ditches
Drainage pipes
Deep ploughing
Avoidance of soil compaction
Provision and conditions to encourage worms
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10
Q

What methods are used to increase water availability?

A

Irrigation
Soil mulching
Suitable conditions for worms
Adding soil organic matter

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11
Q

How are soil nutrients made available in the soil?

A

Legumes
Soil bacteria
Crop rotation

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12
Q

What do organic fertilisers include?

A

Faecal materials
Animal food production
Plant food wastes

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13
Q

What are the 2 nutrient application methods?

A

Cultural methods

Mechanical application

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14
Q

What is hydroponics?

A

Growing of plants in a nutrient solution

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15
Q

What are the advantages of hydroponic production?

A 
No soil so more appealing
Pathogens can't live in the soil
Increased growth rate
Nutrients are available so are not limiting
No weeds
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16
Q

What are the disadvantages of hydroponic production?

A

Involves high input of nutrients

Involves high skill level

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17
Q

How can aeration be controlled?

A

Ploughing
Low tillage methods
Addition of organic matter
Removing livestock from wet fields

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18
Q

How can soil pH be increased and reduced?

A

Increased - adding crushed lime

Decreased - spreading sulphur powder

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19
Q

What are the 4 topography factors?

A

Aspect
Frost pockets
Runoff rate
Use of machinery

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20
Q

What is the relief and how does it impact crops and livestock?

A

Altitudes
Crops - increased evaporation
Livestock - some species are adapted to high altitudes

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21
Q

What problems can wind velocity cause?

A

Increased soil erosion
Increased evaporation
Crop damage

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22
Q

How can pests affect agriculture?

A 
Predators
Compete for resources
Pathogens
Carry pathogens
Reduce marketability
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23
Q

What is crop rotation?

A

Rotating crops so pests have to cultivate a different area each year

24
Q

What are companion crops?

A

Crops that are grown together to increase productivity

25
Q

What are the different ways of growing companion crops?

A

Nutrient supply
Barrier crops
Pest attraction
Support of pollinators

26
Q

What are 2 types of pest control?

A

Sterile Male

Pheromone traps

27
Q

What are sterile male techniques?

A

Sterilising the male so species can reproduce

28
Q

What is a pheromone trap?

A

Release artificial scent to show pests are present or to kill off a gender of that particular pest

29
Q

What are the properties of chemical pesticides?

A 
Toxicity
Specificity
Persistence
Solubility in water/lipids
Contact action
Systemic actions
30
Q

What are the principles of integrated control?

A

Use of cultural techniques which makes the growth of the environment less suitable for pests
Use of cultural techniques that prevents build-up of pests
Cultivating species and varieties
Use of appropriate non-pesticide techniques
Use of pesticides when essential

31
Q

How can pollinators services be aided?

A

Provision of food supply
Restricting the use of pesticides that harm pollinators
Introduction of bee hives

32
Q

What do detritivores and decomposers do?

A

Increase nutrient availability through the breakdown of organic matter

33
Q

How can population be controlled?

A

Optimum livestock/crop density

Monocultures

34
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of asexual reproduction in plants?

A

Same characteristics so are predictable

No genetic variation for can’t be improved

35
Q

What are the advantages of cloning animals?

A

Valuable animals that die can be replaced
Herds that are culled during disease can be replaced
Large numbers of individuals with desirable characteristics can be produced

36
Q

What are two improved breeding techniques?

A

Artificial insemination

Embryo transfer

37
Q

What is GM?

A

Genetic modification - addition of one characteristic into an organism

38
Q

What is an example of genetic engineering?

A

The gene for omega 3 has been transferred into rapeseed oil to ensure that people get enough omega 3

39
Q

What are the 2 advantages of GM?

A

Individual desirable characteristics can be introduced

Genes that wouldn’t normally be introduced can be

40
Q

What are the 6 disadvantages of GM?

A

Can increase food allergies
Migration of genes from GM crops to conventional plants
Transfer through the food chain
Genes provide resistance to antibiotics
Increased costs to farmers
COncerns in LEDCs that GM crops will reduce the local indigenous crop diversity

41
Q

What is intensive agriculture?

A

Optimising yields by concentrating inputs over a small area

42
Q

What is extensive farming?

A

Optimising yields by spreading the inputs over a large area

43
Q

What are energy subsidies?

A

In an agricultural system is any input that aids productivity but requires the use of energy

44
Q

What are some examples of energy subsidies?

A 
Manufacture of nitrate fertilisers
Manufacture of pesticides
Irrigation of water
Fuel for machinery
Manufacture of machinery
Heat for drying grains
Processing of food for consumers
Transport of food
45
Q

What are energy ratios?

A

A measure of efficiency by comparing energy inputs and then expressing them as a number of units of food energy produced.

46
Q

What are food conversion ratios?

A

A measure of the mass of food needed to produce a given mass of livestock.

47
Q

What is control of food chain energy losses?

A

An understanding of energy flow in food chains can help in developing more efficient ways of using farmland.

48
Q

What are the habitat impacts of agriculture?

A

Drainage
Nutrient enrichment
Reduced biodiversity

49
Q

What are the introduced species impacts on agriculture?

A

Introduced pests

Biological control species

50
Q

What are the pollution impacts on agriculture?

A 
Pesticides
Nutrient pollution
Nitrate toxicity
Climate change
Embodied energy
51
Q

What changes are there in the hydrological cycle?

A

Irrigation water depends on the source
Soil erosion caused by agriculture can reduce the effects of soil
Soil compaction can increase runoff rates
Agriculture changes evapotranspiration rates

52
Q

What are the social factors that affect agriculture?

A 
Cultural factors
Religious factors
Ethical issues
- Local food/food miles
- Seasonal food
- Free-range livestock
- Organic food
- Fairtrade food
53
Q

What technology is available?

A 
Machinery and equipment for processed
Pesticides
Fertilisers
Genetic improvements
Support infrastructure
54
Q

What are the economic and political influences on agriculture?

A

Food aid
Grants
Guaranteed market
Food surpluses

55
Q

How can food supplies be reduced?

A 
Quotas
Farm diversification
Alternative crops and livestock
Set-aside
Agri-environmental schemes
56
Q

What strategies are used to increase sustainable agriculture?

A 
Cultural pest control
Increased use of natural processes to supply nutrients
Reduced use of artificial fertilisers
Conservation of habitats
Cultivation of low water use crops
Low tillage farming
Cultivation of rice varieties
Retain natural and semi-natural ecosystems

Environmental science (14 decks)

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