Chapter 14

Question 1

agricultural biodiversity

Answer 1

the variety and variability of plants, animals, and microorganisms that are used directly or indirectly for food and agriculture

Question 2

agricultural landscapes

Answer 2

a landscape resulting from the interactions between farming activities and a location’s natural environment

Question 3

agroecosystem

Answer 3

an ecosystem modified for agricultural use

Question 4

aquifers

Answer 4

layers of sand, gravel, and rocks that contain and can release a usable amount of water

Question 5

biodiversity

Answer 5

the variety of organisms living in a location

Question 6

biotechnology

Answer 6

the science of altering living organisms, often through genetic manipulation, to create new products for specific purposes, such as crops that resits certain pests

Question 7

debt-for-nature-swaps

Answer 7

agreement between a bank and a peripheral country in which the bank forgives a portion of the country’s debt in exchange for local investment and conservation measures

Question 8

deforestation

Answer 8

loss of forested land

Question 9

desertification

Answer 9

a form of land degradation that occurs when soil deteriorates to a desert like condition

Question 10

economy of scale

Answer 10

cost reductions that occur when production rises

Question 11

food deserts

Answer 11

area where residents lack access to healthy, nutritious foods because stores selling these foods are too far away.

Question 12

food insecurity

Answer 12

the disruption of food intake or eating patterns because of poor access to food

Question 13

food security

Answer 13

reliable access to safe and nutritious food that can support an active and healthy lifestyle

Question 14

precision agriculture

Answer 14

a farming management concept that uses technology to apply inputs with pinpoint accuracy to specific parts of fields to maximize crop yields, reduce waste, and preserve the environment

Question 15

reservoirs

Answer 15

artificial lake used to store water

Question 16

salinization

Answer 16

the process by which water-soluble salts build up in the soil, which limits the ability of crops to absorb water

Question 17

suburbanization

Answer 17

the shifting of population away from cities into surrounding suburbs

Question 18

terracing

Answer 18

the process of carving parts of a hill or mountainside into small, level growing plots (terrace farming)

Question 19

wetlands

Answer 19

area of land that is covered by water or saturated by water