enviroment and population Flashcards
Malnutrition
Lack of nutrition from your diet
Caused by a low income, difficulty obtaining food, unbalanced diet which results in undernourishment or over nourishment
Global trends in food production
Global crop production is increasing- tripled
50% of the worlds arable land may be unusable by 2050
Pre WW2 farmers controlled food supply-Post WW2 intensification of farming
Global trends on food consumption
On average people are consuming more calories in every continent
In the USA and Canada 2.5% of the population are over nourished
In Mexico and the Caribbean 2.5% -10% of the population are undernourished
HICS have access to 4000 calories a day
Some LICS have access to only 180 calories a day
Chinas consumption has increased by 1000 in the past 50 years
USA- 4000 calories
Chad- 2000 calories
Millenium development goal 1
SDG aims for 0 hunger by 2030
(SDG 1 aimed to half the proportion of hungry people by 2015)
1 in 9 still suffer from chronic undernourishment
What are agricultural systems inputs
Name 4 examples
Physical, human and economic factors determining the type of farming in an area
Eg. Climatic factors, farming machinery, fertiliser, pesticides, seeds, livestock, labour, soil, location
What are agricultural system processes
Name 4 examples
Farming methods, what is carried out to turn the inputs into outputs
Eg. Farming machinery,planting seeds, tending to livestock(pastoral farming),collecting produce, breeding, tending to land and harvesting (arable farming),
What are an agricultural systems useful outputs
Name 4 examples
Products that can be used or profited from
Eg. Animal produce(milk)produce that isn’t edible(cotton,silk), food crops(cereal, wheat)
What are agricultural systems feedback
example
Outputs that are put back into a farm
Eg. Fertiliser/waste, profits from selling goods
What are agricultural system losses
Example
Products that cannot be put back into the system or profited from and unused inputs
Eg. Unused water/food,produce destroyed by natural disasters or animals
What is agricultural productivity and what factors effect it
The ratio of useful agricultural outputs to agricultural inputs
A measure of efficiency
Climate,soils and the type of farming will effect productivity
What is yield
A measure of agricultural output per unit area of land
High agricultural productivity vs low agricultural productivity
High productivity means achieving a high yield through low input
Low productivity means achieving a low yield through high input
What is Arable farming
The farming of cereal and root crops on flat land with high quality soils- commercial or subsistence
Eg. Slash and burn shifting cultivation in Latin America
. U.K. potato farming
What is pastoral farming
The production of both crops-subsistent commercial
Eg. Herding of goats,sheep,cattle and camels in west Africa
. Sustainable beef cattle ranching in Argentina,South America
What is mixed farming
The production of both crops and livestock-typically commercial
Eg. Mixed farming in fife
What is Intensive farming
High investment farming(labour, machinery, greenhouses, irrigation) With high agricultural productivity and yield
Eg. Fruit,flower and vegetable farming in south west England and Netherlands
What is commercial farming
Typically involves farmers and agribusiness maximising profits by specialising in single crops or raising one type of animal
Eg. Grain cultivation in Canada, North America
. Tea plantation in East Africa
. Cattle ranching in South America
What is Extensive farming
Low inputs of labour, machinery and capitol on large areas of land that produces low yield
Eg. Hill sheep farming in upland regions in the U.K.
What is subsistent farming
The direct production of food to feed the family of community involved
Eg. Nomadic pastoralism in West Africa
. Slash and burn shifting cultivation in Asia, Africa and Latin America
How does soil influence agricultural productivity
Soil quality is the fundamental to agricultural productivity as the depth, texture, structure, mineral content, ph, capacity to retain water and vulnerability to leeching will effect crop production
Eg. In the U.K. potatoe crops fail if the soil pH is below 4
How does relief influence agricultural productivity
Altitude, angle of slopes and aspect can effect crop production
Eg. Upper limit of 300m for hay and potato slopes more than 11 degrees becomes impractical for safe ploughing
How does climate influence agricultural productivity
Temperature dictates the length of growing season
Precipitation determines the water supply and the seasonal distribution of rainfall is very important for agriculture
(Eg. failed monsoon in south east Asia or a drought in Africa’s Sahel could result in famine)
Wind can restrict the cultivation of grain crops however they can also be beneficial
(Eg. Warm winds melt snow on the North American prairies extend the length of growing season
How will climate change effect precipitation’s impact on agriculture
Changes in precipitation will cause drought or flooding
If climate change triggers less predictable weather conditions and variation in precipitation traditional rice production will have to change as it is water and labour intensive
How will climate changes effects on temperatures impact agriculture
Warmer, wetter weather causes thawing of ice and glacial retreat. It can also change wildlife migration patterns which will effect the indigenous populations
Northern high latitude have been increasing up to 1 degree per decade for 30years
How will climate changes effects on soils impact agriculture
Droughts caused soil to be cracked so seeds can’t be planted
Floods will cause leeching(rain removing nutrients from soil) meaning plants can’t get the nutrients needed
Changes in temperature causes changes in soils ph
Limited fertile soils cause competitions or land
How will climate change change pests, insects, and plant diseases impact on agriculture
Warmer climates lead to a geographical shit of pests and diseases which will harmfully effect livestock and crops that haven’t been effected by the diseases
What is soil
The dark/brown thin surface layer of the earth in which plants grow made of organic remains,rock particles,minerals,liquids, gases and organisms
What are zonal soils
Zonal soils are one of three types of soils. They are developed for a long time so they show characteristics of the climate/biome where they are found. The typos types are podzol and tropical red latosol
What is food security
Food security is the availability of nutritious foods on a daily basis. This includes the economic and physical access, the utilisation and stability.
What are the strategies to ensure food security
First green revolution The gene revolution Growth of crops wild relatives Economic growth Improved agricultural productivity Expansion of social protection
Expansion of social protection
Aims to help poor and vulnerable people cope with crisis by finding jobs investing in health and education as well as protecting the ageing population.
150 million people worldwide are prevented from falling into extreme poverty
Reduces poverty and inequality
Helps accomplish a complementary goal
But it can be mismanaged by owners
Improved agricultural productivity
Improving training, farming equipment and high yielding varieties.
Equipment makes it easier to grow crops
Economic growth
Trading agreement to and blocks
Trade increases food imports which increases food security
Gene revolution +
Genetically modified crops
Eg . Maya people (,éxito)used to cultivate wild grass in teosinte over thousands of tears to produce maize.
E.G. US soy, cotton, and maize crops
GM crops are banned in some African countries
First green revolution
mid 20th century
Increased food security by increasing the use of machines, pesticides and fertilizers to increase agricultural productivity
Caused an increase in calorie intake in Lics
Can cause salinization
UK, Italy, Philippines, Mexico, India
Growth of crops wild relatives +
Increases disease resistance
Chronic food security vs transitional food insecurity vs seasonal food insecurity
Chronic= long term persistent condition of food insecurity (6months+)
Transitional= short term temporary. Can be caused by season of drought or conflict
Seasonal=a condition of food security that reoccurs predictably
polar tundra distribution
- 71.2 degrees North and 156 degrees West
- close to the North Pole and Artic circle
- Covers 20% of the Earth
tropical monsoon distribution
- 5 degrees North and South of the equator
- West and central Africa
- South and South east Asia
- Central South America and Central America
polar tundra climatic characteristics
- average temperature: –28 degrees Celsius
- temperatures can fall to -70 degrees Celsius
- temperatures can rise to 12 degrees Celsius in summer months
- cold deserts: annual precipitation less than 250mm
- strong icy winds
- summers: several weeks of continuous daylight: sun shines 24 hours a day
- summer between May and September
tropical monsoon climatic characteristics
- average temperatures of 25 degrees Celsius in cool seasons
- average temperatures as high as 32 degrees Celsius in hot seasons
- smaller range in temperature: 7 degrees Celsius
- seasonal reversal of winds: onshore during one season and offshore during other season
- heavy rainfall when winds are onshore on the mainland
- rains throughout the year
- hot wet season: July to October
- cool dry season: November to February
- average precipitation is 1500mm but this varies
polar tundra vegetative characteristics
- barren little vegetation: trees cannot grow due to permafrost short summers and seasonal waterlogging
- majority of soil is permafrost
- growing season is 50-60 days long
- thin soils are relatively fertile
- only low growing plants can be supported: shrubs, mosses, heaths: cotton grass and cushion plants
tropical monsoon vegetative characteristics
- abundant plant growth
- tree heights vary between 12m and 30m
- 4 strata layers
polar tundra wildlife characteristics
Animals adapt in ways to keep themselves warm and find food
- polar bears: white appearance, thick fur, a small surface are to volume ratio, greasy coat to help with swimming, large feet
- Artic fox: thick insulating coat, camouflage (winter fox is white, in spring and summer the fox is brown or grey), small pointed and directional ears to prevent heat loss and make it easier to hunt prey
tropical monsoon wildlife characteristics
Animals adapt to life in the trees and heavy foliage
-adaptations include bright colours and sharp patterns, loud vocalisations and fruit diets
- Jaguars
- orangutans
- sloths
human activities in polar tundra
- indigenous people have been using resources in polar tundra regions sustainably for years by hunting only what is necessary for 20,000 years
- this way of life and culture is under threat from large scale developments
- mining: mines opened for resources like gold and diamonds
- oil rigs: drilled into the sea
In Alaska oil is exported from Prudhoe Bay oil fields in raised pipes above ground to the ice free port of Valdez
- Tourism: holiday/ski resorts
- snowmobiling, visiting reindeer farms and reindeer sledding, viewing polar lights, husky safaris, fishing/ice fishing, boat tours and whale-watching.
- illegal hunting: threatening the numbers of certain species, eg whales.
- gas extraction: Arctic already supplies the world with roughly 10 per cent of its oil and 25 per cent of its natural gas
- estimated to hold 22 per cent of the Earth’s undiscovered oil and natural gas reserves
human activities in tropical monsoon
- farming: relies on the wet summer months to grow crops
- variations in rainfall will impact agriculture and the economy
- 2009 little rain fell during summer in the Indian monsoon: farm animals starved and crops were sold for a fraction of the normal costs as farmers grew desperate
- 2008 cyclone in Myanmar destroyed 2008/2009 harvests
- rice growing: example: rice paddies on Irrawaddy delta in Myanmar
- wheat, rice, vegetables, cotton, tea sold
- more land is used for crops in India than any other country (215 million acres
- animal rearing
- coastal fishing: strong winds can prevent this during the summer in south Asia reducing income
- hydropower: monsoon rain can be harnessed for power
- 25% of India’s electricity comes from hydropower
- water purification systems: these can become contaminated during floods with diseases like cholera
6 impacts of human activity on the polar tundra
- air pollution: artic clouds are very sensitive to air pollution
- impacts clouds formation
- has a blackening effect
- black carbon from diesel engines, fires and other combustion can settle on snow
- decreases ability to reflect sunlight: causes faster melting
- chemicals used in coolants and aerosols sprays have caused ozone depletion at the poles: lets in stronger ultraviolet rays
- toxic mercury sent into atmosphere due to industrial activity
- industrial activity: drilling wells can thaw permafrost, heavy vehicles and construction can damage soil, increased risk from toxic spills
- Seismic testing for oil and gas operations in the 1980s left tracks on the tundra that are still visible decades later.
- Russian mining giant admits pumping wastewater into Arctic tundra
- 6,000 cubic metres of liquid used to process minerals at the facility had been dumped, and that the discharge had lasted “several hours
- invasive and migrating species
- snow geese have learned to feed on farmlands rather than in the wild on their migration routes: increasing populations: threatened to degrade their tundra nesting sites
impacts of human activity on the tropical monsoon
- deforestation
- Large-scale deforestation could cause monsoon rains to shift south, cutting rainfall in India by nearly a fifth, scientists say.
- release of Carbon Dioxide causing temperature increase in areas
- cutting of mangroves in bay of Bengal
- threats to wildlife: poaching
- 216 leopards. 40 tigers. 43 rhinos. 100 elephants. Innumerable birds and reptiles have been illegally hunted in India in the last 18 months
- increasing rainfall
- For every degree Celsius of warming, monsoon rainfalls will likely increase by about 5%,
- too much rainfall during other growing states can harm plants — including rice on which the majority of India’s population is depending for sustenance
- Vietnam, 2016: reduced rainfall as a result of intensified La Niña conditions, induced by climate change, caused 2,000,000 people to experience water insecurity, with 600,000 hectares of crops being affected and damaged, triggering a humanitarian crisis.
- 51 animals have been reported dead, with four rhinos drowned in the flooded Kaziranga National Park in India
- 80 percent of the park underwater following the recent monsoon rains,
impacts of climate change on the polar tundra
- invasive and migrating species due to increasing temperature
- red foxes are moving up north towards tundra and competing with the artic fox for food and territory
- increasing number of parasites damaging food sources: impact artic natives like caribou
- shrubs and wolf spiders are thriving
- melting sea ice: destroys habitat
- 80 percent of sea ice volume (thickness) and much of the old multiyear ice have melted.
- When the sea ice melts, the bears remain trapped on land, and must survive on reserves of fat. This results in weaker bears with high mortality of offspring.
impacts of climate change on the tropical monsoon
-increasing rainfall
- For every degree Celsius of warming, monsoon rainfalls will likely increase by about 5%,
- too much rainfall during other growing states can harm plants — including rice on which the majority of India’s population is depending for sustenance
- Vietnam, 2016: reduced rainfall as a result of intensified La Niña conditions, induced by climate change, caused 2,000,000 people to experience water insecurity, with 600,000 hectares of crops being affected and damaged, triggering a humanitarian crisis.
- 51 animals have been reported dead, with four rhinos drowned in the flooded Kaziranga National Park in India
- 80 percent of the park underwater following the recent monsoon rains,
