farming

Question 1

why were farmers encouraged to cultivate more land?

Answer 1

maximise food crop yield

Question 2

how can the removal of hedgerows to make larger fields help farmers?

Answer 2

can use larger machinery to plough the soil and harvest crop

Question 3

how can the removal of hedgerows to make larger fields affect biodiversity?

Answer 3

reduces biodiversity

removing breeding sites, feeding sites and wildlife ‘corridors’

allow animals to move from one area to another

Question 4

what is monoculture?

Answer 4

single crops are grown in large fields

Question 5

how can monoculture affect biodiversity?

Answer 5

only provides one habitat

reducing the number of different microhabitats that would be available in an area with mixed crops

Question 6

how can monoculture reduce the concentrations of nutrients in the soil and increase the use of inorganic fertilisers?

Answer 6

roots grow to same length

extract the same minerals from the same depth of soil

Question 7

what is overgrazing?

Answer 7

plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time

Question 8

what negative impacts does overgrazing lead to?

Answer 8

soil erosion
desertification

Question 9

how can the hooves of cattle affect grazing?

Answer 9

compact soil

drive out air and prevent water drainage

roots cannot penetrate the soil and grass for grazing cannot grow