Food Production

Question 1

How to increase food yield

Answer 1

The use of fertilisers and pesticides

Question 2

Fertilisers

Answer 2

These provide chemicals such as nitrates which increase crop yield.

The nitrates are dissolved in soil water and are absorbed into plants

Question 3

Why do plants need nitrogen

Answer 3

Nitrates produce amino acids which are synthesised into plant proteins.

Animals consume plants or other animals to obtain amino acids for protein synthesis

Question 4

What are fertilisers

Answer 4

Ferrules can be added to soul to I craae the nitrate content of the soil

However these can leach into fresh water adding extra unwanted nitrates

Question 5

What is it called when fertilisers leach into fresh water

Answer 5

Algal bloom

Question 6

Genetically modified crops

Answer 6

These can be used to reduce the use of fertilisers

This involves putting the gene from one species into another to gain beneficial characteristics

Question 7

Pesticides

Answer 7

Plants and animals which can reduce crop yield chain be killed by pesticides

Pesticides are sprayed onto crops

Question 8

Bioaccumulation

Answer 8

Pesticides sprayed onto crops accumulate in the body of organisms over time

As they pass through food chains the toxicity increase and Allan reach lethal levels

The build up of toxic substances in living organisms is know as bioaccumulation

Question 9

Alternatives to pesticides

Answer 9

• GM crops
  -biological control

Question 10

Biological control

Answer 10

-using the natural predator of the pest to reduce numbers

-not just an animal specificity predator