Food Production Flashcards
Describe the impact of human population on food production
An increasing population requires an increasing food yield
What are fertilisers?
Fertilisers can help increase the food yield as they provide chemicals such as nitrates which increase crop yield
What is pesticide?
Pesticides can increase crop yield, by killing unwanted animals and plants that would reduce crop yield
How do plants use and obtain nitrates?
Nitrates are dissolved in the soil and absorbed by the plants through the roots
Plants use nitrates to produce amino acids which are used to make proteins
How do animals obtain amino acids?
Animals consume plants or other animals to gain the amino acids needed for photosynthesis
Describe the relationship between nitrates and fertilisers
Fertilisers can be added to the soil to increase the nitrate concentration
Describe the impact on biodiversity when fertilisers leach into fresh water
-Fertilisers sprayed on crops leach into rivers and streams adding unwanted nitrates
-The fertiliser greatly increases the growth of algae in the water causing algal blooms
-Algal blooms on the surface reduce light levels meaning plants can’t photosynthesis so they die
-The dead plants and algae become food for the bacteria which greatly increase in number
-The bacteria use up large quantities of oxygen which means there is less for the other organisms living in the fresh water causing them to die
-This causes a decrease in biodiversity
What is the impact of genetically modified crops?
The use of genetically modified crops can reduce the use of fertilisers and pesticides
What impact do pesticides have on organisms within a food chain?
Pesticides sprayed onto crops can accumulate into the bodies of organisms over time. As they are passed along the food chain, the toxicity increases and can reach lethal levels
What is bioaccumulation?
The build up of toxic substances living in organisms
How does bioaccumulation work?
As the pesticides are passed along the food chain by eating the toxicity levels increase. This is because as you go along the food chain the organisms become larger and eat more from the level
What is biological control?
Biological control involves the use of natural predators to manage pest populations reducing the reliance on chemical pesticides
How do GM crops help in food production?
Genetically modified crops are engineered to have specific traits such as pest resistance or increased nutrient levels, which can decrease the necessity for chemical fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture
