Food Production Flashcards
What is food security?
Food security is having enough food to feed a population.
What factors affect food security?
Biological factors affecting food security include an increasing birth rate changing diets in developed countries new pests and pathogens weather changes cost of agricultural inputs and conflicts/war.
How does an increasing birth rate affect food security?
An increasing birth rate increases the demand for food which may outstrip the supply of available resources.
How do changing diets in developed countries affect food security?
Changing diets in developed countries often mean that food resources are transported to other countries limiting availability for other populations.
What impact do new pests and pathogens have on food security?
New pests and pathogens damage crops and livestock which can reduce the availability of food.
How do weather changes affect food security?
Weather changes such as droughts can reduce the amount of water available for crop growth affecting food production.
How does the cost of agricultural inputs affect food security?
High costs of agricultural inputs such as seeds fertilizers and machinery can make it more difficult to produce enough food.
How do conflicts and war affect food security?
Conflicts and war can disrupt food and water availability making it harder for populations to access sufficient food.
How do farming techniques improve food production?
Limiting animal movement and keeping them indoors reduces energy expenditure allowing more energy to be invested in growth.
What is the benefit of feeding animals high-protein foods?
High-protein foods increase the growth rate of animals leading to a higher food supply for humans.
What are the ethical concerns of modern farming techniques?
Modern farming techniques can be cruel to animals reducing their quality of life.
How do greenhouses increase crop yield?
Greenhouses provide warmer temperatures and controlled light carbon dioxide and moisture which increase crop yield.
How do polythene tunnels benefit crop production?
Polythene tunnels protect crops from wind rain and extreme temperatures helping to increase yield.
How do fertilizers affect crop production?
Fertilizers add essential nutrients like nitrogen phosphorus and potassium to the soil boosting crop yields but potentially causing eutrophication.
What are the disadvantages of pesticides and herbicides?
Pesticides and herbicides are toxic and indiscriminate killing both pests and beneficial organisms and some pests and weeds can develop resistance to them.
What is biological control?
Biological control involves introducing a predator to reduce the number of pests but this can sometimes lead to unintended consequences such as the predator population becoming unbalanced.
How is yeast used in food production?
Yeast respires anaerobically converting glucose into ethanol and carbon dioxide which is used in the production of alcoholic drinks and to make bread rise.
What is fermentation?
Fermentation is the anaerobic process where yeast converts glucose into ethanol and carbon dioxide important for making alcoholic drinks and bread.
What is Lactobacillus used for in food production?
Lactobacillus bacteria are used to make yoghurt by converting lactose into lactic acid which helps preserve the yoghurt and gives it a thicker texture.
How do industrial fermenters support large-scale microorganism production?
Industrial fermenters provide a controlled environment with regulated oxygen temperature nutrients and pH to grow microorganisms like Lactobacillus and yeast.
What is Fusarium venenatum used for?
Fusarium venenatum is a microorganism used as a meat substitute in Quorn products.
How is E. coli used in biotechnology?
E. coli is genetically engineered to produce human insulin for medical use.
How does fish farming help food production?
Fish farming is a more sustainable way to produce fish reducing the impact of overfishing and protecting marine ecosystems.
What are the benefits of fish farming?
Fish farming is more sustainable reduces bycatch and allows quicker production of fish compared to wild fishing.
