food production TOPIC 7 (paper 2) Flashcards
what is meant by the term ‘food security’
sufficient food to feed human population
what can significant food shortage lead to
famine
what can famine be cause by
- droughts
- crop failure
- increases cost of farming
- new pathogens / pests
- government policies
- armed conflict
- natural disaster
give the biological factors that can affect food security
- increasing birth rate = more food needed
- changing diets = deprives locals of own food
- new pest and pathogens = food not appropiate to eat
- environmental changes (drought)
- high cost of agriculture = machines, seeds, fertiliser
- conflict
what is the main aim of farming in todays society
- increase yields
- reduce damage to the environment
who owns most farms nowadays
large businesses rather than farming families
what is the purposee of agriculture today
- growing crops for humans anad livestock
- growing crops for fuel
- raising animals to be killed for food
- rainign animals to product other food protducts (milkd, cheese, eggs)
what is meant by the term ‘sustainable food production’
producing enough food to support the human population without using resources faster than they can be renewed and replaced
how much biomass on avarage is transfered per trophic level
10%
what is intensive farming
an industial scale of agriculture, resulting in maximum yield
what does intensive farming require in its process (what does it include)
- large scale machinery
- chemicla fertilisers
- chemical pesticides
- use of antibiotics
- removal of hedgerows to create a larger field
what are the overall disadvantages of intensive farming for the environment
- bioaccumulation of chemicals within the food chain
- decreased biodiversity as a result of habitat destruction
what are the different types of intensive farming
- intensive arable farming (land)
- intensive fish farming
- intensive dairy farming
- intensive poultry farming (chicken)
give some benefits and disadvantages for intensive fish farming
- ensures demand is met (they cant escape)
- reduces cost to buy therefore makes fish more accessable
- not environmentally friendly ~ lots of waste
- diseases spread easily
give some benefits and disadvantages for traditional fishing
- more sustainable
- employment
- diseases spread slower
- capture of other animals = unwanted death
- nets = pollution
give some benefits and disadvantages for intensive cow farming
- higher productivity
- lower production costs
- increases meat and milk supply
- lang degragation
- lots of methane emissions
- antibiotic resistance
give some benefits and disadvantages for free-range cow farming
- improved animal welfare
- solid fertility and reduced pollution
- better meat and dairy quality
- lower productivity
- more land needed
- higher labour and management costs
give some benefits and disadvantages for intensive poultry farming
- more productive
- economic growth
- ethical issues ~ poor conditions
- large amounts of waste, polluted water
give some benefits and disadvantages for free-range poultry farming
- improved life for chicken
- improved quality of meat & eggs
- higher costs ~ land, maintainence
- more monitoring needed
- lower yield
explain what is meant by the term ‘sustainable fishing’
the overall fish population does not decrease over time because of the way the fish are kept or caught
what are the methods being used to reduce the number of fish being caught in the north sea
- reduce times fishermen are allowed to fish
- reducing total number of boats allowed to work in an area
- limiting the number of boats that can fish a particular fish
- banning fishing in spawning season
- introducing quotas
- specifying maximum and minium fish mesh sizes
what is Mycroprotein
a high-protein, high-fibre meat substitute
what is the name of the fungus which mycroprotein is made from
fusarium
what is mycroprotein made from
the fungus called Fusarium
how is mycroprotein grown
- fungus is grown in 40m high fermenters which run in 5 week cycles
- after cycle, the fungus is harvested, purified, dried and prepared for food products
- fermenter is sterilised and cycle repeats
what are the nutritional benefits of mycroprotein
- 14% of plant biomass is useful to humans
- high-protein, high-fibre
- suitable for vegans and vegitarians
what conditions do the mycroprotein fermenters need
- pH and temperature are constantly monitored and adjusted
- water jacket controls the temp
- sterile oxygen is input = respire aerobically
- glucose syrup is the food source for fungus
give a genetically modified plant
golden rice
which vitamin does golden rice contain and what is its effect
vitamin A - promotes good eyesite ~ a vitamin A deficiency can lead to blindness
what are some disadvantages of golden rice
- level of beta-carotene in golden rice may not be enough to prevent blindness
- hard to control ~ may spread to other plants
- may be harmful to human health
- epensive and not affordable for all countries where it benefits most
what is meant by the term genetic engineering
the transfer of genes for a desired characteristic into another organism artificially
