Food Security Flashcards
What are the regions of the planet which are completely suited to agriculture?
South America, North America, Europe, Asia and Africa
Why are many regions around the world not suitable for agriculture?
Poor climate and soil fertility and slope of land
Where does most of the world’s food come from and why?
Asia and Africa as they have good soils and climate
Which biome is most commonly used to grow food and crops?
Grassland biome
What are the environmental factors that influence decision on a farm?
Sunlight, soil, rainfall, temperature, slope of land and wind
What are the human factors the influence decisions on a farm?
Markets, technology, experience and finance
Why is soil important?
Because it is fundamental for life, is a medium for plant growth, is a filtration system for water, provides habitats for water and stores carbon
What is weathering?
The breaking down of rock, soil and minerals
What is soil made up of?
Air, broken down rock and organic matter
What is desertification?
The transformation of fertile soil into infertile soil
What is soil degradation caused by?
Loss of nutrients, erosion, deforestation, leaching and increasing salinity
What are food miles?
The distance and time food takes to travel from where it was grown to where it is sold
Which biome is a good climatic zone for agriculture and why?
Temperate forest because it has a good variety of climate and amount of rainfall
What are some examples of bad climatic zones for agriculture?
Desert, polar and mountainous
What often determines what is grown in a given location?
Climate
What do farmers in Australia use to overcome the lack of good climate?
Technology
What do Australian farmers use to irrigate their crops instead of relying on natural rainfall?
Water from dams and rivers
Describe how market influences decisions on a farm?
Farmers who grow food for profit have to be able to sell it, plus the market can determine which crops a farmer chooses to plant
Describe how technology influences decisions on a farm?
New technologies such as irrigation systems and breeds of crops allow crops to spread into new areas
Describe how experience influences decisions on a farm?
Farmers often specialise in growing a certain crop or raising a certain animal, leading to a great deal of expertise in this certain area
Describe how finance influences decisions on a farm?
Many farmers do not have the financial resources to buy machines and hire labour, thus they must rely on physical labour
Describe how sunlight influences the decisions on a farm?
Places near to the equator receive more sunlight than places closer to the poles, influencing the length of the growing seasons
Describe how soil influences the decisions on a farm?
Plants need certain minerals and trace elements to grow and they take these from the soil
Describe how rainfall influences the decisions on a farm?
The amount of rainfall that plants need differs, but all plants need rainfall to survive
