Food Supply, Plant Growth and Productivity Flashcards
What does the increase in human population and concern for food security lead to?
A demand for increased food production
Name two things that food production should be?
Sustainable
Not degrade the natural resources on which agriculture depends
Describe food security
The ability of human populations to access food of sufficient quality and quantity
What is all food production ultimately dependent upon?
Photosynthesis
Give examples of plant crops
Cereals
Potatoes
Roots
Legumes
Agricultural production depends on factors that control?
Photosynthesis and plant growth
Area to grow crops is?
Limited
Food production depends on factors that control plant growth. Such as?
Breeding of higher yielding cultivars
Use of fertiliser
Protecting crops from pests
Diseases and competition
Breeders seek to develop crops with…
Higher nutritional values
Resistance to pests and diseases
Physical characteristics suited to rearing and harvesting
Those that can thrive in particular environmental conditions
Why do livestock produce less food per unit area than plant crops?
Due to loss of energy between trophic levels
Where is livestock production often possible?
In habitats unsuitable for growing crops
What does photosynthesis trap, and what does it produce?
Photosynthesis traps light energy to produce carbohydrates
How do photosynthetic pigments work?
Absorb, reflected or transmit the light
