Food Systems 3 Flashcards
What is Monoculture?
The agricultural practice of growing a single crop over a large area, which increases efficiency but can lead to soil depletion and vulnerability to pests.
What is Polyculture?
Growing multiple crops in the same space, mimicking biodiversity and improving ecosystem resilience.
What is Subsistence Farming?
Small-scale farming that produces just enough food for a family or local community.
What is Commercial Agriculture?
Large-scale farming aimed at producing crops and livestock for sale in markets.
What is Hydroponics?
A method of growing plants without soil, using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent.
What is Aquaponics?
A sustainable food production system combining aquaculture with hydroponics.
What is Arable Land?
Land suitable for growing crops.
What is Soil Fertility?
The ability of soil to sustain agricultural plant growth, providing plant habitat and resulting in sustained, consistent yields of high-quality crops.
What is Salinization?
The accumulation of salts in soil, often due to irrigation, which can reduce soil fertility.
What is Desertification?
The degradation of arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid lands, often due to deforestation and overgrazing.
What is the Green Revolution?
A period of agricultural advancement in the mid-20th century marked by the introduction of high-yield crop varieties, chemical fertilizers, and modern irrigation techniques.
What is Sustainable Agriculture?
Farming practices that meet current food needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
What is Agroforestry?
Integrating trees and shrubs into crop and livestock systems for ecological and economic benefits.
What is Crop Rotation?
The practice of growing different types of crops in the same area in sequenced seasons to improve soil health and reduce pests.
What is Food Security?
Access by all people at all times to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for an active and healthy life.
What is Malnutrition?
A condition resulting from a diet lacking in essential nutrients or sufficient calories.
What are Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)?
Organisms whose genetic material has been altered for improved agricultural performance.
What is Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?
An ecological approach to pest control that combines biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools.
What is Bioaccumulation?
The accumulation of substances, such as pesticides, in an organism over time.
What is Biological Control?
The use of natural predators or pathogens to control pest populations.
What are Food Miles?
The distance food travels from production to consumer, impacting its carbon footprint.
What are Agricultural Subsidies?
Government financial support to farmers to stabilize food prices and encourage agricultural production.
What is Urban Agriculture?
Growing food within city limits to increase access to fresh produce and reduce food deserts.
What is a Food Desert?
Areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food.
What is Irrigation Efficiency?
The ratio of water beneficially used by crops to the total water applied.
What is Drip Irrigation?
A method of delivering water directly to the base of plants to minimize evaporation and maximize efficiency.
What is a Water Footprint?
The amount of water used to produce each product, including food items.
What is the Tragedy of the Commons?
A situation in which individuals use a shared resource unsustainably, leading to its depletion.
What is environmental justice?
The fair treatment of all people regardless of race or income with respect to environmental laws and policies.
What are constructed wetlands?
Constructed wetlands are shallow retention ponds that clean water of soils and agricultural chemicals, while also providing wildlife habitat and flood protection.
What are retention ponds?
Retention ponds are holding ponds for surface or drainpipe runoff, reducing flood risks and improving water quality.
What are grass buffer strips?
Grass buffer strips are narrow plots of grass grown in vulnerable areas to catch runoff and reduce soil erosion, though they remove land from crop production.
What is no-till agriculture?
No-till agriculture is a method of growing crops without plowing or digging the soil, reducing erosion but requiring special equipment and techniques.
What is meat production in modern agriculture?
Meat production often involves keeping livestock in large confinements to efficiently meet their needs, maximize growth, and control costs.
What is crop yield?
Crop yield is the amount of food, such as grain or hay, produced in a given field.
What is manure, and how is it used in agriculture?
Manure is animal waste used as a fertilizer. It is less efficient to apply evenly than synthetic fertilizers and can contribute to runoff pollution.
What are organic fertilizers?
Organic fertilizers are derived from animals, plants, or microbes rather than factories. They are more time-intensive to use but are a natural alternative to synthetic options.
What are synthetic fertilizers?
Synthetic fertilizers are energy-intensive chemicals produced in factories that increase crop yields when applied to fields.
What role do legumes play in farming?
Legumes, like soybeans and alfalfa, are used to enrich soil through a mutualistic partnership with nitrogen-fixing microbes in root nodules, often rotated with other crops like corn.
What is abiotic fixation in the nitrogen cycle?
Abiotic fixation occurs when high-energy events like lightning or cosmic radiation combine nitrogen (N₂) with oxygen to form nitrogen oxides (NO and NO₂), which fall to Earth as nitric acid (HNO₃) in rain.
