Human Impacts - Food Security Flashcards
1
Q
Food security is influenced by a number of factors
A
- Food production
- Human population
- Socio-economic
- Political
2
Q
Examples of specific socio-economic factors leading to food insecurity in households
A
- Household size (overpopulation)
- Food prices
- Fuel prices
- Unemployment
- Exchange rates
3
Q
Effects of food insecurity
A
- Hunger
- Malnutrition
- Child health
4
Q
Negative factors for food production
A
- Climate change
- Poor farming practices
- Exotic plant species
- Poor crop gene pools
- Wastage
5
Q
Climate events exacerbated (made worse) by climate change leading to food insecurity
A
- Drought
- Floods
- Intense weather events e.g. hail
6
Q
Monoculture
A
- Modern farming techniques
- Large areas planted with one crop
- Commercial farms
7
Q
Advantages of monoculture
A
- Low labour
- High yields
8
Q
Risk of monoculture
A
Vulnerable to pests
9
Q
Pest control used typically by commercial farmers
A
Synthetic pesticides
10
Q
Possible effects of pesticides
A
- Kill pests
- Leach into waterways
- Kill natural predators of pests
- More pesticides needed
- Crops can fail
11
Q
Alternatives to pesticides
A
- Avoid monoculture
- Use natural pesticides
- Encourage natural predators
- Plant companion crops
- “Organic farming”
12
Q
Farming practice leading to most intense soil erosion
A
Grazing livestock
13
Q
Two types of soil erosion resulting in loss of topsoil
A
- Sheet erosion
- Gully formation
14
Q
Main method crop yields increased by commercial farmers
A
Synthetic fertilisers
15
Q
Main chemical ingredients in fertilisers
A
- Nitrates
- Phosphates
