Impacts of agriculture

Question 1

name the 6 ways agriculture impacts habitats

Answer 1

1. habitat clearance
2. drainage of wetlands
3. genetic contamination
4. soil degradation/erosion
5. reduced biodiversity
6. ploughing of grasslands

Question 2

issues with habitat clearance (3)

Answer 2

1. soil erosion (no roots)
2. decrease biodiversity/niches
3. decrease OM = reduced nutrients of soil

Question 3

why are wetlands drained? (2)

Answer 3

1. increase agricultural land (productivity)

2. produce aerobic soils

Question 4

issue with draining wetlands?

Answer 4

species supported by the wetland may not survive changes

Question 5

issues with ploughing grasslands? (2)

Answer 5

1. loss of habitat + it’s species (reduce biodiversity)

2. removes roots = increase erosion

Question 6

farming replaces ______ community of species with ones that have few species or even a __________.

Answer 6

diverse, monoculture

Question 7

how does farming reduce biodiversity? (3)

Answer 7

1. native species predated by biological control/culling
2. less variety of food/niches
3. native species may not survive new conditions

Question 8

what is genetic contamination? (agriculture)

Answer 8

pollen/seeds from crops contaminates wild gene pools and vice versa

Question 9

name an issue with a pest resistant GM crop contaminates the wild gene pool

Answer 9

could outcompete wild varieties leading to reduction in biodiversity

Question 10

name 3 ways that farming increases erosion

Answer 10

1. crops harvested at the same time (soil exposed)
2. no OM from crop residue to bind soil
3. clearing of habitat (loss of roots/OM)

Question 11

farming could cause soil _________ due to lack of _______, using toxic chems from pesticides and ______ of livestock

Answer 11

degradation, nutrients, overgrazing

Question 12

what is the issue with erosion and water?

Answer 12

sedimentation in H2O, increase turbidity = reduces photo. + O2

Question 13

what is the term which describes how arable land becomes infertile?

Answer 13

desertification

Question 14

name the 3 main pollutants of farming

Answer 14

1. Greenhouse gases
2. pesticides
3. nutrients

Question 15

2 issues with pesticides

Answer 15

1. kill non-target species (so disrupt interspecies relationships i.e. reduction in pollination)
2. can bioaccumulate/biomagnify

Question 16

if nitrates go into waterways it can be toxic to humans. It can lead to …. (2)

Answer 16

blue baby syndrome and cancer

Question 17

organic nutrients encourage bacterial growth. What is the issue of this in H2O?

Answer 17

use up O2 (respiration), leads to deoxygenation

Question 18

leaching of inorganic ions can lead to….

Answer 18

eutrophication

Question 19

name the 2 types of farming that releases methane

Answer 19

1. cattle farming

2. rice in padi fields

Question 20

name 2 things in farming that releases CO2

Answer 20

1. ploughing of soils

2. energy subsidies

Question 21

name 2 things in farming that increases NOx

Answer 21

1. denitrification of nitrate from fertilisers

2. livestock manure

Question 22

name the 3 changes to the hydrological cycle

Answer 22

1. unsustainable irrigation
2. changes to evapotranspiration
3. runoff/drainage

Question 23

what are the 2 impacts of unsustainable irrigation?

Answer 23

1. reduce flow rate downstream = increase conc. of pollutants
2. if from aquifer, lower H2O table = saltwater incursion

Question 24

what are the impact of changes to evapotranspiration? = an example

Answer 24

could increase/decrease rate depending on previous ecosystem i.e. reduced if was previously forest

Question 25

what 2 things increase runoff?

Answer 25

1. soil compaction (machinery) | 2. less vegetation, less interception

Question 26

what are the 4 aspects consumers use to chose their food?

Answer 26

1. social factors 2. cultural factors 3. religious factors 4. ethical factors

Question 27

give 3 positive social impacts of agriculture

Answer 27

1. provides direct/indirect jobs 2. food security 3. food supports pop./health

Question 28

why is there an uneven distribution of food?

Answer 28

global trade controlled by multinational corporations, land controlled by them

Question 29

give 2 reasons why cash crops are bad?

Answer 29

1. fewer crops for domestic market = famine/refugees | 2. replaces subsistence farming = less labour, fewer jobs

Question 30

define cash crop

Answer 30

a crop produced for its commercial value rather than for use by the grower

Question 31

give a cultural reason why a consumer may not buy a certain food

Answer 31

may not eat certain animals as it's deemed culturally wrong i.e. horsemeat, sharks

Question 32

give a religious factor why a consumer may not buy a certain food

Answer 32

may avoid certain foods as it violates their religious laws i.e. jews don't eat pork

Question 33

give 5 ethical factors why a consumer may not buy a certain food

Answer 33

1. food miles 2. based on how it is processed/treated/transported 3. seasonal food 4. choosing free-range livestock 5. choosing fair trade food

Question 34

what are food miles?

Answer 34

the distance food is transported from producer to consumer and the amount of greenhouse gases produced

Question 35

why might a consumer choose fair trade food?

Answer 35

farmers get a fair wage and afford basic human rights like food

Question 36

why might a consumer choose free range livestock?

Answer 36

may view the conditions of intensive farming to be cruel

Question 37

why might a consumer choose seasonal food?

Answer 37

reduces environmental impact as not grown in artificial season + not transported far

Question 38

describe how MEDCs protect their farmers from farmers in LEDCs in 6 steps

Answer 38

1. subsidy = reduces cost of production 2. farmers in MEDCs get large subsidies 3. produce food artificially cheaply 4. food prices lower than should be 5. farmers in LEDCs can't produce it as cheaply 6. kept in poverty by the subsidies

Question 39

what was the Marshall Plan?

Answer 39

set up to deal with food shortages and aid economic recovery in Europe after WW2

Question 40

how do grants increase productivity? (2)

Answer 40

1. allow farmers to purchase machinery | 2. remove hedgerows to increase field size

Question 41

how are guaranteed market prices set up?

Answer 41

1. if surplus of harvest, government by some harvest off farmers 2. food stored (cheese/grain) or destroyed (fruit/veg) 3. = artificial market shortage

Question 42

what happens if there is a bad harvest in MEDCs?

Answer 42

stored food sold from previous surplus = prevent price rises

Question 43

what are the 2 goals of guaranteed prices?

Answer 43

1. increase food production | 2. market stability

Question 44

explain a farming quota and give an example

Answer 44

farmers given limits on how much they can produce i.e. milk quota in 1980s to curb milk production

Question 45

name the 3 ways to reduce food surplus

Answer 45

1. set asides 2. farm diversification 3. agri-environmental schemes

Question 46

describe set asides

Answer 46

farmers paid for not using their land for farming (land has to be available if there were any food shortages in the future)

Question 47

explain farm diversification and give 3 examples

Answer 47

focus on new products + non-food production activities | i.e. farm shop, petting zoo, alpacas

Question 48

explain agri-environmental schemes

Answer 48

schemes that increase farmers income if they farm in a way that benefits the environment

Question 49

give 3 things farmers could do for the agri environmental schemes

Answer 49

1. beetle banks 2. nesting sites 3. hedgerows

Question 50

name 2 agri environmental schemes

Answer 50

Countryside Stewardship Scheme | Environmentally Sensitive Areas