Lec 17: Human Impacts - Agriculture Flashcards
When did humans start producing food?
12 000 years ago
What are the two ways domestication can occur?
1) Breeder’s approach (breeding is controlled)
2) Controlled Natural Selection (environment is controlled)
What traits can be selected for in animals?
- tameness
- retention of child-like traits
- production
- resistance to stress
- ability to survive food not in natural diet
Which traits are selected for today in plants?
uniformity
herbicide resistance
high yield
what are GMOS
genetic material of organisms is modified
How have antibiotics and pesticides affected evolution?
antibiotic-resistant and pesticide-resistant genes are spreading
What are ways agriculture has changed the planet?
- ecosystem displacement
- ecosystem fragmentation
- source of nitrous oxide, methane, and CO2 (greenhouse gases)
- shifts in animal biomass (more livestock than wild mammals)
- eutrophication
- bioaccumulation of pesticides, kills organisms higher up the food chain
- erosion
- depletes fresh water
How was agriculture changed human society?
- sedenterization
- labor intensity
- mechanization
How has agriculture changed our bodies?
- decline in oral and general health
- shorter, smaller jaw, spread of zoonotic diseases
How will climate change affect nutrients in our food?
There will be a lower ratio of nutrients to carbs in our food
