Quiz 7: Soils, Agriculture & Biotech

Question 1

Decomposers and detritivores break down organic material to help form topsoil. Which layer of soil contains the decomposers and detritivores that aid this process?

Answer 1

A horizon

Question 2

soil erosion in grasslands is a direct result of

Answer 2

plant loss and soil compaction

Question 3

The breakdown of large rocks into smaller pieces is ________

Answer 3

affected by rainfall, freezing, and thawing (weathering)

Question 4

define humus

Answer 4

organic soil component that holds soil moisture and enhances soil fertility

Question 5

grasslands provide what ecosystem services

Answer 5

carbon sequestration, soil formation, nutrient cycling, and wildlife habitats

Question 6

Rearing meat or dairy animals in confined spaces, maximizing the number of animals that can be grown in a small area is referred to as a

Answer 6

concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO)

Question 7

For most Canadians, factory farms and feedlots are their source for their meat produce. All of the following are negative impacts from factory farms and feedlots

Answer 7

greenhouse gas emissions, feeding grain, overuse of antibiotics, water pollution

Question 8

In monoculture farming, farmers usually choose crops which

Answer 8

have the highest market demand

Question 9

All of the following are negative consequences associated with confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) except

Answer 9

Cattle CAFO operations cause soil salinization, as cows drink so much water

Question 10

genetic diversity decreases in which type of farming

Answer 10

monocultural

Question 11

Which factor(s) contribute(s) to the emergence of pesticide-resistant crop pest populations

Answer 11

the ability of individuals within a pest population to survive pesticide exposure and reproduce

Question 12

Which of the following would not be a sustainable agriculture method to reduce soil erosion - strip cropping, cover cropping, reduced tillage, contour farming, terrace farming

Answer 12

strip cropping

Question 13

What are possible results of growing crops in marginal soils?

Answer 13

cultural eutrophication, lower yields, dependence on fertilizer, increased greenhouse gas release

Question 14

Characteristic features of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) include what?

Answer 14

Animals are generally not permitted to roam free

Question 15

What was introduced with the Green Revolution?

Answer 15

sophisticated irrigation systems, synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, high-yield variety crops, chemical pesticides

Question 16

Environmental issues caused by industrial farming techniques include what

Answer 16

eutrophication, formation of a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, reliance on synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, heavy use of pesticides

Question 17

What is/are a known problem associated with industrial agriculture?

Answer 17

water pollution, the disappearance of local, small, family-owned farms, greenhouse gas emission, pesticide-resistant pests

Question 18

T or F: livestock feedlots (or CAFOs) contribute to soil degradation

Answer 18

false

Question 19

monocultures result in reduction of

Answer 19

agricultural biodiversity

Question 20

Green Revolution techniques have increased crop yields but may not be

Answer 20

sustainable

Question 21

modern industrial agricultural methods focus on

Answer 21

considerable resources on a single crop or monoculture

Question 22

Why are some people supportive of low-tech farming methods over industrial agricultural methods?

Answer 22

Low-tech farming methods are typically less harmful to the environment

Question 23

an example of a non sustainable farming technique is

Answer 23

intensive irrigation

Question 24

________ is the driving force behind gene revolution

Answer 24

genetic engineering

Question 25

a(n) ________ organism is one that contains genes from another species

Answer 25

transgenic

Question 26

In making a transgenic organism, what is typically the role of the bacterium?

Answer 26

Bacteria are used to transport the desired gene into the target organism.

Question 27

________ is a term that describes misleading claims about the healthiness of organic foods.

Answer 27

greenwashing

Question 28

define sustainable agriculture

Answer 28

A farming method that does not deplete resources, such as soil and water, faster than they are replaced

Question 29

________ is farming without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemical additives

Answer 29

organic agriculture

Question 30

organic agriculture is a ________ farming method

Answer 30

sustainable