Unit 2 - AOS 2 - Conventional & Organic Monoculture

Question 1

Conventional monoculture

Answer 1

Involved growing only one type of crop at a time on a specific feild.

Question 2

Example of an impact of conventional monoculture

Answer 2

Increased rates of bees becoming infected with parasites as they come in contact with each other.
(higher amounts of bees coming in contact with each other)

Question 3

What is purpose of synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides in conventional monoculture farming?

Answer 3

Phosphorus (Flower booster)
- Encourage water intake
- Responsible for fruit and flowers
- Efficiently uses sunlight and nutrients

Nitrogen(Leaf maker)
- Producing green pigments
- Growth of leaves and stem
- Production of new cells and enzymes

Potassium(Root maker)
- Encourages root growth
- Critical for photosynthesis -
- Makes roots stronger and spread

Question 4

How can synthetic fertilizers lead to eutrophication?

Answer 4

Eutrophication causes dead zones (too many nutrients)

-> If synthetic fertilizers are used (have high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus) and run off occurs into a body of water.

Question 5

Tilling definition

Answer 5

“The mechanical manipulation of soil with tools to create ideal conditions for seed germination, seedling establishment and crop growth.”

Question 6

Difference between pesticide, fungicide, and herbicide.

Answer 6

• Pesticide: encompasses all kinds of chemical ,biological agents or disinfectants that get rid of pests.
• Fungicide: Is used to kill the fungi that grow on crops, fruits, or plants.
• Herbicide: targets weeds or other unwanted plants.

Question 7

GMO? benefit in conventional monoculture?

Answer 7

Genetically Modified Organisms
= “any organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques”

Benefits: They change the plants so that they can resist against different diseases.

Question 8

Organic monoculture definition

Answer 8

“Is the production system that sustains health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects.”

Growing one crop using natural resources to farm sustainably, and technique aims no have no waste.

Question 9

Fertilizers used in organic monoculture.

Answer 9

• Manure from livestock (rich in phosphorus and water)
• Chemical free fertilizers (reduces risks for consumers, cheaper, circular economy)
• Food Scraps (composted, insulate soil -> also can be fed to worm farm)

Question 10

Organic Farming Strategy - COVER CROP

Answer 10

“Plant grown to protect the soil from erosion”

• Helps maintain nutrients in soil instead of them be washed away
• Increases soil microbial activity, holding of water.

Question 11

Organic Farming Startegy - NO TILL FARMING

Answer 11

“Planting seeds without breaking up the soil”

Question 12

Organic Farming Strategy - CROP ROTATION

Answer 12

“Growing different crops on the same field each year”

• Reduces exhausting nutrients from the soils with single crop growth

Question 13

Pest management - organic monoculture

Answer 13

Grow or introduce organisms that eat pests

Means healthier plants.

Question 14

Weed management - organic monoculture

Answer 14

Planting to cover the soil or increased shade precents access for weeds to grow.

Question 15

Advantages of conventional monoculture

Answer 15

• Cheap compared to conventional farming of a variety of crops
• Faster grow time
• Greater crop yield

Question 16

Disadvantages of conventional monoculture

Answer 16

• High cost of inputs (fertilizers and pesticides)
• Pesticides kill undesired and desired organisms - limits the effect of pollinators and reduced biodiversity
• Pesticides kill microorganisms which help sequester carbon and fix nitrogen in the soil.
• Crops are more vulnerable to pathogens (diseases) due to low genetic diversity of crop

Question 17

Advantages of organic monoculture

Answer 17

• Sustainable - support biodiversity
• Circular economy - there is no waste
• Helps trap carbon which reverses climate change effects
• Soil is better at trapping water -> land more protected from drought
• Soil has more roots in it helping protect against heavy rainfall
• Protected from pathogens due to high genetic diversity of crop
• Less inputs

Question 18

Disadvantages of organic monoculture

Answer 18

• Labour intensive
• Lower yield
• Slow growing time

Question 19

Ways aboriginals completed farming and agricultural practices

Answer 19

• Left bottoms of vegetables in the ground for regrowth
• Used the bottoms of lakes to grow crops
• Maintained the quality of the soil through strategic planting of species in different areas
• Fish traps man made through use of rocks - at different heights to accommodate for water levels.
• Didn’t clear land and used already clear land or other areas for agriculture
• Thye conserved food sources (flour etc. )

Question 20

Ways Europeans completed farming and agricultural practices

Answer 20

• Clear land to make room for cattle or agriculture
• Repeated planning the same species on the same area, negatively effecting the nutrients in the soil
• Using pesticides and fertilizers due to the decreased nutrients in the soil; impacting the environment.