unit 3 KA1 - food supply, plant growth, and productivity Flashcards
what is meant by food security
the ability of human populations to access food of sufficient quality and quantity
what is meant by access to food
people must have economic means to obtain the available food
what is meant by food quantity
sufficient food must be available at all times
what is meant by food quality
food is sufficiently nutritious and varied to provide a balanced diet
why has there been demand for increased food production
the increase in the human population and concern for food security leads to a demand for increased food production
what should food production be
- sustainable
- not degrade the natural resources on which agriculture depends
what does agricultural production depend on
the factors that control photosynthesis and plant growth.
what are plant crop examples
cereals, potato, roots and legumes
what are factors that control plant growth
- breeding of higher yielding cultivars
- use of fertilister
- protecting crops from pests with pesticides
- protecting crops from diseases and competition with herbicides and fungicides
is the area to grow crops infinite or is it limited
the area to grow crops is limited
what is all food production unltimately dependent on
photosynthesis
what do breeders seek to develop
they seek to develop crops with higher nutritional values, resistence to pests and diseases, physical characteristics suited to rearing and harvesting as well as those that can thrive in particular environmental conditions
which produce less food per unit area - livestock produce or crop plants? why?
livestock produce due to the loss of energy between trophic levels
when is livestock production often possible
in the habitats that are unsuitable for growing crops
how is energy lost in a food chain
movement, heat, faeces