Unit 5

Question 1

Green Revolution

Answer 1

A period of increased agricultural productivity due to high-yield crops, synthetic fertilizers, and mechanization.

Question 2

Monoculture

Answer 2

Growing a single crop over a large area; leads to soil nutrient depletion and increased vulnerability to pests.

Question 3

CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation)

Answer 3

A large-scale industrial livestock farm where animals are kept in high density and produce significant waste.

Question 4

Eutrophication

Answer 4

Excess nutrients lead to algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and fish kills.

Question 5

Genetic Engineering (GE)

Answer 5

Directly modifying an organism’s DNA, unlike traditional selective breeding.

Question 5

Right-to-Farm Laws

Answer 5

Protect farms from nuisance lawsuits but also make it difficult to regulate CAFOs.

Question 6

Golden Rice

Answer 6

A genetically modified rice variety engineered to contain vitamin A to combat malnutrition.

Question 7

Bycatch

Answer 7

The unintentional capture of non-target species in fishing methods like trawling.

Question 7

Sustainable Agriculture

Answer 7

Farming practices that protect the environment, such as crop rotation and no-till farming.

Question 8

Overfishing

Answer 8

Depletion of fish populations due to excessive harvesting.

Question 8

Aquaculture

Answer 8

The farming of fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants in controlled environments.

Question 9

Kelp Farming

Answer 9

Absorbs excess nutrients, reduces ocean acidification, and provides habitat.

Question 10

Piscine Reovirus (PRV)

Answer 10

A virus that affects salmon’s heart function, making them weaker.

Question 11

Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus (ISAV)

Answer 11

A highly contagious virus that is lethal to salmon populations.

Question 12

Purse Seining

Answer 12

A fishing method that uses a large net to encircle schools of fish.

Question 12

Bottom Trawling

Answer 12

Dragging nets along the seafloor, leading to habitat destruction and high bycatch.

Question 13

Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs)

Answer 13

Designated areas for sustainable fish farming to reduce pressure on wild stocks.

Question 14

Pre-Spawn Mortality in Salmon

Answer 14

Prevents salmon from reproducing, disrupting ecosystem balance.

Question 15

Air Pollutants from CAFOs

Answer 15

Major pollutants from CAFOs include ammonia and methane.

Question 16

Antibiotic Resistance

Answer 16

Overuse of antibiotics in livestock can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, posing health risks.

Question 17

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Answer 17

A sustainable approach to pest control that minimizes pesticide use by incorporating biological, physical, and chemical methods.

Question 18

Cover Crops

Answer 18

Crops planted to protect and enrich soil, preventing erosion and improving fertility.

Question 19

No-Till Farming

Answer 19

Reduces soil erosion and improves water retention by avoiding plowing.

Question 20

Bioaccumulation & Biomagnification

Answer 20

Bioaccumulation: Toxin buildup in an individual organism. Biomagnification: Increasing toxin concentration up the food chain.

Question 21

DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)

Answer 21

Previously used pesticide banned due to environmental impact (e.g., thinning bird eggshells).

Question 22

Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)

Answer 22

The maximum amount of a resource that can be harvested without depleting the population.

Question 22

Bycatch Reduction Methods

Answer 22

Fishing techniques that help reduce bycatch, such as pole and line fishing and turtle excluder devices (TEDs).

Question 23

Artificial Selection

Answer 23

Humans breed plants and animals for specific traits, leading to domesticated crops and livestock.

Question 23

Tragedy of the Commons

Answer 23

A situation where individuals overuse shared resources, leading to depletion.

Question 23

Ocean Acidification

Answer 23

Excess CO₂ dissolves in seawater, lowering pH and harming marine life.

Question 24

Selective Breeding vs. Genetic Engineering

Answer 24

Selective Breeding: Choosing parent organisms over generations. Genetic Engineering: Directly modifying DNA.

Question 24

Dead Zones

Answer 24

Nutrient pollution leads to oxygen depletion, creating uninhabitable water zones.

Question 25

Precautionary Principle

Answer 25

If an action or policy might cause harm, precautionary measures should be taken even if scientific proof is incomplete.

Question 25

Zoonotic Diseases

Answer 25

Diseases that jump from animals to humans (e.g., swine flu). CAFOs increase risk due to high animal density.

Question 26

Fishery Collapse

Answer 26

When a fish population drops below 10% of its historic levels due to overfishing.