week 9 Flashcards
what is agriculture
crop and livestock production, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry for food and non-food products
when was the first agricultural revolution?
10,000y BP
what was the first agricultural revolution
this was the period transitioning out of the ice age where farming land become more available and livestock were increasing in abundance
how is agriculture similar to a food chain
in the sense that it follows the second law of thermodynamics (entropy). Energy is transferred from lvl to lvl but the overall quality in degraded as you move up the food chain.
the maximum useable energy per gram is found lower on the food chain
how does agriculture impact GHG
today, mass amounts of vegetation are cleared to create more farm land. this means learning trees, which in turn release ALOT of CO2.
the maintenance of farm animals also contributes vast amounts of CO2 and CH4
what did the second industrial revolution encompass.
the integration of no-till farming
Wheeless plough
enclosure
what is no-till farming
a practice of growing crops without disturbing the soil through tillage
what is meant by enclosed farming
the practice of sectioning off farm land to private owners. generally, the land was treated better. this method becomes popular during the industrial revolution.
when was the second agricultural revolution
17-19th C
what and when was the third agricultural revolution
19-50-1960, known as the green revolution
the years when the agricultural yield increased exponentially to feed a growing human population
introduction for GMO for increased crop yield
what kinds of practices were exercised during the green revolution
growing high yield cereal crops
use of chemical fertilizers
expansion of irrigation infrastructure
mechanized cultivation
what are some criticisms of the green revolution
crop monoculture weakening ecosystems
increased fertilizer use
lower quality crops
not all countries benefited equally
loss of traditional plants
there has not been a growth in the yield size since then.
what are the gaols of organic farming
protect the environ
maintain soil fertility and prevent degradation
painting biodiversity within the system
recycle materials
care for products in cush a way that promote health of customers and livestock
rely on renewable resources
what does organic farming avoid
the growth of GMO products, synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, sewage, processing aids and ionizing reagents
what is the overall trend of farm area
total farm area has remained stable, though the number of operators are decreasing. this means that there is a decline in small farming operators.
