Module 7 Quiz

According to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, a well-designed____ can reduce synthetic pesticide use and pest control costs by 50-65%, without reducing crop yields and food quality. A. natural predator habitat restoration program B. integrated pest management program C. organic farm D. crop rotation program E. polyculture farm

B

An agricultural method known as ____ relies on solar energy and natural fertilizers to grow multiple species in a single plot. A. high-input agriculture B. polyculture C. minimum tillage agriculture D. plantation agriculture E. traditional intensive agriculture

B

Compared to synthetic pesticides, the use of natural biological pest controls is ____. A. more costly B. nontoxic C. dangerously unpredictable D. not very effective E. faster

B

If plants with similar root depths were planted in a field, then: ____. A. The plants would have to include multiple different species in order to grow B. They would compete for nutrients and water and grow less well than if plants with varying root depths were used C. They would be able to absorb nutrients and water with maximum efficiency D. They would be unable to grow at all E. Their roots would become tangled, but they would grow about the same as if plants with varying root depths were used

B

Most soil erosion is caused by ____. A. farming B. flowing water C. human activities D. strong winds ze. climate change

B

One drawback to integrated pest management is that it ____. A. only applies to certain regions of the world B. is complex and takes more time compared to pesticides C. cannot manage most pests D. does not have a proven track record E. leads to genetic resistance among pests

B

The world's 40,000 known species of spiders ____. A. have to be controlled in order for integrated pest management to work properly B. kill far more crop-eating insects every year than humans do by using chemicals C. kill more livestock with poisonous bites than any other threat D. provide important food for birds that control caterpillar populations E. are a threat not only to livestock, but also to rural farmers because they nest in sheds where equipment is stored and later retrieved

B

What is the type of agriculture most likely to be found in developing countries? A. High-input agriculture B. Traditional subsistence agriculture C. Industrialized agriculture D. Minimum-tillage agriculture E. Maximum-tillage agriculture

B

Why did malaria control efforts in Malaysia once lead to cats being parachuted into affected areas? A. Cats help to consume mosquitoes, lowering their populations. B. As pesticides made their way through the food chain, cats died and rats that transmitted sylvatic plague increased in numbers. C. Cats were needed to help consume rats that were consuming roofs of houses after a rat population explosion due to unexpected consequences of pesticide use. D. As pesticides affected agricultural crops as well as pests, residents needed other sources of food. E. Cats were needed to keep aid workers company.

B

In less-developed nations, one example of a crop typically grown in monocultures for export using plantation agriculture is ____.. A. rice B. trees C. palm oil D. wheat E. mangoes

C

What is the primary goal of an integrated pest management program (IPM)? A. To increase inputs of fertilizer and irrigation water B. To increase the development of disease-resistant pests C. To reduce crop damage to an economically tolerable level D. To increase pesticide use E. To decrease yields and increase costs

C

What is the type of agriculture most likely to be found in developed countries? A. Maximum-tillage agriculture B. Plantation agriculture C. Industrialized agriculture D. Minimum-tillage agriculture E. Traditional agriculture

C

What process can lead to desertification? A. Terraced crop arrangements B. Crop rotation C. Severe and prolonged drought D. Polyculture farming E. Conservation tillage

C

Why is it less sustainable to eat grain-fed beef compared to other meats, such as poultry and plant-fed farmed fish? A. Red meat causes heart disease. B. Cows need to be raised in high densities in feed lots, resulting in substantial environmental damage to the surrounding areas. C. It takes more grain per pound of body weight to produce grain-fed beef than other meats. D. Cows have more fat per unit body weight than other animals. E. Cows produce more methane than other herbivores.

C

How can irrigation lead to salinization of soils? A. Water associated with irrigation flows through the soil. B. Wells for water are drilled too near the ocean coastlines. C. Irrigation water is treated with dissolved salts that then lead to oversaturation. D. Water associated with irrigation contains small amounts of dissolved salts, and evaporation leaves behind increasing concentrations of these salts. E. Irrigation is primarily accomplished through the use of abundant seawater, which contains high concentrations of salts.

D

Overnutrition is a result of ____. A. consuming too many calories, regardless of weight or activity level B. consuming too much rich and high-fat food, regardless of weight and energy expenditure C. being too active, regardless of calorie intake D. consuming too many calories relative to energy expenditures, leading to vastly increased weight E. consuming too few calories, regardless of activity level and weight

D

The practice of raising animals for food in high densities in feed lots can lead to ____. A. a reduction in soil erosion, resulting in more sustainable food production B. less available land for feeding overall C. a reduction in overgrazing, resulting in more sustainable food production D. an increase of the risk of human infection by bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics E. reduced feed requirements for the animals, meaning that it takes less energy to produce each pound of meat

D

The term chronic malnutrition refers to people who ____. A. eat too much protein B. produce insufficient hormones for metabolic functioning C. are vegetarians D. suffer from lack of protein and other key nutrients E. eat too much

D

What is a major cause of soil salinization? A. Too little irrigation on crops grown in dry climates B. Using seawater to water crops C. Desertification D. Repeated irrigation in dry climates E. Continual application of fertilizers that contain salt compounds

D

What proportion of food products sold on U.S. supermarket shelves contains some form of genetically engineered crop? A. Almost none, with just a few examples B. Approximately half C. Almost all food with only a few exceptions D. At least 80% but not 100% E. About 10% (less than half)

D

Why do our economic systems promote unsustainable forms of industrialized agriculture? A. They are extremely effective in cutting costs. B. They are so successful at providing healthy food to our populations. C. They are major job providers. D. The harmful environmental and health costs of food production are not reflected in market prices. E. The food production is efficient enough to justify the negative consequences.

D

Monoculture is a method of growing food that is characteristic of ____. A. traditional subsistence agriculture B. polyculture C. both industrialized agriculture and traditional intensive agriculture D. traditional intensive agriculture E. industrialized agriculture

E

Proponents of pesticides claim that they provide some advantages, primarily by ____. A. promoting genetic resistance B. reducing expenses for farmers over the long term time as pest levels consistently decrease C. reducing the risk of erosion associated with agriculture D. reducing pollution E. saving human lives by reducing the transmission of disease

E

What agricultural practice is least beneficial in trying to reduce crop-eating insect damage? A. Genetic engineering of crops B. Bringing in natural enemies C. Planting polycultures D. Rotating crops E. Planting monocultures

E

What is the root cause of food insecurity? A. Poor organization B. Insufficient food resources C. Climate change D. Political disputes E. Poverty

E

An important type of food-producing system that is the most rapidly increasing type in use in the world is ____. A. aquaculture B. organic foods C. feedlots D. genetic engineering E. cash crops

A

For good health and protection against disease, people need fairly large amounts of certain food components (such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) called ____. A. macronutrients B. vitamins C. nutrients D. micronutrients E. organics

A

Insects are important as a sustainable source of ______ . A. protein, fiber, healthy fats, and other nutrients B. fiber only C. protein only D. fats, both healthy and unhealthy E. grains and carbohydrates

A

One concern about the use of pesticides is that ____. A. residues can be associated with the development of cancer B. they are not available in sufficient quantities to meet the demand for their use C. their effects are relatively slow compared with other approaches D. their use is not regulated E. they are more expensive than other approaches in both the short and long term

A

The Environmental Working Group estimates that you could reduce your pesticide intake by up to 90% by eating only 100% organic ____. A. fruits and vegetables from the foods that they call the "dirty dozen" B. polyculture grains produced using sustainable practices C. beef from non-feed lots D. complex carbohydrates E. meats and dairy from non-industrial agriculture

A

Topsoil has an important effect on the earth's climate because ____. A. organisms store CO2 and remove it from the atmosphere B. oxygen and water vapor bond to the soil C. it can undergo erosion D. nitrogen gas is converted to ammonia by the soil particles E. it purifies water that runs through it

A

What is an important concern about the increasing use of aquaculture? A. It may lead to reduced biodiversity in wild fish populations that are harvested to feed farmed fish. B. It may cause shortages of grain and other foods used to feed the farmed fish. C. It may lead to over-reliance on farmed fish for food. D. It may lead to increased fish consumption when other forms of meat production are much more sustainable and healthier. E. It may increase problems associated with overfishing of large predatory fish, such as tuna.

A

What would likely be found on an organic farm? A. Feed that contains no antibiotics B. Synthetic pesticides C. Synthetic fertilizers D. Genetically engineered seeds E. Feed additives

A