FRQ's 3

QUESTION 6 inputs

Family Labor Irrigation Water Seeds, plants, and roots used to grow crops

QUESTION 6 Processes

Irrigation system Crop Rotation Working Animals

QUESTION 6 Describe two ways in which the farming system has been developed in response to variations in the local environment.

1. By using crop rotation to grow different plants during different seasons. 2. The farmers have sectioned off the farm because they know some crops grow better on different topography's/ elevations.

QUESTION 6 Describe two soil conservation strategies being used in this farming system.

1. Crop rotation is being used to constantly have plants in the soil. When oneplant depletes the soil, another will be planted in its spot to replenish the depleted nutrients. Also, having plants in the ground year round means there will always be root systems in the ground to hold soil in place and prevent erosion. 2. Working animals are being used to effectively and cheaply produce fertilizer and also spread it. This will add organic nutrients back into the soil.

QUESTION 1 Describe two soil conservation practices that are designed to decrease soil erosion.

1. Crop rotation will prevent soil erosion because if plants are in the ground year round, there will always be complex root systems in the ground to hold soil in place and suck up excess water.

This farming system could be described as polyculture farming. Identify two STRENGTHS and two weaknesses of polyculture farming as compared to monoculture farming.

1. Crops can be growing year round, meaning there will be a constant flow of money. 2. Also, different plants means varying root lengths, so nutrients can be distributed to different levels, and roots can reach down deep and have access to aquifers.

QUESTION 3 Describe two viable strategies for reducing the amount of land needed for agriculture.

1. Instituting crop rotation could increase soil fertility which would increase yield/ growing season. 2. Aquaculture, or protein option from the water, could be used to feed livestock so farm land didn't have to go towards sustaining livestock.

QUESTION 2 A healthy soil ecosystem is of primary importance in sustainable agriculture. Describe two viable agricultural practices that farmers can use to maintain or improve soil quality.

1. You could practice crop rotation. Planting different crops in numerous growing seasons will lower herbicide / insecticide requirements and naturally add nutrients back into the soil. 2. Practicing mulching will decease water loss and increase water holding capacity.

QUESTION 6 This farming system could be described as polyculture farming. Identify two strengths and two WEAKNESSES of polyculture farming as compared to monoculture farming.

1. You need more equipment to harvest all the different kinds of plants, which means more money spent on purchasing them an up keeping them. 2. Also, there would be more labor required , and labor would be required year round, so you will always have to give a portion of your earnings to your laborers.

QUESTION 4 Calculate the pre capita eat production in 1950 and in 2000.

1950: 5.2 x 10tothe10 kg meat --------------------------------------- = 20 kg meat/ person 2.6 x 10tothe9 people 2000: 2.4 x 10tothe11 kg meat --------------------------------------- = 40kg meat/ person 6.0 x 10tothe9

QUESTION 2 Calculate the increase int eh area of land used for growing GM crops in developing countries from 1999 to 2003. Express your answer as a percentage of the 1999 value.

1999= 10 million hectares 2003= 20 million hectares 20-10= 10 million hectare increase. 10x10= 100% increase

QUESTION 2 Using the rate you calculated in part b, project the area of land that would have been expected to e used for GM crops in industrialized countries in 2004.

1999= 30 mil hectares 5 years x 10 hectars/ year = 50 mil hectares 2004= 80 mil hectares

QUESTION 2 Calculate the annual rate of increase in land area used for growing GM crops in industrialized countries from 1997 to 1999.

1999=30 mil hectares 1997=10 mil hectares 20 mil hectares/ 2 yrs= 10 mil hectares/ year

QUESTION 1 Describe two soil conservation practices that are designed to decrease soil erosion.

2. Having raparian zones will prevent erosion because it will prevent runoff fro getting into steams and it will prevent the streams from over flowing out of their paths and eroding your crops on the other side.

QUESTION 4 Use the values from part a to calculate the change in global per capita meat production during this 50 year period as a percentage of the 1950 value.

40 kg-20 kg --------------- x 100= 100% increase per capita meat 20 kg production since 1950.

QUESTION 2 Identify and describe one ENVIRONMENTAL advantage and one economic advantage of consuming locally grown produce.

A decrease in need for the transportation of food will lower fossil fuel consumption, greenhouse gas production, extraction impacts and possible oil spills.

QUESTION 4 Identify and explain one potential ADVANTAGE and one potential disadvantage for human health of a diet that contains very little meat.

Eating less fatty red meats decreases your chances of developing heart disease, high cholesterol, or having a heart attack.

QUESTION 5 Describe one law that exists in this country dealing with pesticides. Explain one reason the law came to exist.

FIFRA is a law that allows the EPA to regulate the distribution, sale, and use of pesticides in the US. It came to be because in the late 1940's there were many complaints from us citizens because they realized what they were eating wasn't regulated at all, and they knew DDT was harmful thanks to Rachel Carson.

QUESTION 6 Outputs

Fruits (Mangoes, jack fruit, coconut) Tobacco and Rice Vegetables, spices, sugarcane

QUESTION 2 Describe one economic advantage and one economic DISADVANTAGES of using GM crops.

GM plants have higher yields/ acre which will cause far superior soil depletion and therefore cost the farmer much more in mitigation or supplementing the soil with the nutrients that have been depleted.

QUESTION 2 Identify one likely cause for the difference between the projected land area for GM crops in industrialized countries in 2004 and the actual land area for GM crops in industrialized countries in 2004.

GM products faced public resistance towards perceived risks, due to increased awareness following the mandated labeling of GM products.

QUESTION 2 Describe one environmental ADVANTAGE and and one environmental disadvantage e of using GM crops.

GM products might show natural resistance to pests, therefore reducing the negative effects of fertilizer, which would no longer be needed.

QUESTION 2 Describe one economic ADVANTAGE and one economic disadvantage of using GM crops.

Genetically modified plants will have higher yields per acre, therefore bringing in more money per harvest, and will cost you much less on fertilizers or additives.

QUESTION 1 Identify one biome that is characterized by soil that is rich in humus. Describe how humus originated in these soils of this biome and two ways that humus improves soil conditions for plant growth.

Humus is rampant in Deciduous Forests, where plant and animal matte decomposes to form it. Humus helps improve soil by helping topsoil hold water, by increasing its water holding capacity, making water readily available to plants. Secondly, humus improves root growth, and healthy roots means healthy plants.

QUESTION 2 Describe one environmental advantage and and one environmental DISADVANTAGE of using GM crops.

If plants are insect resistant, they may harm beneficial insects such as monarch butterflies or bees. The pollen would become toxic to the mentioned insects, therefore killing them on contact.

QUESTION 4 Describe two environmental consequences of the increase in the production of meat for human consumption.

Increasing meat production could cause overgrazing or compaction of land which leads to desertification of a farm, increased erosion, or nutrient loss in the soil. Also, this would lead to increased methane gas production by livestock which contributes to climate change/ global warming.

QUESTION 1 Explain one advantage and one DISADVANTAGE to using inorganic commercial fertilizers.

It releases nitrous oxide and other greenhouse gases which contributes to global warming. Also after application runoff can cause the fertilizers to seep into groundwater and be distributed to humans, which is toxic for them to drink.

QUESTION 4 Identify and explain one potential advantage and one potential DISADVANTAGE for human health of a diet that contains very little meat.

It would be hard for you to get enough protein without eating red meat, and you may become vitamin deficient.

QUESTION 2 Identify and describe one environmental advantage and one ECONOMIC advantage of consuming locally grown produce.

Local produce puts the profit back into our local economy and supports local the local economy by providing jobs to community members.

QUESTION 1 Identify and describe one CHEMICAL soil test and one physical soil test that could be performed and explain how the results of these tests will allow the cooperative extension service to make specific recommendations for sustainable agriculture.

One chemical test that we could perform is a test of pH levels in the soil. The pH test will determine which plants can grow sustainably based on their compatibility with the pH levels.

QUESTION 1 Identify and describe one chemical soil test and one PHYSICAL soil test that could be performed and explain how the results of these tests will allow the cooperative extension service to make specific recommendations for sustainable agriculture.

One physical test we could perform would be a Water Holding Capacity Porosity test. Water holding capacity will determine whether or not you have to add addition types of soil such as sand or humus to affect moisture content and water holding capacity.

QUESTION 5 Explain where the pesticides in children's blood could come from? Describe two characteristics of chemical pesticides which makes its presence in children's blood problematic?

Pesticides can be found in childrens blood thanks to them inhaling the pesticides, swallowing them in contaminated water or food, absorbing it through their skin, or in some cases, moms passing them to their unborn children. One characteristic of pesticides that make it problematic is that they act as a nerve poison and can cause nerve or liver failure, birth defects, or cancer. Another characteristic is that the inert ingredients are way less regulated than the active ingredients, so you don't really know what is on your fruit or produce, etc. The inert ingredients can be very harmful to children's health.

QUESTION 5 Describe two benefits chemical pesticides have provided humans. What is one potential problem a farmer may develop using chemical fertilizer?

Pesticides increase food production by increasing yield per growing season. Also, due to higher yields, food costs will go down. If there is a high demand but a higher supply, the prices will be very reasonable. However, farmers who use chemical pesticides are much more likely than organic farmers to develop neurological diseases in their life time.

QUESTION 3 One problem that can result from agriculture is soil salinization. Describe how salinization occurs. Describe one method to prevent or remediate soil salinization.

Salization occurs when irrigation water evaporates, leaving behind the large salt particles that have been trapped in the soil. You could plant crops that remove salt from the soil, including: saltbrush, barley, or oats. Also, make sure you don't over irrigate if you live somewhere very warm.

QUESTION 3 Soil quality is a critical factor in agriculture. Identify two physical and/or chemical properties of soils and describe the role of each property in determining soil quality.

The pH level of soil has an important role in determining soil quality pH levels what types of plants can successfully survive there, and soils with higher pH can hold cation better (cations being potassium). Second, determining the particle size of soil would tell you the available oxygen the ability to hold nutrients, and the ability to hold water. Also, the aeration level determines how much oxygen would be available to plants' root systems.

QUESTION 4 Discuss why it is more efficient to produce grain for human consumption than to produce meat for human consumption. In your answer, consider both land use and energy use.

When raising grain for direct consumption by humans, all land can go o growing grain. However, if grain is used for meat production, then some land will have to go to housing and equipment storage for the livestock. Also, much more energy is required to grow the grain to feed the livestock, and also maintain the livestock waste and equipment and take care of the livestock's' health.

QUESTION 6 Discuss why it is more efficient to produce grain for human consumption than to produce meat for human consumption. In your answer, consider both land use and energy use.

When raising grain for direct consumption by humans, all land can go o growing grain. However, if grain is used for meat production, then some land will have to go to housing and equipment storage for the livestock. Also, much more energy is required to grow the grain to feed the livestock, and also maintain the livestock waste and equipment and take care of the livestock's' health.

QUESTION 1 Explain one ADVANTAGE and one disadvantage to using inorganic commercial fertilizers.

easily and cheaply obtained, transported, stored, and applied. Also, the nutrients are more concentrated, so you can use less fertilizer to cover a larger space.