064 - Chapter 64 - The Changing Nature of Agriculture

The percentage of Americans who make their living today as farmers is approximately:

2% {Explanation - The percentage of Americans who call themselves farmers fell from about 25% to 2% today.}

Which of the following is an example of agribusiness?

A corporation processes large quantities of meat and poultry {Explanation - Agribusinesses are corporate entities that process large quantities of agricultural products.}

intensive subsistence agriculture (aka "traditional subsistence agriculture")

A form of subsistence agriculture in which farmers must expend a relatively large amount of effort to produce the maximum feasible yield from a parcel of land. This type of agriculture is practiced in India, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mexico, and Peru.

Antibiotics are compounds capable of killing bacteria. How is this a biotechnology?

Antibiotics were first isolated from a living origin: mold.

pesticides

Chemicals that kill crop-destroying organisms; help increase yield by killing pests that are harming or consuming the crops

Which of the following animals have their genetics modified to create larger, more protein-packed individuals?

Chickens {Explanation - Chickens are often genetically modified to grow larger and have more protein content.}

leavening

Something that lightens and raises; The production or incorporation of gases in a baked product to increase volume and to produce shape and texture.

cultural diffusion

The expansion and adoption of a cultural element, from its place of origin to a wider area. (cultural contact and sharing)

When talking about the diffusion of innovations, what is a hearth?

The place where innovation is developed. {Explanation - A hearth, in this sense, is the place where innovation is developed. An agricultural hearth, therefore, is a place where an innovation about agriculture developed.}

Why are polycultures advantageous?

They allow for the highest crop yields on small plots of land.

Antibiotics

drugs that combat the growth of bacteria and are used to treat common illnesses such as strep throat and sinus infections

Genetically modified (GM) foods

foods derived from organisms whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering techniques were first approved by the US FDA in 1994. The earliest example was a tomato that had longer lasting flavor

Smart farming

involves applying cutting-edge technology to agriculture. It's the wave of the future.

economies of scale

a proportionate saving in costs gained by an increased level of production; means larger production levels result in lower costs

Agribusiness

agriculture conducted on commercial principles, especially using advanced technology.

shifting cultivation

clear plots of the forest for planting and use the land for several years; occurs in Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Nigeria, Senegal and Indonesia

herbicide resistance

involves inserting a gene that makes plants immune to herbicide (round up ready); aids in controlling weeds pesticides that target unwanted plants, are sprayed on the field, the weeds will be killed while the crop survives due to the insertion of the resistant genes

demic diffusion

means that the people using the innovation moved and brought it with them (migration)

Which type of subsistence agriculture is known for relying on herding animals, and where is this type of agriculture common?

pastoral nomadism; practiced in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan

Cloning

the controversial process of creating a new organism that is identical to an existing organism, has been in the news since Dolly the sheep was cloned in the 1990s

Genetic testing

the process of examining an individual's genome to determine predispositions to certain diseases, is made possible by our ability to read DNA and our understanding of the entire human genetic code, which was made possible by the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2000

diffusion of innovations

the process whereby a new product, service, or idea spreads through a population

Animal husbandry

the science of breeding and caring for farm animals; the process of housing, feeding, breeding, and utilizing animals; is as much a pillar of human existence as agriculture

Subsistence agriculture

when a farmer lives on a small amount of land and produces enough food to feed his or her household and have a small cash crop

monocultures

when a single crop is planted on a large scale

polyculture

when different types of crops are planted in one area

genetic engineering

when the genetic makeup of an organism is altered by inserting, deleting, or changing specific pieces of DNA in order to obtain, modify, or prevent a specific characteristic

Which of the following is an example of a biotechnology made possible by gene sequencing?

- Artificial creation of insulin - Cloning - Detection of mutations that could cause disease

Which of the following is a benefit of genetically modified foods?

- Faster crop growth - Resistance to diseases - Crop growth in less suitable habitats {Explanation - There are many benefits of genetically modified foods, including faster crop growth, resistance to diseases, the need for less chemical fertilizer, and the ability to grow crops in less suitable habitats.}

biotechnology

A form of technology that uses living organisms, usually genes, to modify products, to make or modify plants and animals, or to develop other microorganisms for specific purposes; any technology, process or practice that modifies or harnesses any living organism or system to be useful to any human purpose

Fertile Crescent

A geographical area of fertile land in the Middle East stretching in a broad semicircle from the Nile to the Tigris and Euphrates

When did biotechnology begin?

In ancient human civilizations when plants and animals were first cultivated and domesticated.

Modern diffusion

In the modern world, we can see this through the diffusion of industrial and scientific farming techniques. The new hearths of innovation tend to be industrialized nations, and the diffusion spreads from industrialized into industrializing countries

How do intensive subsistence agriculture and shifting cultivation differ?

Intensive subsistence agriculture uses the same plot every year, while shifting cultivation involves clearing new plots every few years when the land becomes less fertile.

If an innovation is spread through demic diffusion, how is it spread?

It is introduced by a migrating population {Explanation - For the most part, agriculture spread through demic diffusion (migration of agricultural people) or by cultural diffusion (contact with agricultural people).}

Which of the following was an effect on farming caused by the mechanized combine?

It lowered the number of jobs {Explanation - The combine sharply lowered the number of man hours needed to harvest a crop.}

Which of these is the LEAST likely candidate to have been among the first agricultural hearths?

LEAST likely candidate: England {Explanation - China and the Valley of Mexico are well established as agricultural hearths, and there's significant evidence to suggest that agriculture developed independently in Indonesia. England, however, gained agriculture through diffusion.}

Which of the following is a major reason why larger farms replaced the small family farm?

Mechanized equipment {Explanation - With the aid of mechanized equipment, larger farms became a more efficient way to grow farm products.}

Which of the following is NOT a crop that is the focus of genetic engineering?

NOT: Black beans {Explanation - Although many crops have been genetically engineered over the years, there are three crops, including corn, soybean, and cotton, that are the focus of genetic engineering. Approximately 80% of corn and 93% of cotton and soybean produced in the United States are genetically modified.}

Which of the following is NOT an example of an early biotechnology?

NOT: Hunting of live animals for food

Which of the following is NOT an issue associated with genetic engineering?

NOT: Increased exposure to vitamins and minerals {Explanation - There are many issues associated with genetic engineering, including the introduction of toxins into the human body, the development of new allergies, pests developing genetic resistance, and genetically modified organisms causing harm to non-pest organisms.}

Which of the following is NOT utilized by industrialized agriculture to increase crop yields?

NOT: hand tools

genetically modified organisms, or GMOs

Organisms that have their genetic makeup altered

agricultural hearths

Places where agriculture first developed and originated; areas of settlement during the Neolithic period, especially along major rivers, from where farming and cultivation of livestock emanates

genetically modified organisms (GMO)

Plants & animals that have had their traits modified by scientists

Green Revolution

Rapid diffusion of new agricultural technology, especially new high-yield seeds and fertilizers; Starting in Mexico from a joint Mexican, US, and United Nations effort, new farming techniques were experimented with that increased agricultural productivity by an extraordinary rate. The innovations spread from here to other regions with similar climates and economies, notably in India, Indonesia, and Africa.

Where do most archeologist believe was the FIRST place to develop agriculture?

The Fertile Crescent {Explanation - Most archeologists believe agriculture first appeared in the Fertile Crescent, likely somewhere along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.}

Agriculture first emerged as part of _____.

The Neolithic Revolution {Explanation - The Neolithic Revolution is defined by the emergence of agriculture and all the cultural changes that came along with that.}

What is agriculture?

The act of growing crops and raising livestock for human use and consumption.

Fermentation

The chemical action of yeast on sugars

When did the number of family farms reach its peak?

The mid 1930s {Explanation - The number of family farms peaked at about 7 million in approximately 1935.}

hearth

The region from which innovative ideas originate

What is the appropriate definition of genetic engineering?

When the genetic makeup of an organism is altered by inserting, deleting, or changing specific pieces of DNA. {Explanation - Genetic engineering involves altering the genetic makeup of an organism by inserting, deleting, or changing specific pieces of DNA.}

What living organism makes the fermentation of beer a biotechnology?

Yeast

Neolithic Revolution (Agricultural Revolution)

a movement of early humans settling down to farm around 8000 BCE, which allowed for the development of settlement and culture

Biotechnology drugs

generated by bacteria with modified genomes

Vaccinations

the administration of a deactivated version of a virus that normally causes an illness in a healthy person. This teaches the immune system to look out for that virus in the future, and the vaccinated person becomes immune to the illness as a result.

crop yield

the amount of food that is produced for each unit of land

Agriculture

the term used to describe the act of growing crops and raising livestock for human consumption and use

Industrialized agriculture

the type of agriculture where large quantities of crops and livestock are produced through industrialized techniques for the purpose of sale

pastoral nomadism

type of agriculture that is very different from the others because these farmers rely less on crops and more heavily on herd animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats and reindeer. The people travel with the herds and are never in one place very long; type of agriculture is practiced in Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Mongolia

chemical fertilizers

used in industrialized agriculture often add inorganic nutrients to the soil to increase yield and plant size