The Nutrient Crisis

Question 1

What do traditional farming methods rely on?

Answer 1

Recycling of nutrients

Question 2

What are examples of traditional farming methods?

Answer 2

• Crop rotations and intercropping
• Controlled burning (enhances weathering, improves health of land)
• Use of compost/manure

Question 3

What is the history of fertilisers?

Answer 3

• 1800s, N and P importance discovered, fights over natural resources
• 1900s, Haber Bosch
• 1940s, Rock phosphate mining accelerates
• 1960s, Green Revolution

Question 4

What are cons of the industrialised nutrient cycle?

Answer 4

• Inefficient use of nutrients (run off, nitrogen gas lost)
• Nutrient flows are delocalised (crops can’t be grown far away from where they need to go)

Question 5

What are the pros and cons of the industrialised nutrient cycle?

Answer 5

+ Reduced hunger (more crops)
+ Spared land because of the increased productivity
- Resource heavy, energy hungry
- Pollution (CO2, N2O, eutrophication)

Question 6

What has reduced plant-microbe interactions?

Answer 6

Crop breeding.
Means less beneficial microbes.

Question 7

Why is it unrealistic that fertiliser could be banned?

Answer 7

Fertiliser was banned in Sri Lanka in 2021. Led to protests. Shows farming without fertiliser is unrealistic.