3. agriculture and the environment

Question 1

weathering

Answer 1

processes that cause rock to be broken down into smaller particles

Question 2

erosion

Answer 2

the movement of rock and soil fragments to different locations

Question 3

arable farming

Answer 3

the production of crops from land

Question 4

pastoral farming

Answer 4

farming that focuses on breeding and rearing livestock

Question 5

mixed farming

Answer 5

farming that practises both rearing livestock and growing crops

Question 6

extensive production

Answer 6

farming that is spread over a wide area and uses less resources per metre of land

Question 7

intensive production

Answer 7

farming that aims to maximise the yield from an area using a large amount of resources

Question 8

legumes

Answer 8

plants that contains nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the roots to produce a source of nitrates

Question 9

mulch

Answer 9

a natural or artificial layer on the soil surface used to reduce water evaporation and weed growth

Question 10

genetically modified organism (GMO)

Answer 10

an organism whose genetic material has been altered by genetic engineering

Question 11

greenhouse

Answer 11

a building made of glass or similar transparent material that is used to manage the environmental for plant growth

Question 12

growing blueprint

Answer 12

the growing requirements of a crop throughout its life, which a grower can use to maximise the yield

Question 13

hydroponics

Answer 13

growing plants without soil, with the nutrients the plant needs dissolved in water

Question 14

eutrophication

Answer 14

a sequence of events starting with enrichment of water by mineral nutrients or organic matter that leads to a reduction in oxygen levels in the water and the death of fish and other animals

Question 15

famine

Answer 15

a lack of access to food often over a large area

Question 16

malnutrition

Answer 16

not having enough of the correct nutrients to eat causing ill health

Question 17

terracing

Answer 17

an artificial development of flat areas fro growing crops in a sloping terrain

Question 18

contour ploughing

Answer 18

a technique where the furrows are caused by ploughing the contours of the land

Question 19

bund

Answer 19

an embankment constructed around the edge of an area to reduce the loss of a liquid

Question 20

windbreak

Answer 20

a permeable barrier made of either living vegetation or artificial material, used to reduce the impact of wind on an area

Question 21

intercropping

Answer 21

the technique of growing other crops between the rows of a main crop maximising the use of nutrients and water

Question 22

rainwater harvesting

Answer 22

the collection of rainwater and storage in a tank or reservoir for later use