Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Environmental Science > Agriculture > Flashcards

Agriculture Flashcards

(59 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Importance of suitable temperature for agricultural productivity

A

Thermal growing seasons: warm enough for growth
Frost free periods: crops/fruit damaged by frost
Reduced thermoregulation: less energy put into growth if cold

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Control of temperature

A

Valley bottoms: more likely to have frost, cold air collects
South facing slopes: receive more insolation, warmer
Smudge posts: reduce orchard frost damage
Greenhouses: solar heating and gas or paraffin fuel

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Importance of light availability for agricultural productivity

A
  • affects rate of photosynthesis
  • long day length affects milk production
  • poultry grow best in short days, eggs with long days
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Controls for light

A

Artificial lighting

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Importance of water availability for agricultural productivity

A
  • physiological solvent in living cells
  • cell water provides cell turgidity which provides support
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Control of water availability

A
  • crop irrigation
  • drainage to reduce waterlogging
  • soil mulching for evaporation loss
  • add soil organic matter to increase water retention
  • avoid compaction
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Importance of topography for agricultural productivity

A
  • difficult to operate heavy machinery
  • more surface runoff and soil erosion
  • frost pockets in low lying areas
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Controls for topography

A
  • terracing slopes to reduce soil erosion from runoff
  • contour ploughing
  • flat levelling areas so water drains slowly eg rice fields
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Influence of relief for agricultural productivity

A
  • hard to grow crops: cold temps, high altitude
  • goats, llamas, sheep better for conditions
  • cattle not
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Importance of wind velocity on agricultural productivity

A
  • high wind increases: soil erosion, evaporation
  • lodging of crops (flattened)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Controls for wind velocity

A
  • windbreaks eg hedgerows or trees
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Advantages of organic fertilisers

A
  • waste products and are locally available
  • increase humus content
  • increase soil biota
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Disadvantages of organic fertilisers

A
  • nutrient composition can’t be controlled
  • expensive to transport as they are bulky with high water content
  • cannot be added to a growing crop
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Advantages of inorganic fertilisers

A
  • Nutrient composition can be controlled for crop requirements
  • nutrients released rapidly
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Disadvantages of inorganic fertilisers

A
  • Require large amounts d energy during manufacture
  • don’t add organic matter to the soil so soil biota may decline
  • some are toxic to worms
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is hydroponics

A

Growing crops in a nutrient solution usually in a greenhouse which maximises productivity by controlling limited factors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Advantages of hydroponics

A
  • nutrient supply is optimal
  • no soil so pathogens can’t be held
  • no weeds
  • harvested crop has roots so is fresh for longer
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Disadvantages of hydroponics

A
  • Intensive production needs high nutrients and energy
  • high level of technical knowledge is needed
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Importance of aerated soil

A
  • allows more root respiration, nitrogen fixation, decomposition
  • compacted soil is less aerated
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Controls for soil aeration

A
  • adding organic matter as food for soil biota increases aeration
  • low tillage methods prevent soil disturbance and death of organisms
  • ploughing turns over and aerates surface soil layers
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Importance of soil salinity

A
  • excessive soil salinity can kill plants by osmotic dehydration of their roots
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Control for soil salinity

A
  • avoid irrigating with groundwater as it has high salt content
  • use low evaporation irrigation methods e.g. drip irrigation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Importance of soil ph

A
  • Range of tolerance 5.5 - 7
  • high ph inhibits solubility
  • low ph increases leaching of nutrients and inhibits root uptake
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Control of soil ph

Study These Flashcards
A
  • ph increased by adding crushed limestone
  • ph decreased by spreading powdered sulphate
25
Important of carbon dioxide
- CO2 concentrations can be the limiting factor on the rate of photosynthesis
26
Control for CO2
- Burning carbon based fuels like paraffin or wax in greenhouses for crop growth
27
Technological factor - availability of energy
- transport - manufacture of agrochemicals e.g. fertilisers, pesticides - machinery fuel - food processing
28
Technological factor - pesticides
- may allow pests to be controlled so crops can be grown
29
Technological factor - machinery
- makes large scale cultivation easier e.g. ploughing, harvesting
30
Technological factor - irrigation
- pumps and pipework to deliver water
31
Technological factor - transport infrastructure
- Long distance transport to take products to customers
32
How do weeds cause agriculture problems
- compete for water, light, nutrients - provide food for other pests - parasitism of crop roots
33
How do insects cause agricultural problems
- eat crops reducing harvest - act as vectors spreading pathogens
34
How do fungi cause agricultural problems
- cause growing plants to rot
35
How do bacteria cause agricultural problems
- cause disease reducing harvests
36
What is cultural pest control
Non pesticide ways of cultivating crops to reduce the risk of pest damage
37
What is crop rotation
- Cultivation of different crops every year on a 4-5 year cycle so the pest dies off before the crop is grown again
38
What are barrier crops
- crops grown together that help with the productivity of each other and deter pests e.g. onions to deter carrot root flies
39
What are predator habitats
- natural pest predators can be made more abundant by providing habitats like beetle banks
40
What is biological control
- predators or pathogens introduced to an area to control pests especially if they are non indigenous - successful: cactoblastis moth for prickly pear cacti - unsuccessful: cane toad for sugar cane beetle
41
What is the sterile male technique
- sterilising males with gamma radiation - released with mate with females causing infertile mating - reduced populations over time
42
What are pheromone traps
- releases artificial scent to attract species Used to: - show a pest is present to protect the crop - kill the pest species of a specific gender to stop breeding
43
What is genetic resistance to disease
- selective breeding may be used to choose genetic characteristics resistant to pests or diseases - characteristics taken usually from CWR
44
What are GM crops
- the dna of a crop being modified to control pests more effectively by reducing susceptibility to pests e.g. BT crops
45
What is contact action in pesticide application
- kills insects it comes into contact with - only protects surface layer - can be washed off with rain
46
What is systemic action in pesticide application
- absorbed and translocated throughout the plant - protects the whole plant and new growth - can’t be washed off and might be eaten by humans
47
What is the MDAF
- maximum dose always fatal - lowest dose that will kill every member of a population
48
What is the MDNF
- maximum dose never fatal - highest dose able to be used without killing any of the population - for non target species
49
Properties of organochlorine pesticide
- used in the 1940s to control pathogen carrying pests - high toxicity to insects - low toxicity to vertebrates including mammals - high persistence so continues to protect for a while - high liposolubility - low water solubility
50
Environmental impacts of organochlorines
- killed non target species like butterflies and bees - persistence and liposolubility meant it bioaccumulated and biomagnified up food chains - can remain in the environment for decades
51
Properties of organophosphate pesticides
- are neurotoxins that damage nerve functions - low persistence and liposolubility - high mammalian toxicity - suspected carcinogen
52
Properties of pyrethroid pesticides
- high insect toxicity - low mammal toxicity - not persistent - highly toxic to fish
53
Properties of neonicotinoid pesticides
- high insect toxicity - lower vertebrate toxicity as they can’t cross the blood brain barrier - relatively persistent - water soluble
54
Environmental impacts of neonicotinoids
- extremely toxic to bees - reduces their ability to navigate and their immunity to disease - effect in non target species increased with synergism of fungicides - broken down rapidly in sunlight - may build up in aquifers
55
How does timing of application reduce pesticide pollution
- spraying on still days reduced spray drifting - spraying at night reduces impact on bees - smaller droplets produce a more even coverage
56
Why are antibiotics used in agriculture
- to treat infection - to prevent infection - to promote growth
57
How can be pollinators be aided
- access to food like flowers - restricting use of pesticides - introducing beehives
58
How does soil biota help agriculture
- increase nutrient availability - worms help aerate and drain soil aids water retention
59

Environmental Science (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions