Chapter 11 Vocab

Question 1

undernutrition

Answer 1

chronic hunger, the condition in which not enough calories are ingested to maintain health

Question 2

malnourished

Answer 2

having a diet that lacks the correct balance of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals; 3 billion people - nearly half of the world’s population - are malnourished

Question 3

food security

Answer 3

a condition in which people have access to sufficient, safe. and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs for an active and healthy life

Question 4

food insecurity

Answer 4

a condition in which people do not have adequate access to food

Question 5

famine

Answer 5

The condition in which food insecurity is so extreme that large numbers of deaths occur in a given area over a relatively short period

Question 6

anemia

Answer 6

A deficiency of iron, the most widespread nutritional deficiency in the world

Question 7

overnutrition

Answer 7

ingestion of too many calories and a lack of balance of foods and nutrients, causes a person to become both overweight and malnourished

Question 8

industrial agriculture

Answer 8

agriculture that applies the techniques of mechanization and standardization. Also known as agribusiness.

Question 9

energy subsidy

Answer 9

the fossil fuel energy and human energy input per calorie of food produced

Question 10

green revolution

Answer 10

A shift in agricultural practices in the twentieth century that included new management techniques, mechanization, fertilization, irrigation, and improved crop varieties. Resulted in increased food output.

Question 11

economies of scale

Answer 11

the observation that average costs of production fall as output increases

Question 12

waterlogging

Answer 12

A form of soil degradation that occurs when soil remains under water for prolonged periods, impairs root growth because roots cannot get oxygen

Question 13

salinization

Answer 13

a form of soil degradation that occurs when the small amount of salts in irrigation water becomes highly concentrated on the soil surface through evaporation, salts can eventually reach toxic levels and impede plant growth

Question 14

organic fertilizer

Answer 14

Fertilizer composed of organic matter from plants and animals, used by traditional farmers

Question 15

synthetic (inorganic) fetilizer

Answer 15

produced commercially, normally with the use of fossil fuels. Also known as inorganic fertilizers. Have severe adverse effects on the environment.

Question 16

monocropping

Answer 16

an agricultural method that utilizes large plantings of a single species or variety, the dominant agricultural practice in the United States

Question 17

pesticide

Answer 17

A substance, either natural or synthetic that kills or controls organisms that people consider pests; the US accounts for about 1/3 of worldwide pesticide use

Question 18

insecticide

Answer 18

a pesticide that targets species of insects and other invertebrates that consume crops

Question 19

herbicide

Answer 19

a pesticide that targets plant species that compete with crops

Question 20

broad-spectrum pesticide

Answer 20

a pesticide that kills many different types of pests

Question 21

selective (narrow-spectrum) pesticide

Answer 21

a pesticide that targets a narrow range of organisms

Question 22

persistent pesticide

Answer 22

A pesticide that remains in the environment for a long time, for example, DDT

Question 23

non-persistent pesticide

Answer 23

A pesticide that breaks down rapidly, usually in weeks or months

Question 24

pesticide resistance

Answer 24

decreased susceptibility of a pest population to a pesticide that was previously effective at controlling the pest

Question 25

pesticide treadmill

Answer 25

a cycle of pesticide development, followed by pest resistance, followed by new pesticide development

Question 26

shifting agriculture

Answer 26

An agricultural method in which land is cleared and used for a few years until the soil is depleted of nutrients.

Question 27

desertification

Answer 27

The transformation of arable, productive land to desert or unproductive land due to climate change or destructive land use.

Question 28

nomadic grazing

Answer 28

The feeding of herds of animals by moving them to seasonally productive feeding grounds, often over long distances.

Question 29

sustainable agriculture

Answer 29

Agriculture that fulfills the need for food and fiber while enhancing the quality of the soil, minimizing the use of nonrenewable resources, and allowing economic viability for the farmer.

Question 30

intercropping

Answer 30

An agricultural method in which two or more crop species are planted in the same field at the same time to promote a synergistic interaction.

Question 31

crop rotation

Answer 31

An agricultural technique in which crop species in a field are rotated from season to season.

Question 32

agroforestry

Answer 32

An agricultural technique in which trees and vegetables are grown next to each other in rows or other patterns.

Question 33

contour plowing

Answer 33

An agricultural technique in which plowing and harvesting are done parallel to the topographic contours of the land.

Question 34

no-till agriculture

Answer 34

An agricultural method in which farmers do not turn the soil between seasons as a means of reducing topsoil erosion.

Question 35

integrated pest management (IPM)

Answer 35

An agricultural practice that uses a variety of techniques designed to minimize pesticide inputs.

Question 36

organic agriculture

Answer 36

Production of crops without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers

Question 37

individual transferable quota (ITQ)

Answer 37

A fishery management program in which individual fishers are given a total allowable catch of fish in a season that they can either catch or sell.

Question 38

meat

Answer 38

the second largest component of the human diet, livestock or poultry consumed as food

Question 39

concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO)

Answer 39

An animal feeding operation (AFO)—a farm in which animals are raised in confinement—that has over 1000 “animal units” confined for over 45 days a year.

Question 40

aquaculture

Answer 40

Farming aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish and seaweeds.

Question 41

fishery

Answer 41

a commercially harvestable population of fish within a particular ecological region

Question 42

fishery collapse

Answer 42

the decline of a fish population by 90% or more

Question 43

bycatch

Answer 43

the unintentional catch of non-target species while fishing

Question 44

perennial plant

Answer 44

A plant that lives for multiple years.

Question 45

annual plant

Answer 45

A plant that lives for only one season.

Question 46

soil compaction

Answer 46

the compression of soil particles into a smaller volume, which reduces the size of pore space available for air and water