Food Systems 3

Question 1

What is Monoculture?

Answer 1

The agricultural practice of growing a single crop over a large area, which increases efficiency but can lead to soil depletion and vulnerability to pests.

Question 2

What is Polyculture?

Answer 2

Growing multiple crops in the same space, mimicking biodiversity and improving ecosystem resilience.

Question 3

What is Subsistence Farming?

Answer 3

Small-scale farming that produces just enough food for a family or local community.

Question 4

What is Commercial Agriculture?

Answer 4

Large-scale farming aimed at producing crops and livestock for sale in markets.

Question 5

What is Hydroponics?

Answer 5

A method of growing plants without soil, using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent.

Question 6

What is Aquaponics?

Answer 6

A sustainable food production system combining aquaculture with hydroponics.

Question 7

What is Arable Land?

Answer 7

Land suitable for growing crops.

Question 8

What is Soil Fertility?

Answer 8

The ability of soil to sustain agricultural plant growth, providing plant habitat and resulting in sustained, consistent yields of high-quality crops.

Question 9

What is Salinization?

Answer 9

The accumulation of salts in soil, often due to irrigation, which can reduce soil fertility.

Question 10

What is Desertification?

Answer 10

The degradation of arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid lands, often due to deforestation and overgrazing.

Question 11

What is the Green Revolution?

Answer 11

A period of agricultural advancement in the mid-20th century marked by the introduction of high-yield crop varieties, chemical fertilizers, and modern irrigation techniques.

Question 12

What is Sustainable Agriculture?

Answer 12

Farming practices that meet current food needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

Question 13

What is Agroforestry?

Answer 13

Integrating trees and shrubs into crop and livestock systems for ecological and economic benefits.

Question 14

What is Crop Rotation?

Answer 14

The practice of growing different types of crops in the same area in sequenced seasons to improve soil health and reduce pests.

Question 15

What is Food Security?

Answer 15

Access by all people at all times to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for an active and healthy life.

Question 16

What is Malnutrition?

Answer 16

A condition resulting from a diet lacking in essential nutrients or sufficient calories.

Question 17

What are Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)?

Answer 17

Organisms whose genetic material has been altered for improved agricultural performance.

Question 18

What is Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?

Answer 18

An ecological approach to pest control that combines biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools.

Question 19

What is Bioaccumulation?

Answer 19

The accumulation of substances, such as pesticides, in an organism over time.

Question 20

What is Biological Control?

Answer 20

The use of natural predators or pathogens to control pest populations.

Question 21

What are Food Miles?

Answer 21

The distance food travels from production to consumer, impacting its carbon footprint.

Question 22

What are Agricultural Subsidies?

Answer 22

Government financial support to farmers to stabilize food prices and encourage agricultural production.

Question 23

What is Urban Agriculture?

Answer 23

Growing food within city limits to increase access to fresh produce and reduce food deserts.

Question 24

What is a Food Desert?

Answer 24

Areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food.

Question 25

What is Irrigation Efficiency?

Answer 25

The ratio of water beneficially used by crops to the total water applied.

Question 26

What is Drip Irrigation?

Answer 26

A method of delivering water directly to the base of plants to minimize evaporation and maximize efficiency.

Question 27

What is a Water Footprint?

Answer 27

The amount of water used to produce each product, including food items.

Question 28

What is the Tragedy of the Commons?

Answer 28

A situation in which individuals use a shared resource unsustainably, leading to its depletion.

Question 29

What is environmental justice?

Answer 29

The fair treatment of all people regardless of race or income with respect to environmental laws and policies.

Question 30

What are constructed wetlands?

Answer 30

Constructed wetlands are shallow retention ponds that clean water of soils and agricultural chemicals, while also providing wildlife habitat and flood protection.

Question 31

What are retention ponds?

Answer 31

Retention ponds are holding ponds for surface or drainpipe runoff, reducing flood risks and improving water quality.

Question 32

What are grass buffer strips?

Answer 32

Grass buffer strips are narrow plots of grass grown in vulnerable areas to catch runoff and reduce soil erosion, though they remove land from crop production.

Question 33

What is no-till agriculture?

Answer 33

No-till agriculture is a method of growing crops without plowing or digging the soil, reducing erosion but requiring special equipment and techniques.

Question 34

What is meat production in modern agriculture?

Answer 34

Meat production often involves keeping livestock in large confinements to efficiently meet their needs, maximize growth, and control costs.

Question 35

What is crop yield?

Answer 35

Crop yield is the amount of food, such as grain or hay, produced in a given field.

Question 36

What is manure, and how is it used in agriculture?

Answer 36

Manure is animal waste used as a fertilizer. It is less efficient to apply evenly than synthetic fertilizers and can contribute to runoff pollution.

Question 37

What are organic fertilizers?

Answer 37

Organic fertilizers are derived from animals, plants, or microbes rather than factories. They are more time-intensive to use but are a natural alternative to synthetic options.

Question 38

What are synthetic fertilizers?

Answer 38

Synthetic fertilizers are energy-intensive chemicals produced in factories that increase crop yields when applied to fields.

Question 39

What role do legumes play in farming?

Answer 39

Legumes, like soybeans and alfalfa, are used to enrich soil through a mutualistic partnership with nitrogen-fixing microbes in root nodules, often rotated with other crops like corn.

Question 40

What is abiotic fixation in the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 40

Abiotic fixation occurs when high-energy events like lightning or cosmic radiation combine nitrogen (N₂) with oxygen to form nitrogen oxides (NO and NO₂), which fall to Earth as nitric acid (HNO₃) in rain.