LA2- Sustainable Farm Production

Question 1

What does sustainability refer to in agriculture?

Answer 1

enviromental, economic and social objectives -

farmers want to make enough money to sustain the buisness in the long term whilst also allowing for growth. without degrading and possibly enhancing the natural resources on the farm which includes soils, water, native vegetation, local ecosystems and the landscape itself

Question 2

what issues contribute to negatice costs to agricultural industries and communities?

Answer 2

salinity, soil acidification, pollution of waterwayds by nutrients and loss of native vegetation

Question 3

why has technology in australia developed

Answer 3

early farmers found they needed to modify or invent new implements to manage their farming

Question 4

what are some early machine designs that improved the efficiency of harvesting?

Answer 4

john ridley stripper, hugh victor mckays stripper harvester and headlie taylor header harvester

Question 5

other modern improvements in agricultural technology?

Answer 5

GPS, moisture sensors, aerial images, record keeping platforms, fertilisers, drones, soil testing

Question 6

how has selective breeding improved aus ag?

Answer 6

breeding of merino has developed sheep according to genetic selection for desirable characteristics, suited to the enviroment where the sheep are produced and allowing australia to produce world class superfine wool

Question 7

how did early settlers improve land for agriculture

Answer 7

used fallowing technoques, applied superphosphate and planted improves pasture species such as grasses, oats, barley and ryegrass which allowed more stock to be grazed per hectare, legumes also increased soil fertility.

Question 8

name a modern variety of grazing cereal crop and where it is suited for sowing

Answer 8

wheat, suited in full sunlight, well drained loamy soil. sown in autumn with harvest occurring between spring and summer. primarily grown in the australian grain belt fro, queensland to victoria and bottom of WA

Question 9

desribe how farmers have used technology to overcome soil/nutrition issues.

Answer 9

soil testing allows farmers to get a soil profile, enabling them to maximise yields by using their land most efficiently. biofertilisers and fertilisers also enable farmers to balance their soil health and supplement soil nutrients.

Question 10

desribe how farmers have used technology to overcome climate issues.

Answer 10

irrigation, precision agriculture and weather forecasting.

irrigation allows farmers to supplement precipitation, precision agriculture is based upon assistance from high technology sensor and analysis tools to improve crop yields and improve management, weather forecasting enables farmers to plan activities such as harvest around the weather as well as plan irrigation

Question 11

desribe how farmers have used technology to overcome genetic issues.

Answer 11

farmers traditionally breed crops and animals to have more desirable traits, however gene editing technology allows scientists and farmers to make precise manages that otherwise could not happen through traditional breeding, such as golden rice.

Question 12

describe how farmers have used technology to overcome plant and animal disease issues.

Answer 12

veterinary technology allows farmers to treat, manage and prevent the spread of disease in animals. additionally, AI- powered crop monitoring uses advanced algorithms to analyse images captured by drones or sensors to detect signs of disease/nutrient deficiencies allowing farmers to have a proactive approach to farming.

Question 13

describe how farmers have used technology to overcome management issues.

Answer 13

drone technology, remote sensing, soil scanners and integrated management platforms enable farmers to use precision and data when making management decisions surrounding their farm.

Question 14

ecosystem

Answer 14

a unit of space containing organisms interacting with each other and the non-living enviroment and where energy and material are recucled. - consisting of plants (start of energy cycle), herbivores (eat plants), carnivores/omnivores (eat herbivores and occasionally plants) and decomposers (break down organic matter).

Question 15

food web

Answer 15

a way to show interactions between organisms in an ecosystem - more complex than food chain

Question 16

why are natural ecosystems balanced?

Answer 16

because there is a balance between energy entering the ecosystem (eg. energy from sun) and energy leaving the ecosystem (eg. energy loss through respiration)

Question 17

how are natural ecosystems disturbed?

Answer 17

when organisms are suddenly introduced or removed (eg. introduced species, changes to physical environment through climate change)

Question 18

why do introduced species disturb balance?

Answer 18

(eg. rabbits, feral cats, lantana) they lack the natural predators to control their numbers, leading to degradation of the environment by reducing the diversity of organisms present (through predation or competition) or by causing damage to the physical environment such as eating out all the plants and exposing soil to erosion.

Question 19

managed ecosystem

Answer 19

farming is a managed ecosystem, it is one in which people attempt to impose an artificial sense of balance. they consciously use technology to derive products from an ecosystem and cause change by placing themselves and their animals into the food chain.

Question 20

why is it important to have balance in aus ag?

Answer 20

settlers did not aim to maintain an artificial balance and pests and weeds were introduced as well as disease. however modern agriculture aims for this artificial balances in order to make a profit whilst maintaining a healthy ecosystem - this is sustainable agriculture.

Question 21

intentionally introduced species

Answer 21

sheep, cattle, horses

Question 22

accidentally introduced species

Answer 22

bracken fern, mice

Question 23

why is misuse of technology in early agriculture detrimental

Answer 23

the use of machinery to clear large expanses of native vegetation removed habitats and exposed top soil to erosion. the misuse of soil management such as cultivation and irrigation has led to environmental damage. - these technologies were appropriate for the farmers of the time but with the loss of valuable land it has become apparent that some technology needs to be used with care and with the effort of maintain sustainable agriculture practices.

Question 24

soil erosion

Answer 24

soil erosion - removal of valuable topsoil by exposing it to wind and water,

Question 25

silting up of waterways

Answer 25

silting up of waterways - changing watercourses and promoting flooding and further erosion.

Question 26

soil compaction

Answer 26

heavy machines, regular cultivation and hard hoofed animals compacting the soil

Question 27

soil salinity

Answer 27

build up or movement of salts in soil, often through removal of tress and over use of irrigation

Question 28

degradation of waterways

Answer 28

the leaching of nutrients and pesticides into creeks and rivers

Question 29

resistance to treatment

Answer 29

pests and diseases resistant to chemical pesticides making them difficult to manage

Question 30

production sustainability

Answer 30

inability of land to sustain production in long-term due to loss of necessary natural resources and unsustainable practices

Question 31

monoculture

Answer 31

when only one species of plant is grown for successive years, such as wheat or cotton - this is done to simplify the diversity of organisms present to include only those which are productive - makes farms easier to manage

Question 32

grazing ecosystems

Answer 32

management technique where there may be only several desired species as opposed to the natural ecosystem to which may have hundreds of different species

Question 33

what happens if land use is not sustainable

Answer 33

resources become degraded, loss of value to the land as it is less productive, native flora and fauna die out and the area is less useful

Question 34

sustainable development

Answer 34

development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Question 35

affects of land degradation

Answer 35

affects agricultural production, may lead to further clearing of native habitat as existing farm land loses productivity, requires other resources to repair the land such as fertilisers which come at a cost and may cause runoff, may lead to water and air pollution, leads to quicker losses of soil and future productivity, may have serious social costs in forcing people off the land, affecting rural communities.

Question 36

land capability assessment

Answer 36

aims to identify appropriate land use - in NSW commonly an 8 class system looking at features such as slope, soil type and erosion risk eg sloping land should be used lightly to avoid topsoil erosion whereas flat land can be used more strenuously as it has less chance of erosion

Question 37

land capability

Answer 37

the ability of land to sustain a type of land use without causing permenant damage

Question 38

land capability class 1

Answer 38

flat land that is highly fertile, best cropping land

Question 39

land capability class 2

Answer 39

low slope and good soil types, little erosion risk, practices such as crop rotation will ensure sustainability

Question 40

land capability class 3

Answer 40

sloping land that could erode if ploughed. erosion control earthworks such as contour banks should be used depending on slope, conservation tillage recommended

Question 41

land capability class 4

Answer 41

best for grazing, too fragile for crops. maintain and improve pastures to prevent erosion, limits include: slope, rockiness, fertility of soil and susceptibility of soil structure to decline

Question 42

land capability class 5

Answer 42

same as class 4 but limitations may be more severe, may be presence of erosion and may need aerial fertilisers

Question 43

land capability class 6

Answer 43

grazing land only, requires good management such as controlled grazing

Question 44

land capability class 7

Answer 44

too fragile for grazing, should be left under green timber or ground cover

Question 45

land capability class 8

Answer 45

non farming scenic woodland or wetland - cannot sustain agriculture

Question 46

NSW Office of Water (NOW)

Answer 46

responsible for planning, policy development and regulatory frameworks for regional water in NSW. develops, assesses and recommends changes to NSW's water legislation, water sharing/water resource plans and water management rules.

Question 47

State Water

Answer 47

manage dams and protect the greater Sydney drinking water catchment, supply water to customers, communities and the environment, build and maintain and operate essential infrastructure.

Question 48

Office of Environment & Heritage (OEH)

Answer 48

develops and leads policy and reform in sustainability, biodiversity and native vegetation, coastal protection and Aboriginal cultural heritage.

Question 49

NSW Environment Protection Authority EPA

Answer 49

primary environmental regulator for NSW. partners with business, government and the community to reduce pollution and waste, protect human health and prevent degradation of the environment.

Question 50

NSW DPI

Answer 50

research and development to grow agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors; and regulation and administration of biosecurity, food safety, animal welfare and hunting in NSW.

Question 51

Local Government

Answer 51

concerned with matters close to our homes, such as building regulations and development, public health, local roads and footpaths, parks and playing fields, libraries, land environmental issues, waste disposal, and many community services.

Question 52

farm cove

Answer 52

first western style farm established at farm cove in Sydney, was deemed a failure due to: soil/nutrition- the soil was sandy, infertile and held little water + the grass species were unsuited to grazing climate: rainfall is unpredictable genetics: animals that were brought with settlers unsuited to aus conditions disease: humid, coastal conditions encouraged fungal disease management: settlers had little to no knowledge or experience in agriculture. they had poor quality tools unsuited to conditions, making clearing and cultivation hard.

Question 53

consequences of european agriculture

Answer 53

Aboriginal people had managed land so it was productive and sustainable. europeans used this as their base however the introduction of European farming techniques and removal of aboriginal people had consequences. - clearing of land- removed habitats of native animals and animals killed in large numbers for their meat/skins - grazing areas- replaced by unmanaged thickened bush - accumulation of unburnt fuel led to severe bushfires. - compaction of soils by animals and machinery - removal of bushland led to erosion - overgrazing stripped vegetation - sheep and cattle selectively ate grasses and changed local plant populations.

Question 54

describe how the use of technology on farms to overcome soil fertility factors limiting agricultural production.

Answer 54

The use of nuclear technology enables scientists to trace the movement of nutrients from organic and inorganic fertilisers in the soil to plants and the environment. it allows scientists to track/measure the dynamics of chemical elements in soils and crops and based off this information, develop management practices that maximise the use of soil nutrients as well as protect and improve soil fertility.

Question 55

describe how the use of technology on farms to overcome genetic makeup factors limiting agricultural production.

Answer 55

GM (genetic modification) involves inserting DNA into the genome of an organism to create a new plant that can be grown in tissue culture and be developed into functioning plants. GM enables scientists to create improved varieties of plants that have improved yields. for example GM has been used to develop a variety of cotton that is resistant to pest insects