Module 8.2

Question 1

farming methods that can be used
indefinitely because they do not deplete resources, such as soil and
water, faster than they are replaced
* Goal is to mimic the traits of a sustainable ecosystem:
* Use renewable energy and local resources for inputs
* Rely on biodiversity to trap energy, deal with wastes, and control pests
* Sustainable agriculture should also be economically viable and socially
ethical.

Answer 1

Sustainable agriculture

Question 2

farming that does not use synthetic fertilizer,
pesticides, GMOs, or other chemical additives like hormones (for
animal rearing).
* Organically grown food may be more nutritious than conventionally
grown food—but whether there is an accompanying health benefit is
unknown.
* Higher profit margin because consumers will pay more.

Answer 2

Organic agriculture

Question 3

a complex ecosystem of mineral and organic material, including
living organisms such as bacteria, invertebrates, and fungi, that
supports the growth of plants and is, in turn, affected by those plants
* Soil is key for plant growth—and plants are key for other living
organisms.
* Mutualisms
* Soil aggregates: clumps of soil produced as organic matter decomposes
are beneficial for soil bacteria

Answer 3

Soil

Question 4

The process in which
soil is moved from one location to
another, most often by wind or
water.
* Soil forms slowly—500–1000 years
to form 1 inch of soil.
* Erosion can remove in days what it
took centuries to form.

Answer 4

Soil erosion

Question 5

a scientific field that
considers the area’s ecology and
indigenous knowledge and favors
agricultural methods that protect the
environment and meet the needs of
local people
* Example: When raising ducks, fish,
and rice crops together, Japanese
rice farmer Furuno discovered he
could produce more rice than with
the old industrial system.

Answer 5

Agroecology

Question 6

a farming
method in which a mix of
different species are grown
together in one area.
* Prior to industrial farming,
small farms were largely
polycultures

Answer 6

Polyculture

Question 7

he
use of a variety of
methods to control a pest
population, with the goal
of minimizing or
eliminating the use of
chemical toxins

Answer 7

Integrated pest
management (IPM)

Question 8

crops that grow, produce seeds,
and die in a single year and must be replanted
each season

Answer 8

Annual crops

Question 9

crops that do not die at the
end of the growing season but live for several
years, which means they can be harvested
annually without replanting
* Example: perennial wheat roots versus annual
wheat roots

Answer 9

Perennial crops

Question 10

the amount of carbon released to the atmosphere
by a person, a company, a nation, or an activity
* Buying locally grown items supports local economies and provides
fresher food to consumers.

Answer 10

Carbon footprint