Deck 17: Agriculture- Farming Like an Ecosystem: Creative Solutions to Feeding the World- Conventional Energy: Fossil Fuels

Question 1

Genetic diversity decreases in what type of farming?

A) sustainable
B) organic
C) commercial
D) monocultural
E) global

Answer 1

monocultural

Question 2

Organic agriculture is a type of which farming method?

A) sustainable
B) industrial
C) commercial
D) global
E) nonprofit

Answer 2

sustainable

Question 3

Soil salinization occurs when:

A) salt is added to the soil as a natural insecticide.
B) too much fertilizer is used in one area.
C) animals are introduced to the fields.
D) water brought to the fields through irrigation evaporates.
E) not enough variety of crops are planted in one area.

Answer 3

water brought to the fields through irrigation evaporates.

Question 4

Sustainable agriculture is defined as a ______________________.

A) plant-breeding program focused on developing high yield varieties (HYVs) of grain crops
B) plant-breeding program focused on the production of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to increase crop productivity or create new varieties of crops
C) farming method in which one crop variety is planted over a large area of land with significant inputs of fertilizer, pesticides, and water
D) farming method that does not use any synthetic fertilizer, pesticides, or other chemical additives
E) farming method that does not deplete resources, such as soil and water, faster than they are replaced

Question 5

Characteristic features of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) include which of the following?

A) Such operations only raise beef cattle.
B) They use a lot of land relative to the number of animals raised.
C) The manure is difficult to collect as there are so many animals in a small space.
D) Animals are generally not permitted to roam free.
E) They have no net negative environmental impact.

Question 6

Environmental issues caused by industrial farming techniques include which of the following?

A) eutrophication
B) reliance on synthetic nitrogen fertilizer
C) heavy use of pesticides
D) formation of a "Dead Zone" in the Gulf of Mexico
E) All of these answers are environmental issues caused by industrial farming.

Question 7

Rearing meat or dairy animals in confined spaces, maximizing the number of animals that can be grown in a small area, is referred to as a __________.

A) sustainable agriculture system
B) concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO)
C) monoculture
D) traditional agriculture system
E) transgenic operation

Question 8

The farming technique that is seen in most industrial farms is called ________ agriculture.

A) organic
B) integrated
C) monoculture
D) polyculture
E) None of these answers fit the description.

Question 9

Which strategy would Greg and Raquel Massa NOT apply in managing their farm given their conversion to sustainable agriculture?

A) planting native oak trees along field borders as a windbreak
B) using transgenic golden rice seeds that are nutritionally enhanced to produce vitamin A
C) introducing ducklings into rice paddies as a natural weed control
D) building nest boxes for wood ducks, barn owls, and bats so that these wild animals will keep pests in check
E) installing a recirculation system to reclaim and reuse irrigation water

Question 10

Modern industrial agriculture methods __________________.

A) rely on renewable energy sources to power modern farming equipment
B) maintain and enrich ecosystem services
C) focus all resources on a single crop
D) avoid the use of chemical fertilizers
E) are referred to as organic

Question 11

The Irish potato famine was caused by a pathogen that quickly and successfully infected and killed millions of potato plants in Ireland. Based on the speed and ability of the pathogen to infect the plants, what kind of farming technique was likely implemented by the Irish?

A) sustainable
B) organic
C) monoculture
D) CAFOs
E) strip cropping

Question 12

________ is farming without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemical additives.

A) Synthetic farming
B) Organic agriculture
C) The Green Revolution
D) Industrialized agriculture
E) Symbiotic agriculture

Question 13

What is the one possible result of growing crops in marginal soil?

A) cultural eutrophication
B) dependence on fertilizer
C) lower yields
D) increased greenhouse gas release
E) All of these answers are potential results.

Question 14

Which factor(s) contribute(s) to the emergence of pesticide-resistant crop pest populations?

A) lack of genetic diversity in the pest population
B) the ability of individual pests within a population to survive exposure to the pesticide and reproduce
C) organic farming techniques
D) the ability of pesticide reapplication to kill all pests in a population
E) All of these answers are factors that contribute to the emergence.

Question 15

What is organic agriculture? Explain how it is similar to or different from sustainable agriculture, using livestock production as an example.

Question 16

Which green bean would likely have a higher nutrient content?

A) one grown on a new industrial farm
B) one grown on an established industrial farm
C) They would both have the same nutrient content.

Question 17

A farm that plants non-locally adapted crops likely uses ________ agriculture methods.

A) sustainable
B) industrial
C) organic
D) commercial
E) home/personal

Question 18

All of the following are considered sustainable farming techniques EXCEPT _______.

A) reduced tillage
B) crop rotation
C) strip cropping
D) heavy pesticide use
E) terrace farming

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a negative consequence associated with confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs)?

A) Cattle CAFO operations cause soil salinization since cows drink so much water.
B) Since CAFO animals are more vulnerable to disease, farmers use heavy doses of antibiotics, which contributes to antibiotic resistance.
C) CAFOs contribute to global warming since livestock emit greenhouse gases as part of their digestive process.
D) CAFO operations are not sustainable since they are heavily dependent on external inputs, such as feed that is added from outside its own ecosystem.
E) Hog CAFO operations can pollute local waterways due to the vast quantities of manure that are produced in a small area.

Question 20

What are monocultures and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs)? Describe pros and cons of each in industrialized agriculture.

Question 21

________ is a term that describes misleading claims about the healthiness of organic foods.

A) Greenwashing
B) Organic washing
C) Organic inaccuracy
D) Transgenic
E) Greencarding

Question 22

What are some potential hazards to using biological methods of pest control?

Question 23

Which food likely has the smallest carbon footprint?

A) a pineapple shipped from Hawaii
B) a soybean from a local commercial farm
C) an organic banana shipped from Costa Rica
D) an organic strawberry from a local farm
E) Both C and D have equally small footprints.

Question 24

The 1930s Dust Bowl was caused by severe drought in prairie lands, coupled with farming techniques that left the bare soil vulnerable to wind erosion. Which of the following sustainable farming techniques would help prevent such a phenomenon from happening again?

A) contour farming
B) depression farming
C) reduced tillage
D) terrace farming
E) strip cropping

Question 25

In sustainable agriculture _________ is to soil erosion as ____________ is to soil fertility.

A) strip cropping; contour farming
B) terrace farming; crop rotation
C) cover cropping; reduced tillage
D) contour farming; terrace farming
E) crop rotation; windbreaks

Question 26

Infographic 17.4.

Refer to Infographic 17.4. Use the infographic to describe integrated farming at Takao Furuno's duck/rice farm.

Question 27

Infographic 17.3.

Refer to Infographic 17.3. Describe how application of chemical pesticides encourages the emergence of pesticide-resistant pest populations.

Question 28

As a consumer, you need to be wary of purported health claims made on organically grown foods. How could such claims be validated?

Question 29

By planting corn one year and beans the next on a given plot of land, or by planting alfalfa as a cover crop during the off-season, a farmer reduces the need for ___________ because beans and alfalfa fix nitrogen in the soil.

A) herbicides
B) pesticides
C) inorganic fertilizers
D) expensive irrigation techniques
E) harvesting machinery

Question 30

Sustainable farming would have less ____________ but would be more ____________.

A) expense and inputs; labor intensive
B) potential for causing water pollution; at risk for causing soil degradation
C) genetic and species diversity; likely to have many beneficial insects
D) hormone residues in the milk; than likely to have antibiotic residue in the meat
E) utilization of crop rotation and cover cropping; apt to use integrated pest management and fertilizers

Question 31

Which of the following in an example of greenwashing that you may find on a food label?

A) produced locally (from commercial farm)
B) only contains natural ingredients
C) cage-free eggs
D) healthy organic brownies
E) all of these answers

Question 32

Infographic 17.6.

Refer to Infographic 17.6. Which methods increase soil fertility, and why?

Question 33

Infographic 17.2.

Which of the following would NOT be a sustainable agriculture method to reduce soil erosion?

A) reduced tillage
B) contour farming
C) terrace farming
D) cover cropping
E) strip cropping

Question 34

Which of the following choices should you buy organic, if possible?

A) kiwi
B) cabbage
C) mushrooms
D) grapes
E) onions

Question 35

A rice farmer can use integrated farming techniques in which ducklings, azolla, and fish are used to produce their crops without any extra chemical additives. This integrated technique _______________.

A) represents a method of organic farming
B) is sustainable
C) produces more than just rice as a product to sell
D) eliminates the need for synthetic and toxic chemicals
E) All of these answers are correct.

Question 36

Which of the following sustainable farming techniques disrupts the life cycle of pests, making it difficult for pest populations to build up and cause outbreaks?

A) contour farming
B) cover crops
C) crop rotation
D) terrace farming
E) reduced tillage

Question 37

The distance a food travels from its site of production to the consumer is ____________.

A) decreased in countries where industrialized agriculture is practiced
B) typically less than 100 miles in the United States
C) not a sustainability issue since fossil fuels are plentiful in most countries
D) not a factor when calculating the ecological footprint of a food
E) referred to as food miles

Question 38

Infographic 17.2.

Refer to Infographic 17.2. How do industrial agricultural methods lead to eutrophication and "dead zones"?

Question 39

Which kind of pest management system falls more in line with the methods of sustainable farming?

A) cultural
B) mechanical
C) biological
D) chemical
E) A, B, and C are all pest control methods used in sustainable farming.

Question 40

What are ways you can personally support sustainable/organic farming techniques and help them become more widely employed?

Question 41

An increase in crop genetic diversity is an advantage of what kind of farming?

A) sustainable
B) commercial
C) global
D) industrial
E) All farming decreases genetic diversity.

Question 42

Many advantages and disadvantages are associated with sustainable farming techniques, for the environment, the consumer, and the farmer. Which of the following is FALSE?

A) Sustainable farming is more labor intensive than traditional farming.
B) More subsidies are available for farmers who use sustainable techniques.
C) Soil is not degraded as much when sustainable agricultural techniques are used.
D) Usually organic products are more expensive to the consumer.
E) All of these answers are true statements about sustainable farming.

Question 43

Why is sustainable farming a better way to grow food? Provide three reasons. What are the trade-offs? Discuss three.

Question 44

As the human population continues to grow, we increase our demand for food. Describe how we can meet increased food demand in a way that is sustainable for the long term.

Question 45

Which of the following is an advantage of sustainable farming for the farmer/environment?

A) The soil is not degraded.
B) There is less potential for water pollution.
C) Beneficial insects are not killed.
D) All of these answers are advantages.
E) None of these answers is an advantage.

Question 46

What is an advantage of growing perennial crops?

A) increased soil erosion
B) increased soil fertility
C) decreased irrigation need
D) the ability to grow in any environment
E) There are no advantages over growing annual crops.

Question 47

Consumers enjoy many benefits from sustainable farming. Which of the following is a benefit of sustainable farming to consumers?

A) no pesticide residue on produce
B) better taste
C) animal products contain no hormones
D) fresher produce
E) All of these answers are benefits.

Question 48

Which of the following is a disadvantage of sustainable farming for the consumer?

A) Fruits and vegetable are less uniform and may contain more blemishes.
B) The items have a shorter shelf life.
C) Usually the items are more expensive.
D) All of these answers are disadvantages.
E) None of these answers is a disadvantage.

Question 49

Which of the following is an advantage of organic farming?

A) Fruits and vegetables grown without pesticides are typically blemish-free and have a long shelf life since they are picked when ripe and waxed as protection.
B) Organic food is less expensive since there are many subsidies available to organic farmers that get passed on to customers.
C) Food is healthier, as there is no pesticide residue on the produce and organic food may contain more antioxidants.
D) There is more genetic and species diversity, as crops can be grown without concern for what is climatically suitable to a given area.
E) Labels on organic food are clear and never misleading, as the certification process is stringent but straightforward.

Question 50

Discuss several trade-offs associated with organic farming for the consumer, the farmer, and the environment.