The effect that mankind's activities have had on the environment form a major part of GCSE Geography. This quiz looks at intensive farming - the negative impact it has had on the environment and some possible alternative agricultural practices.
Farming is often viewed as a simple, rural pursuit but, with an increase in modern methods, farming has become an intensive system designed to get the maximum yield out of the minimum land area. Whist we tend to think of intensification as being a modern problem, we have been improving and developing farming practices for tens of thousands of years, ever since hunter gathers began tending to wild plants that they needed as food.
Intensive farming involves the use of fertilisers and pesticides, growing high yield crops, growing crops all year round and keeping animals indoors and in small spaces to limit their movement. This allows a higher yield in crops and meat production, but leads to environmental impacts that may not be clear immediately.
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The opposite of intensive farming is organic farming. Whilst this still uses natural fertilisers and natural pest control, its overwhelming aim is to reduce the environmental impact from farming. However, the costs of organic farming are much higher, which is translated to the end price for the customer. This means that some people can’t afford, or don’t see the value in, organic produce.
Science is working to create new forms of pesticides that work in a more environmentally friendly way. It is also working to discover natural alternatives to environmentally unsound practices and alternative methods of farming that either give us new ways of farming the same crops, or use newly developed strains that require less input in the form of chemical controls or fertilisers.
The long term effects of some chemical controls have had a negative impact on the environment which will last for decades to come.
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1.
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How did the pesticide DDT affect birds of prey? |
|
[ ] |
It reduced the amount of prey available, leading to a fall in numbers and fewer offspring |
[ ] |
It built up in the food chain poisoning the birds of prey |
[ ] |
The reduction in harmful insects allowed natural areas to flourish, meaning the birds had more prey |
[ ] |
Ingestion of the pesticide reduced the harmful pathogens in the birds of prey |
|
|
2.
|
How does pesticide use impact biodiversity? |
|
[ ] |
It reduces biodiversity |
[ ] |
It only removes harmful pests |
[ ] |
It increases biodiversity |
[ ] |
It reduces the number of weeds which are a food source for various harmful insects |
|
|
3.
|
How can providing homes for insects reduce the need for pesticides? |
|
[ ] |
Providing homes for insects provides homes for the crop pests, stopping them coming into the fields |
[ ] |
Providing homes for insects gives them better living conditions so they will need to eat less |
[ ] |
Providing homes for insects allows natural predators of crop pests to thrive to help keep them under control |
[ ] |
Providing homes for insects draws them to gardens and parks rather than to crops in fields |
|
|
4.
|
Hydroponics is often discussed as a viable alternative to other methods of farming. What is Hydroponics? |
|
[ ] |
Plants are grown in lakes and streams and left to their own devices |
[ ] |
Plants are grown in special soils in greenhouses |
[ ] |
Plants are grown inverted to allow gravity to assist in their growing, meaning that they need less energy to grow stems |
[ ] |
Plants are grown using water containing the minerals required, rather than in soil |
|
|
5.
|
What is battery farming? |
|
[ ] |
Farming animals indoors in small spaces, sometimes only conforming to the legal minimum space |
[ ] |
Putting chickens in cages |
[ ] |
Allowing animals access to the outside whenever they want |
[ ] |
Using genetically modified animals |
|
|
6.
|
One form of biological pest control is to release a natural predator into the area. Cane toads were released in parts of Australia for this reason and have now multiplied so much that they have become a threat to the original ecosystem. Why have Cane Toads been able to expand like this? |
|
[ ] |
People kept the toads as pets, then released them when they were no longer wanted |
[ ] |
The huge numbers of beetles on sugar cane crops gave the toads an unlimited food supply |
[ ] |
There was a lack of natural predators for the toads, and plentiful food sources with no defences against them |
[ ] |
The climate suited the cane toads better than it did the native species |
|
|
7.
|
Weeding is often done on organic farms to remove plants that might out compete the crop. What is the disadvantage that means this is impractical on intensive farms? |
|
[ ] |
It is too labour intensive |
[ ] |
No quality control |
[ ] |
People have to walk on the soil and will damage the crop roots |
[ ] |
People may remove crops rather than weeds by mistake |
|
|
8.
|
What might a fungicide be used for? |
|
[ ] |
To remove pests that prey on mushrooms |
[ ] |
To remove mould |
[ ] |
To kill insect pests on general crops |
[ ] |
To remove weeds |
|
|
9.
|
Aphids often attack orchards and weaken tress, reducing the fruit crop. Which of the following is a method used to control aphids? |
|
[ ] |
Applying a good quality pesticide is the only way to remove the aphids |
[ ] |
Destroying the trees and burning all affected leaves, or using of powerful pesticides are the only ways to remove the aphids |
[ ] |
Washing them off the plant, applying a pesticide or releasing more ladybirds |
[ ] |
Introducing a species of predatory ant, or applying a pesticide |
|
|
10.
|
Which of the following is a way that battery farming cattle reduces global warming? |
|
[ ] |
By reducing the amount of greenhouse gases released by cows |
[ ] |
By stopping the destruction of trees and plants by cattle |
[ ] |
By reducing the need to transport food to the cattle |
[ ] |
By reducing the amount of energy the cattle use |
|
|
1.
|
How did the pesticide DDT affect birds of prey? |
|
[ ] |
It reduced the amount of prey available, leading to a fall in numbers and fewer offspring |
[x] |
It built up in the food chain poisoning the birds of prey |
[ ] |
The reduction in harmful insects allowed natural areas to flourish, meaning the birds had more prey |
[ ] |
Ingestion of the pesticide reduced the harmful pathogens in the birds of prey |
|
|
2.
|
How does pesticide use impact biodiversity? |
|
[x] |
It reduces biodiversity |
[ ] |
It only removes harmful pests |
[ ] |
It increases biodiversity |
[ ] |
It reduces the number of weeds which are a food source for various harmful insects |
|
|
3.
|
How can providing homes for insects reduce the need for pesticides? |
|
[ ] |
Providing homes for insects provides homes for the crop pests, stopping them coming into the fields |
[ ] |
Providing homes for insects gives them better living conditions so they will need to eat less |
[x] |
Providing homes for insects allows natural predators of crop pests to thrive to help keep them under control |
[ ] |
Providing homes for insects draws them to gardens and parks rather than to crops in fields |
|
|
4.
|
Hydroponics is often discussed as a viable alternative to other methods of farming. What is Hydroponics? |
|
[ ] |
Plants are grown in lakes and streams and left to their own devices |
[ ] |
Plants are grown in special soils in greenhouses |
[ ] |
Plants are grown inverted to allow gravity to assist in their growing, meaning that they need less energy to grow stems |
[x] |
Plants are grown using water containing the minerals required, rather than in soil |
|
|
5.
|
What is battery farming? |
|
[x] |
Farming animals indoors in small spaces, sometimes only conforming to the legal minimum space |
[ ] |
Putting chickens in cages |
[ ] |
Allowing animals access to the outside whenever they want |
[ ] |
Using genetically modified animals |
|
|
6.
|
One form of biological pest control is to release a natural predator into the area. Cane toads were released in parts of Australia for this reason and have now multiplied so much that they have become a threat to the original ecosystem. Why have Cane Toads been able to expand like this? |
|
[ ] |
People kept the toads as pets, then released them when they were no longer wanted |
[ ] |
The huge numbers of beetles on sugar cane crops gave the toads an unlimited food supply |
[x] |
There was a lack of natural predators for the toads, and plentiful food sources with no defences against them |
[ ] |
The climate suited the cane toads better than it did the native species |
|
|
7.
|
Weeding is often done on organic farms to remove plants that might out compete the crop. What is the disadvantage that means this is impractical on intensive farms? |
|
[x] |
It is too labour intensive |
[ ] |
No quality control |
[ ] |
People have to walk on the soil and will damage the crop roots |
[ ] |
People may remove crops rather than weeds by mistake |
|
|
8.
|
What might a fungicide be used for? |
|
[ ] |
To remove pests that prey on mushrooms |
[x] |
To remove mould |
[ ] |
To kill insect pests on general crops |
[ ] |
To remove weeds |
|
|
9.
|
Aphids often attack orchards and weaken tress, reducing the fruit crop. Which of the following is a method used to control aphids? |
|
[ ] |
Applying a good quality pesticide is the only way to remove the aphids |
[ ] |
Destroying the trees and burning all affected leaves, or using of powerful pesticides are the only ways to remove the aphids |
[x] |
Washing them off the plant, applying a pesticide or releasing more ladybirds |
[ ] |
Introducing a species of predatory ant, or applying a pesticide |
|
|
10.
|
Which of the following is a way that battery farming cattle reduces global warming? |
|
[x] |
By reducing the amount of greenhouse gases released by cows |
[ ] |
By stopping the destruction of trees and plants by cattle |
[ ] |
By reducing the need to transport food to the cattle |
[ ] |
By reducing the amount of energy the cattle use |
|
|