APES Agriculture practices

Industrial Agriculture has many benefits.  Which of the following is NOT a benefit associated with industrial agriculture?

• The ratio of energy input to calorie output is low.
• Larger food production per hectare.
• Monoculture can be more efficient.
• Economy of scale can make the food less expensive.

Synthetic fertilizers have many advantages over traditional "organic" animal waste fertilizers.  These include all of the following EXCEPT

• ease of application.
• highly adjustable nutrient content.
• bioavailability of nutrients.
• lack of nutrient runoff problems.

Monocropping has a number of disadvantages.  These include all of the following EXCEPT

• Monocropping causes erosion due to exposure of large areas of soil during planting.

• Monocrops are more expensive for farmers, so they lack economic incentives to grow them.

• Monocrops are more susceptible to disease outbreaks.

• Monocropping leads to nutrient loss in the soil.

After many years of applying the selective pesticides provironex, a farmer notices that the applications seem less effective.  This is likely due to

• the fact that provironex is fat-soluble and has been bioaccumulating.

• provironex is a selective pesticide, so other pests are filling the niche from the exterminated ones.

• provironex is a persistent pesticide, and the farmer should apply less for better results.

• the target species has begun to evolve resistance and entered the pesticide treadmill.

Scientists have inserted a gene for the production of vitamin A into rice.  This practice of selecting and changing target genes in agricultural products to produce desirable traits is known as

• Genetic Engineering.
• Transmodification.
• Selective Breeding.
• Natural Selection.

Which areas of the world are most susceptible to desertification?

• Humid Equitorial Regions
• Temporal Chaparral
• Areas adjacent to the Poles.
• Areas adjacent to Existing Deserts.

In the US, organic farming is regulated by

• OFPA
• FIFRA
• FSA
• CERCLA

In order for organic farmers to make a profit (an thus be economically sustainable)

• manure must be found in abundance in close proximity to the farm.
• the government must continue to provide an "organic" subsidy.
• conventional farmers must pay a tax to subsideze the organic farmers.
• consumers must be willing to pay higher costs associated with organic produce.

CAFOs make meat more economical, but may have some negative environmental impacts.  These include all of the following EXCEPT

• high concentrations of animal waste.
• increase in nutrients in stormwater runoff.
• increase in sediments in stormwater runoff.
• increased use of land area over other types of animal farming.

What is the general relationship between meat consumption and affluence?

• More affluent nations tend to consume more meat products.
• More affluent nations tend to be net exporters of meat products.
• Less affluent nations tend to consume more meat because poultry are so easy to raise.
• Less affluent nations tend to consume less meat because meat is thought of as a trading commodity.