Chapter 7 Reading Questions

Which statement about food production since 1960 is true? -During this time our population has grown faster than our food production capabilities. -During this time our food production capabilities have been severely limited, causing the population of many countries to decline rapidly. -During this time 90% of the world's population has been overnourished. -During this time our food production has grown even faster than our population.

Who are most prone to overnutrition in the United States? -low-income Americans -wealthy Americans who can afford to eat more food -middle-class Americans -senators and representatives

Which of the following is a living museum of genetic crop diversity? -seed banks -the Field Museum of Natural History -biodiversity museums -biogenetic banks

Why is variety in crop plants important for "food security"? -Monocultures are inherently stable. -Varieties contain genes that, through conventional breeding, might confer resistance to disease. -Monocultures are not capable of reproducing. -People and the food industry naturally want a wide variety of different types of food plants.

Which of the following statements is true about the diversity of our crops today? -Because of genetic engineering, the diversity of our crops has increased dramatically compared to crops in the past. -The diversity of our crops has increased with the invention of seed banks. -The Green Revolution has led to a decrease in the diversity of our crops. -Because of industrial agriculture, the diversity of our crops has increased dramatically compared to crops in the past.

Which of the following would be considered a monoculture? -a 100-acre field that is planted with a variety of crops for use in feeding farm animals -a garden plot planted with 10 tomato plants -a 100-acre field, all of which is planted with the same variety of corn -a two-acre field planted with a variety of foods intended to support several families for the year

Which of the following revolutions came about as a response to our dramatically rising human population numbers? -environmental revolution -Green Revolution -agricultural revolution -industrial revolution

Which of the following agricultural systems would be most susceptible to diseases or pests? -traditional farms -polycultures -rangeland used for grazing livestock -monocultures

When decomposers break down organic molecules, a crumbly organic material called __________ that improves soil quality is formed. -silt -guacamole -humus -topsoil

The initial degradation of plants by microarthropods, bacteria, and fungi occurs in the __________ soil horizon. -R -A -O -B

Which of the following soil horizons is most severely affected by erosion? -B -R -A -C

Swidden agriculture is necessary in rainforests for all of the following reasons EXCEPT __________. -rainforest plants tend to hold the nutrients in rainforests rather than the soil -the soil of rainforests is not suitable for forest growth -excess rain in the rainforest tends to allow for leaching of nutrients to the lower layers of soil -the warm temperature in the rainforest causes decomposition to occur quickly

The process of soil quality declining in productivity is called __________. -weathering -soil degradation -erosion -mineralization

Erosion usually begins when __________. -the O horizon is thick with material -there is little or no slope to the land -rainfall levels decrease -vegetation is removed either naturally or by humans

Which of the following contributed to the Dust Bowl of the 1930s? -The use of GM crops. -Deforestation of native forests in order to plant crops. -The removal of native prairie plants. -Massive industrial agriculture operations disturbed the soil with large, petroleum-powered equipment.

Desertification of soil __________. -may be a problem in the future but has not yet caused much loss of farm land -is a natural process that we cannot control -can be caused by overgrazing -can occur only on a small percentage of Earth's surface, in the very driest areas

Which process not only controls erosion, but can also help to replenish soil nutrients? -shelterbelts -drip irrigation -crop rotation -contour farming

Which of the following soil conservation strategies prevents erosion by using furrows plowed sideways across a hill, perpendicular to the slope of land? -contour farming -terracing -crop rotation -shelterbelts

All of the following practices are used to control soil erosion EXCEPT __________. -terracing of hillside farms -intercropping -industrial monoculture agriculture -no-till planting

How does the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) try to protect soil for future agriculture? -The CRP pays farmers not to grow crops on land that is not well suited for crop production. -The CRP provides grants to farmers willing to use contour farming. -The CRP created Nation Farmland Reserves, where only pre-industrial farming practices are allowed. -The CRP imposes financial penalties on farmers who do not employ shelterbelts in areas prone to wind erosion.

Which of the following can be caused by irrigation of cropland? -erosion of bedrock -salinization -terracing -recombination of genes

The use of biocontrol runs the risk of __________. -the control agent negatively impacting other species besides the species needing to be controlled -genes from the control agent escaping into wild populations -the control agent breeding with the species needing to be controlled. -the control agent completely eradicating the target species

Over time, pesticides become less effective. This is because __________. -pests can evolve defenses against pesticides -transgenic crops have been introduced -over time, farmers decrease the amount of application due to the high cost of product -over time, federal regulations require that lower-strength pesticides be used

The practice of integrating biocontrol, crop rotation, alternative tillage methods, and chemical use is called __________. -integrated biocontrol management -integrated technological management -integrated pest management -coordinated biological and chemical control

Which of the following is an example of the use of a biological control? -Weevils were introduced into Lake Victoria to help eradicate the invasive water hyacinth. -Herbicide-resistant soybeans are planted so farmers can use herbicides without killing their crops. -Honeybees are used to control the production of fruit in an apple orchard. -Golden rice is grown in developing nations to help control blindness in children.

What method of pest control operates on the principle that "the enemy of one's enemy is one's friend"? -pollination -organic pesticides -biocontrol -inorganic pesticides

__________ comprises half of the word's genetically modified crops. -coffee -canola -corn -soybeans

What is the name given to the idea that we should not market genetically modified organisms until their environmental and human health effects are well documented? -exclusionary principle -principle of ecological succession -precautionary principle -Zambian protocol

What is the status of GM products in the United States? -GM crops have been banned in the United States. -GM crops will only be sold in the United States for livestock feed. -GM crops can be sold in the United States only if they are labeled as being genetically modified. -U.S. citizens have largely accepted the GM crops on the market.

Recombinant DNA technology is used for which of the following purposes? -producing more powerful herbicides -increasing the nutrient content of soil -controlling invasive species -genetically modifying plants

We will be able to support more people with the same amount of food supply if most people eat which of the following types of diet? -a diet that substitutes chicken for other protein sources -a vegetarian diet -a diet consisting of equal percentages of meat and vegetables -a diet heavily dependent on meat

Which of the following are farms that concentrate on raising large numbers of animals of all the same type in a small area? -biotechnology farms -rangeland farming -feedlots -traditional farms

In regard to energy efficiency, aquaculture is __________. -approximately the same efficiency as harvesting fish from open waters -incredibly energy-efficient compared to harvesting fish from open waters -approximately the same efficiency as harvesting bycatch -incredibly energy-inefficient compared to harvesting fish from open waters

Which of the following describes a community-supported agriculture program? -Consumers do their own farming at home. -Consumers pay farmers ahead of time for a weekly delivery of in-season produce. -Farmers grow crops on lands on vacant lots within the communities they serve.

Organic agriculture implies farming techniques that use NO __________. -fertilizers -synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, or herbicides -water -soil