Define the phrase food security.
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Define the phrase food security.
Food security is having enough food to feed a population.
How can increasing birth rates affect food security?
Increasing birth rate threatens food security in some countries by increasing the population that needs to be fed.
True or False?
Changing diets in developed countries have no impact on global food security.
False.
Changing diets in developed countries can threaten food security because changes in demand for certain foods can lead to scarce food resources being transported around the world rather than being used to feed people in their country of origin.
How can pests and pathogens affect food security?
Pests and pathogens are organisms that can damage or destroy crops, threatening food production.
How can environmental change affect food security?
Environmental change can affect food security by impacting food production, e.g. when:
drought occurs due to changes in weather patterns
temperature changes increase the range of pests and pathogens
What are agricultural inputs?
Agricultural inputs are resources used in farm production, such as seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, and labour.
True or False?
Conflicts only affect food availability, not water availability.
False.
Conflicts can affect the availability of both food and water.
What is the ultimate goal regarding feeding Earth's population?
The ultimate goal is to find sustainable methods to feed all people on Earth.
True or False?
Allowing livestock to move freely increases food production efficiency.
False.
Limiting livestock movement increases food production efficiency by reducing energy used for movement; this energy can instead be used to fuel growth.
How does controlling temperature affect livestock energy use?
Controlling temperature keeps livestock at their optimum temperature, reducing the energy they use for body temperature regulation.
Define the phrase intensive farming
Intensive farming is a method of farming that aims to maximise production within a limited land area. An example is the raising of livestock in confined spaces.
What is a potential drawback of keeping livestock in confined spaces?
Drawbacks of keeping livestock in confined spaces include:
disease can spread easily among the animals
animals may be distressed, resulting in poor welfare
animals may become aggressive and injure each other
What is a common ethical objection to intensive farming methods?
A common ethical objection to intensive farming methods is that it forces animals to live in conditions that are not humane.
What is a sustainable fishery?
Sustainable fisheries are fisheries in which the overall population size of fish species does not decrease; this is because the number of fish caught does not exceed the number of new fish born.
What is the main cause of declining fish stocks?
The main cause of declining fish stocks is overfishing.
Why is it important to maintain fish stocks?
It is important to maintain fish stocks to keep them at a level where breeding continues; this ensures that fish populations do not collapse.
True or False?
Increasing the size of gaps in fishing nets leads to larger catches of fish.
False.
Increasing the size of gaps in fishing nets will reduce the size of fish catches. Doing this helps to reduce the capture of unwanted species and allows young fish to escape.
How do larger net gaps help maintain fish populations?
Larger net gaps allow juvenile fish to escape and survive to breeding age, ensuring the population can be replenished.
How does the accidental capture of larger fish species affect marine ecosystems?
The accidental capture of larger fish species will reduce the populations of these species. This can remove top predators from food chains and disrupt marine food webs.
What are fishing quotas?
Fishing quotas are limits on the number and size of particular fish species that can be caught in a given area.
How can microorganisms be cultured for food on a large scale?
Microorganisms can be cultured for food on a large scale by being grown in fermenters.
For example Fusarium is grown on glucose syrup in aerobic conditions, and the biomass is harvested and purified.
What is mycoprotein?
Mycoprotein is a protein-rich food produced by a fungus. It is suitable for vegetarians and often used as a meat-substitute.
Name the type of fungus used to produce mycoprotein.
The type of fungi used to produce mycoprotein is Fusarium.
How can biotechnology be used to help treat people with diabetes?
A genetically modified bacterium produces human insulin. When harvested and purified this is used to treat people with diabetes
How can GM crops increase food security?
GM crops increase food security by providing more food, or providing food with an improved nutritional value, such as golden rice.