Terms and concepts for Food and Agriculture test

Under nutrition: People who cannot grow or buy enough food to meet their basic energy needs suffer from this. Most of the worlds chronically undernourished children live in developing countries. They face the possibilities of suffering from mental retardation and stunted growth and dying from infectious diseases such as measles and diarrhea. 1 of every 6 people in developing countries is chronically undernourished. Malnutrition: Chronic malnutritiondeficiencies of proteins and other key nutrientswhich weakens them, makes them more susceptible to disease and hinders the normal physical and mental development of children. Faulty nutrition, caused by a diet that does not supply an individual with enough protein, essential fats, vitamins, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients needed for good health. Over nutrition: Occurs when food energy intake exceeds energy use and causes excess body fat. Too many calories, too little exercise, or both can cause over nutrition. People who are underfed and underweight and those who are overfed and overweight face similar health problems: lower life expectancy, greater susceptibility to disease and illness, and lower productivity and life quality. 1 billion people have health problems because they do not get enough to eat and another 1.6 billion face health problems from eating too much. Adults need on average 1000 calories per day to simply survive. Average of 2100 calories needed for a normal, healthy life.

Why are the following important to the diet? Nutrient

Proteins Carbohydrates Lipids (oils and fats)

Food Source
Animals and some plants Wheat, corn, and rice Animal fats, nuts, oils

Function
Help to build and repair body tissues Provide short term energy Help to build membrane tissues and create hormones

What is Anemia and how does it affect your body? What are some of the things you can do to prevent anemia? Iron deficiency is the most common dietary imbalance in the world. It leads to anemia-- insufficient oxygen transported to the brain, muscles, and organs due to low red blood cell count. Symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, and headache. Increases risk of death in childbirth. Good sources of iron: Red meat, eggs, beans, and some green vegetables (spinach, broccoli)

What is soil made up of? What are the different layers of soil and what are their characteristics? Soil is a complex mixture of eroded rock, mineral nutrients, decaying organic matter, water, air, and billions of living organisms, most of them microscopic decomposers. Most mature soils contain at least three horizontal layers, or horizons, each with a distinct texture and composition that varies with different types of soils. 1. O Horizon- leaf litter 2. A Horizon- Topsoil (renewable resource. Renewed very slowly, which means it can be depleted. 1 centimeter can take up hundreds of years to form) 3. B Horizon- Subsoil 4. C Horizon- Parent Material The roots of most plants and the majority of a soils organic matter are concentrated in a soils two upper layers (O&A) In most mature soils, these two layers team with bacteria, fungi, earthworms, and small insects all interacting in complex ways. B and C contain most of a soils inorganic matter, mostly broken down rock consisting of varying mixtures of sand, silt, clay, and gravel. Much of it is transported by water from the A horizon. The C horizon lies on a base of parent material, which is often bedrock. As long as the O and A horizons are anchored by vegetation, the soil layers as a whole act as a sponge, storing water and releasing it in a nourishing trickle. What are the different types of erosion? Erosion is any natural process that redistributes soil and minerals across the earth. Erosion becomes a problem when it occurs too quickly. Two biggest causes of erosion: wind and water. Sheet Erosion - Thin, uniform layer of soil removed by high winds. Rill Erosion - Small rivulets of running water gather and cut small channels in the soil. Gully Erosion - Rills enlarge to form channels too large to be removed by normal tillage. Stream bank Erosion - Washing away of soil from established stream banks.

What is DDT and what type of effect did it have on the environment as a whole? DDT a chemical known since 1874was a potent insecticide. DDT was the first of the so-called second-generation pesticides produced in the laboratory. Soon became the worlds most used pesticide. Todays pesticides are 10-100 times more toxic than those used in the 50s. We upset the earths natural checks and balances, which implement the population control principle of sustainability.

What are the three major food staples and why are they produced? Corn, Wheat, Rice. They are easy to grow, can grow pretty much anywhere and can be modified easily. What is the difference between protein sources in different geographical areas? What is desertification and how does it occur? Conversion of rangeland, rain-fed cropland, or irrigated cropland to desert-like land, with a drop in agricultural productivity of 10% or more. It usually is caused by a combination of overgrazing, soil erosion, prolonged drought, and climate change. What are some advantages and disadvantages of monocultures, polycultures, aquacultures, and plantations? Polyculture: Cultivating a single crop, but many grow several crops on the same plot Advantage: reduces the change of losing most of or all of the years food supply to pests, bas weather, and other misfortunes. 1. Slash and Burn: Early users of this method learned that each abandoned patch took 10-30 years before the soil became fertile enough to grow crops again. While patches were regenerating, growers used them for tree, medicines, fuel wood and other purposes. However when too many people used this approach, or dont understand its limits, it can become unsustainable and lead to depletion and degradation. 2. Mononcultures- One single crop dominating over a wide land area Aquacultures- Raising fish, with economic endeavor.fish-farming Plantations-growing specialized crops, such as bananas, coffee. or cocoa, in tropical developing countries, primary for sale to developed countries.

What is the green revolution and what did it do for modern agriculture? The green revolution marked three major changes in farming and food production: 1. Usage of monocultures of highly-bred or genetically modified species. 2. Increased input of irrigation, fertilizer, herbicides, and pesticides. 3. Produce more than one type of crop each year on a plot of land. The net effect of the Green revolution and the industrial food system has been to keep food prices artificially low. Americans only spend 10% of their household income on food. What are advantages and disadvantages of fertilizers? Lack of three nutrients can slow plant growth: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Adding fertilizer and manure is replenishes soil nutrients depleted from previous years.

 Adding these nutrients via fertilizer usually stimulates growth and increases crop yields. 1950 - Average of 7kg/acre used 2000 - Average of 25kg/acre used Problems with fertilizer? Can runoff into water sources and cause aquatic plants (algae) populations to expand rapidly Manure can cause bacterial contamination