agriculture

agriculture 

biological resources: requirement with global expanding pop to supply + provide food  + forest resources without damagin the planets life support systems 

the interaction + synoptic links of production of biological resources include: conservation of biodiversity, energy resources, pollution, physical enviro

what are the issues with agriculture: the imapct of the biospehere, use of other enviro resources in agriculture, pollution caused by agricutlure, development, long term food security 

the imapct of agricutlture of the biosphere: way change land use to increase food supply has imapct on other species survival

use of other enviro resources in agriculture: need to achieve high outputs of food which means large inputs of resources e.g. energy, water, fertilisers, materials, machinery 

pollution cuased by agriculture: pollutantsd - food waste/bi production food production, use of manure, pesticide drift, fertiliser leachate, eutrophication of water ways 

development: agriculture is global industry 

long term food security - sustainable food managment as can control + manipulate our production 

agroecosystems - farmland is an artificial ecosystem

agroecosystems are defined as communities of plants + animals interacting with their physical enviro that have been modified by people to produce food, fibre, fuel + other procducts for human consumption 

croplands cover 14% of total ice free land area of planet 

three agricultural principles: 

• agriculture invovles the control of terrestrial ecosystems to divert energy + nutrients into human food chain 
• species selection 
• control of enviro factors to manipulate production
• manipulation of food species to improve productivity 

species selection: 

• range of criteria ised to select suitable crop/animal: environmental, social/cultural, ethical, technological, economic, political, finacial support 
• eviromental - exploitation of resources, global geology, global climate weather patterns.
• social/cultural - dietary e.g. far eastern meat markets 
• ethical - lifestyle choice organic vs other, dietary, fairness 
• technological - global disparity
• economic - affordability - affordability of machinery, tech, processing plants, labour costs 
• religious - hindus not eat beef 
• politcal - private farms, state owned 
• finacial support - subsidies, grant schemes 

factors that dicate which species are chosen: market deman + access, enviro condition within species range of tolerance, control of enviro conditions to improve productivity/species adapted 

abiotic factors: 

• species range of tolerance, optimum for survival + growth, maintaining conditions within optimum range to minimise productivity 

abiotic factors: air, soil, water, topography/relief, light, minerals, temp, pest control 

water - fudnamental to life 

the hydrologicdal growing season is the length of the year that there is sufficient water to sustain growth

soil fertility features (edaphic factors), are 6 edaphic factors: nutrient availability, structure - ped type, texture - particle size, depth - soil horizon, ph - acid/alkaline, soil biota - decomposers, detritivores 

nutrient supplies - plants abosrb range of inorganic nutrients used for metabolic processes, essential for plant growth 

macronutrients = potassium, phosphates, nitrates 

micronutrients = iron + copper for chlorophyll synthesis 

nutrient balance - agroecosystems 

• require inputs that not neccessary in natural ecosystems, as nutrients are removed as crops are harvested/livestock are removed vs nutrients in natural ecosystems are recylced by death + decomosition
• nutrients not absorbed…