Exam 10: Food, Soil, and Pest Management

Which of the following are not part of organic agriculture practices?

Broad-spectrum pesticides may increase the number of a pest species through

____________________ are chemicals emitted by living organisms to send messages to individuals of the same species and can be used as alternatives to pesticides.

Since 1942 the use of synthetic pesticides has increased 33-fold. a.In spite of this fact, food supply damage due to pests has increased during that time.

Salt buildup may

In the United States, the use of pesticides has increased 33-fold since 1942. a.About 31% of crops were lost to pests in the 1940s.

Sustainable agriculture is characterized by all of the following except

Michael Pollan, in his landmark book The Omnivore's Dilemma, investigates and discussed the practices of meat production in modern, industrialized agriculture in the United States. a.After his extensive study, he writes that he believes hunting for meat may be the more humane and wise choice. a.He cites the fact that game animals at least live their lives in a free, uncaged environment, compared with beef cattle that spend much of their lives confined in feedlots, standing in manure and eating grain they are not designed to digest. a.Additionally, the game animal typically has a relatively quick and painless death.Discuss this issue. a.Include in your discussion aspects of animal cruelty, relative availability of the meat to satisfy food needs for a large population, and the relative impacts of farming versus hunting on biodiversity.

In alley cropping:

The following grains are among the world's major food crops except

____________________ is a way to grow food on steep slopes or mountainsides without depleting topsoil.

Perhaps the most important thing about Rachel Carson's investigative work on the environmental effects of pesticides, and her publication "Silent Spring," is

Which of the following can lead to desertification?

Organic agriculture increases biodiversity ____________________ and ____________________ ground.

The National Academy of Sciences has estimated that 98% of the potential risk of developing cancer from pesticide residue on food grown in the U.S. a.could be eliminated if

Which of the following is a micronutrient, which without sufficient quantities in a diet can result in goiter?

Integrated pest management ____ than pesticides.

Monoculture is a method of growing food that is utilized solely in

Polyface Farm in the U.S. a.state of Virginia raises beef, chickens and pigs. a.A particular practice on Polyface Farm is to bring chickens into a pasture after the cows have eaten the grass. a.The chickens eat the insect grubs that are found in the cow manure. a.While the chickens fatten up on the insect grubs, they also produce waste which in turn fertilizes the grass the cows will later eat. a.Explain this process in terms of sustainable agriculture and the basic principles of sustainability.

Which of the following types of agriculture is most characteristic of developing countries?