challenges of producing more crop and livestock o domestication and genetic diversity domestication...

Challenges of Producing More Crop Challenges of Producing More Crop and Livestockand Livestock

o Domestication and Genetic DiversityDomestication and Genetic Diversity• Domestication of crops and livestock Domestication of crops and livestock

causes a loss of genetic diversitycauses a loss of genetic diversity• Farmer selects and propagates animals with Farmer selects and propagates animals with

desirable agricultural characteristicsdesirable agricultural characteristics

• Many high yielding Many high yielding crops are genetically crops are genetically uniformuniform

• High likelihood that High likelihood that bacteria, fungi, bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc. will viruses, etc. will attack and destroy attack and destroy entire cropentire crop

o Increasing Crop YieldIncreasing Crop Yield


• Food production Food production increased in increased in developed developed countries countries (wheat (left)(wheat (left)

• PesticidesPesticides• Selective Selective

breedingbreeding

Case-In-Point Green RevolutionCase-In-Point Green Revolution

o High Yielding Rice VarietiesHigh Yielding Rice Varieties

Core Case Study: Golden Rice -Core Case Study: Golden Rice -Grains of Hope or an Illusion?Grains of Hope or an Illusion?

o Golden rice is a new Golden rice is a new genetically genetically engineered strain of engineered strain of rice containing rice containing beta-carotene.beta-carotene.

o Can inexpensively Can inexpensively supply vitamin A to supply vitamin A to malnourished.malnourished.

Figure 13-Figure 13-11

Core Case Study: Golden Rice -Core Case Study: Golden Rice -Grains of Hope or an Illusion?Grains of Hope or an Illusion?

o Critics contend that Critics contend that there are quicker there are quicker and cheaper ways and cheaper ways to supply vitamin A.to supply vitamin A.

o Scientist call for Scientist call for more evidence that more evidence that the beta-carotene the beta-carotene will be converted to will be converted to vitamin A by the vitamin A by the body.body.


o Increasing Livestock YieldsIncreasing Livestock Yields• Hormone supplementsHormone supplements

• US and Canada do thisUS and Canada do this• Europe does not citing human health concernsEurope does not citing human health concerns

• AntibioticsAntibiotics• 40% of antibiotics produced in US are used in 40% of antibiotics produced in US are used in

livestock operationslivestock operations• Problems with increased bacteria resistanceProblems with increased bacteria resistance


Antibiotic Use and ResistanceAntibiotic Use and Resistance

o Manipulation of genes by taking specific gene from a cell Manipulation of genes by taking specific gene from a cell of one species and placing it into the cell of an unrelated of one species and placing it into the cell of an unrelated speciesspecies

Genetic EngineeringGenetic Engineering

Issue with Genetically Modified Issue with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)Organisms (GMOs)

o Determined to be safe for human Determined to be safe for human consumptionconsumption

o Concerns about GMO seed or pollen Concerns about GMO seed or pollen spreading in wildspreading in wild

o Backlash against GMOsBacklash against GMOso GMOs are not currently labeledGMOs are not currently labeled

• FDA finds it would be counterproductive FDA finds it would be counterproductive and expensive to labeland expensive to label

Environmental Impacts of Environmental Impacts of AgricultureAgriculture

o High use of fossil fuels and High use of fossil fuels and pesticidespesticides• Air pollutionAir pollution

o Untreated animal wastes Untreated animal wastes and agricultural chemicalsand agricultural chemicals• Water pollutionWater pollution• Harms fisheriesHarms fisheries

o Insects, weeds, and disease-Insects, weeds, and disease-causing organisms causing organisms developing resistance to developing resistance to pesticidespesticides• Contaminate food supplyContaminate food supply

Environmental Impact of AgricultureEnvironmental Impact of Agriculture

o Land degradationLand degradation• Decreases future ability of land to support Decreases future ability of land to support

crops or livestockcrops or livestock

o Habitat fragmentationHabitat fragmentation• Breakup of large areas of habitat into Breakup of large areas of habitat into

small, isolated patchessmall, isolated patches

o Cultivating marginal landsCultivating marginal lands• Irrigating dry landIrrigating dry land• Cultivating land prone to erosionCultivating land prone to erosion

Solutions to Agricultural Problems- Solutions to Agricultural Problems- Sustainable AgricultureSustainable Agriculture

Sustainable AgricultureSustainable Agriculture

o Examples:Examples:• Natural Predator-prey relationships instead Natural Predator-prey relationships instead

of pesticidesof pesticides• Crop selectionCrop selection• Crop rotation and conservation tillageCrop rotation and conservation tillage• Supplying nitrogen with legumesSupplying nitrogen with legumes• Organic agricultureOrganic agriculture

o Integrated Pest Management (IPM)Integrated Pest Management (IPM)• Limited use of pesticides with sustainable Limited use of pesticides with sustainable

agriculture practicesagriculture practices

Fisheries of the World- ProblemsFisheries of the World- Problems

o No nation lays claim to No nation lays claim to open oceanopen ocean• Resource susceptible to Resource susceptible to

overuse and degradationoveruse and degradationo OverharvestingOverharvesting

• Many species are at Many species are at point of severe depletionpoint of severe depletion

• Cod (right)Cod (right)• 62% of world’s fish stock 62% of world’s fish stock

are in need of are in need of management actionmanagement action


o Overharvesting Overharvesting (continued)(continued)• Sophisticated Sophisticated

fishing fishing equipmentequipment

• Bycatch killed offBycatch killed off• Magnuson Magnuson

Fisheries Fisheries Conservation ActConservation Act


o Ocean Pollution - dumping groundOcean Pollution - dumping ground• OilOil• Heavy metalsHeavy metals• Deliberate litter dumpingDeliberate litter dumping• Stormwater runoff from cities and Stormwater runoff from cities and

agricultural areasagricultural areas

o AquacultureAquaculture• Growing of aquatic organisms for human Growing of aquatic organisms for human

consumptionconsumption• Great potential to supply foodGreat potential to supply food

Fisheries of the World- ProblemsFisheries of the World- Problemso Aquaculture (continued)Aquaculture (continued)

• Locations of fisheries may hurt natural Locations of fisheries may hurt natural habitatshabitats

• Produce waste that pollutes adjacent waterProduce waste that pollutes adjacent water

Aquaculture: Aquatic FeedlotsAquaculture: Aquatic Feedlots

o Raising large numbers of fish and shellfish Raising large numbers of fish and shellfish in ponds and cages is world’s fastest in ponds and cages is world’s fastest growing type of food production.growing type of food production.

o Fish farming involves cultivating fish in a Fish farming involves cultivating fish in a controlled environment and harvesting controlled environment and harvesting them in captivity.them in captivity.

o Fish ranching involves holding anadromous Fish ranching involves holding anadromous species that live part of their lives in species that live part of their lives in freshwater and part in saltwater.freshwater and part in saltwater.• Fish are held for the first few years, released, Fish are held for the first few years, released,

and then harvested when they return to spawn.and then harvested when they return to spawn.

Fig. 13-24, p. 292

Trade-Offs

Aquaculture Advantag

es Disadvantages

High efficiency

Needs large inputs of land, feed, and water

High yield in small volume of water

Large waste output

Destroys mangrove forests and estuaries

Can reduce overharvesting of conventional fisheries

Uses grain to feed some species

Low fuel use

Dense populations vulnerable to diseaseTanks too contaminated to use after about 5 years

High profitsProfits not tied to price of oil

Fig. 13-25, p. 293

Solutions

More Sustainable Aquaculture

• Use less fishmeal feed to reduce depletion of other fish

• Improve management of aquaculture wastes

• Reduce escape of aquaculture species into the wild

• Restrict location of fish farms to reduce loss of mangrove forests and estuaries

• Farm some aquaculture species in deeply submerged cages to protect them from wave action and predators and allow dilution of wastes into the ocean

• Certify sustainable forms of aquaculture

SOLUTIONS: MOVING TOWARD SOLUTIONS: MOVING TOWARD GLOBAL FOOD SECURITYGLOBAL FOOD SECURITY

o People in urban People in urban areas could save areas could save money by growing money by growing more of their food.more of their food.• Urban gardens Urban gardens

provide about 15% of provide about 15% of the world’s food the world’s food supply.supply.

o Up to 90% of the Up to 90% of the world’s food is world’s food is wasted.wasted.


Government Policies and Food Government Policies and Food ProductionProduction

o Governments use three main approaches Governments use three main approaches to influence food production:to influence food production:• Control pricesControl prices to keep prices artificially low. to keep prices artificially low.• Provide subsidiesProvide subsidies to keep farmers in business. to keep farmers in business.• Let the marketplace decideLet the marketplace decide rather that rather that

implementing price controls.implementing price controls.

Solutions: Steps Toward More Solutions: Steps Toward More Sustainable Food ProductionSustainable Food Production

o We can increase food security by We can increase food security by • slowing populations growthslowing populations growth• sharply reducing povertysharply reducing poverty• slowing environmental degradation of the slowing environmental degradation of the

world’s soils and croplands.world’s soils and croplands.

challenges of producing more crop and livestock o domestication and genetic diversity domestication...

Documents