Food ResourcesFood Resources

G. Tyler Miller’sLiving in the Environment

13th Edition

Chapter 13

G. Tyler Miller’sLiving in the Environment

13th Edition

Chapter 13

Dr. Richard ClementsChattanooga State Technical Community CollegeDr. Richard ClementsChattanooga State Technical Community College

Key ConceptsKey Concepts

Methods of producing food Methods of producing food

Increasing food production Increasing food production

Environmental effects of food production Environmental effects of food production

Increasing sustainability Increasing sustainability

How Is Food Produced?How Is Food Produced?

Sources of foodSources of food

Primary plants:wheat, corn, and rice

Primary plants:wheat, corn, and rice

Primary animals:beef, pork, and chicken

Primary animals:beef, pork, and chicken

Major Types of AgricultureMajor Types of Agriculture

Traditional subsistenceTraditional subsistence

Traditional intensiveTraditional intensive

PlantationPlantation

Industrialized (high-input)Industrialized (high-input)

See Fig. 13-3 p. 280See Fig. 13-3 p. 280

Industrialized agricultureIndustrialized agriculture

Shifting cultivationShifting cultivation

Plantation agriculturePlantation agriculture

Nomadic herdingNomadic herding

Intensive traditional agricultureIntensive traditional agriculture

No agricultureNo agriculture

World Food ProductionWorld Food Production

Fig. 13-2 p. 279Fig. 13-2 p. 279

Producing Food by Green-Revolution TechniquesProducing Food by Green-Revolution Techniques

High-input monoculture High-input monoculture

Selectively bred or genetically-engineered crops

Selectively bred or genetically-engineered crops

High inputs of fertilizer High inputs of fertilizer

Extensive use of pesticides Extensive use of pesticides

High inputs of water High inputs of water

Increased intensity and frequency of cropping

Increased intensity and frequency of cropping

Green RevolutionsGreen Revolutions

First green revolution(developed countries)First green revolution(developed countries)

Second green revolution(developing countries)

Second green revolution(developing countries)

Major International agricultural research centers and seed banksMajor International agricultural research centers and seed banks

Fig. 13-6 p. 282

Producing Food by Traditional TechniquesProducing Food by Traditional Techniques

Intercropping Intercropping

Polyvarietal cultivationPolyvarietal cultivationAgroforestry (alley cropping)Agroforestry (alley cropping)

Polyculture –like a home gardenPolyculture –like a home garden

Food ProductionFood Production

Rapidly increasingRapidly increasing

Prices decreasingPrices decreasing

Shortages in developing countriesShortages in developing countries

Approaching limits on meat productionApproaching limits on meat production

NutritionNutrition

UndernutritionUndernutrition

Malnutrition Malnutrition

OvernutritionOvernutrition

Refer to Fig. 13-11 p. 286Refer to Fig. 13-11 p. 286

Refer to Solutions p. 289Refer to Solutions p. 289

Environmental Effects of Food ProductionEnvironmental Effects of Food Production

Biodiversity lossBiodiversity loss

SoilSoil

Air pollutionAir pollution

WaterWater

Human healthHuman health

See Fig. 13-13 p. 288See Fig. 13-13 p. 288

Increasing World Crop ProductionIncreasing World Crop Production

Crossbreeding and artificial selection Crossbreeding and artificial selection

Genetic engineering (gene splicing) Genetic engineering (gene splicing)

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

Continued Green Revolution techniques Continued Green Revolution techniques

Introducing new foods Introducing new foods

Working more land Working more land

See Fig. 13-16 p. 291See Fig. 13-16 p. 291

Producing More MeatProducing More Meat

Rangeland Rangeland

Pasture Pasture

Adaptations of rangeland plants Adaptations of rangeland plants

Range condition and management Range condition and management

Efficiency Efficiency

Environmental consequences (Connections p. 299) Environmental consequences (Connections p. 299)

Kilograms of grain needed per kilogram of body weightKilograms of grain needed per kilogram of body weight

Beef cattleBeef cattle 77

PigsPigs 44

ChickenChicken 2.22.2

Fish (catfishor carp)

Fish (catfishor carp) 22 Fig. 13-25

p. 298Fig. 13-25

p. 298

CAFO’s (confined animal feeding operations)CAFO’s (confined animal feeding operations)

•Drip• Center Pivot•Sprinkler

Farm Water UseFarm Water Use

Catching and Raising More FishCatching and Raising More Fish

FisheriesFisheriesFishing methods (See Fig. 13-30 p. 303)Fishing methods (See Fig. 13-30 p. 303)Sustainable yieldSustainable yieldOverfishing Overfishing Commercial extinctionCommercial extinctionAquicultureAquicultureFish farming and ranchingFish farming and ranching

AquacultureAquaculture

•Farms (marine cages) –raise and cultivate fish

and harvest when reach desired age or size.

•Ranch –raise juveniles, then

release to grow to adulthood in wild waters, then recapture when return to spawn (ex: salmon) *farm raised vs wild caught. (uncommon)

Government Agricultural PolicyGovernment Agricultural Policy

Artificially low pricesArtificially low prices

Subsidies Subsidies

Elimination of price controlsElimination of price controls

Food aidFood aid

Solutions: Sustainable AgricultureSolutions: Sustainable Agriculture

Low-input agricultureLow-input agriculture

Organic farmingOrganic farming

More benefits to the poorMore benefits to the poor

Increasing funding for research in sustainable techniques

Increasing funding for research in sustainable techniques

See Fig. 13-36 p. 308See Fig. 13-36 p. 308

Solutions: Soil ConservationSolutions: Soil Conservation

Conventional-tillage All topsoil is turned under and exposedto erosion and the elements.

Conventional-tillage All topsoil is turned under and exposedto erosion and the elements.

Conservation tillage Minimum or no-till –either loosely breakthe surface or use special planting equipmentto put seeds into earth without exposing

topsoil.

Conservation tillage Minimum or no-till –either loosely breakthe surface or use special planting equipmentto put seeds into earth without exposing

topsoil.

Refer to Fig. 10-26 p. 224Refer to Fig. 10-26 p. 224

Solutions Cont.dSolutions Cont.d

•Cropping methods •Strip

•Contour

•Terrace

•Windbreaks

•Land Classification

Soil RestorationSoil Restoration

Organic fertilizerOrganic fertilizer

Animal manureAnimal manure

Green manureGreen manure

CompostCompost

Crop rotationCrop rotation

Commercial inorganic fertilizerCommercial inorganic fertilizer

Soil ConservationSoil Conservation• 1985 Farm Act – strategy to reduce soil erosion in the

US• Reduce erosion & restore fertile land

– Conservation tilling – disturb soil as little as possible

– Terracing – reduce erosion on slopes

– Contour farming – plant along contours of gentle slopes

– Strip cropping – planting alternate strips of crops

– Alley cropping – planting between shrubs and trees

– Wind breaks – planting a row of trees or shrubs on perimeters

– Gully reclamation – fast growing vines and shrubs