Human Population, Carrying Capacity, and Resource Use

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Human Population, Carrying Capacity, and Resource
Use

• 3.5 Food resources

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Assessment Statements

• 3.5.1 Outline the issues involved in the
  imbalance in global food supply.
• 3.5.2 Compare and contrast the efficiency of
  terrestrial and aquatic food production systems.
• 3.5.3 Compare and contrast the inputs and outputs
  of materials and energy (energy efficiency), the
  system characteristics, and evaluate the relative
  environmental impacts for two named food
  production systems.
• 3.5.4 Discuss the links that exist between social
  systems and food production.

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3.5.1 Outline the issues involved in the
imbalance in global food supply.

• ¾ of the world is inadequately fed with about 1
  billion going hungry
• Too much food is being produced in MEDCs leading
  to surplus and lowered price of food.
• Some MEDCs have import tariffs which make the
  import of food more expensive.
• LEDC food production is often used as a way to
  generate foreign income from cash crops leading
  to an emphasis on export, rather than feeding the
  local population.

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3.5.1 Outline the issues involved in the
imbalance in global food supply.

• Long-standing imbalance between rich and poor
  countries in international agricultural trade.
• Domestic support and export subsidies to farmers
  in MEDCs make LEDC crops uncompetitive.
• Increased meat/dairy consumption and biofuel use
  pushes prices up as land isnt used for food
  crops.
• Climate change with higher temps in tropical and
  subtropical areas can lead to crop loss.
• MEDC farms are very technocentric, whereas LEDC
  farms are very labor intensive (usually from
  within the family.)

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3.5.2 Compare and contrast the efficiency of
terrestrial and aquatic food production systems.

• Terrestrial Systems
• Most food is harvested from relatively low
  trophic levels (producers and consumers).
• Crops are obviously more efficient than livestock
  as they contain the most energy.
• Another factor is that livestock provide protein,
  an essential vitamin.
• Livestock also have additional products which
  they produce (milk, blood, wool, and hide) as
  well as being used as working animals in many
  cultures.

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3.5.2 Compare and contrast the efficiency of
terrestrial and aquatic food production systems.

• Aquatic Systems
• Perhaps largely due to human tastes, most food is
  harvested from higher trophic levels (3rd and 4th
  level consumers).
• At these levels the total storage of energy is
  much smaller, so this is much less efficient than
  crop production.
• Energy conversions along aquatic food chains may
  be more efficient than in a terrestrial chain,
  but the initial fixing of energy by aquatic
  producers is less efficient due to absorption and
  reflection of light by water.

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3.5.3 Compare and contrast the inputs and outputs
of materials and energy (energy efficiency), the
system characteristics, and evaluate the relative
environmental impacts for two named food
production systems.

• You will do this with the comparing and
  contrasting named food production systems
  worksheet.

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3.5.4 Discuss the links that exist between social
systems and food production.

• Shifting Cultivation -slash and burn
  agriculture
• where new land is cleared by cutting down small
  areas of forest and setting fire to them.
• The ash fertilizes the soil for awhile and the
  clearing produced enables crops to be grown.
• Once the land in one area has been exhausted, the
  farmer moves on to a new area. Old land can be
  returned to once the fertility has recovered.

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3.5.4 Discuss the links that exist between social
systems and food production.

• Shifting Cultivation -slash and burn
  agriculture
• This system is a big piece of the culture with
  traditions and rituals for choosing the site, and
  carrying out the clearing.
• The plot cycle is used to recall history by
  connecting events with the plots cleared at
  particular times.
• The people tend to believe everything has a
  spirit, and leads to respect for the forest.
• Understanding how the forest works has led some
  to adapt their practices to mimic the layering of
  the forest, where ground crops are protected from
  harsh sunlight and heavy downpour.

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3.5.4 Discuss the links that exist between social
systems and food production.

• Wet rice ecosystems
• Padi field (wet rice) agriculture is dominant in
  South-East Asia.
• It is intensive subsistence farming using high
  labor inputs, but low technology.
• High population densities in these countries lead
  to high demands for food.
• Rice is a staple of the diet and a central part
  of Asian culture.

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3.5.4 Discuss the links that exist between social
systems and food production.

• Wet rice ecosystems
• They are normally built in areas that flood or on
  hills with terracing as the soil fertility is
  good due to flooding which deposits silt and
  supports the intensive nature of the agriculture.
• As the population increases, the security of
  small farms will depend on investing in higher
  value crops, small livestock production, and
  aquaculture.

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3.5.4 Discuss the links that exist between social
systems and food production.

• Agribusiness
• After World War II, countries became concerned
  with self-sufficiency. This led to small farms
  being combined into bigger farms to provide large
  uniform areas for agriculture.
• This was followed closely by a shift from
  producing food for peoples needs to producing
  for commercial profit which was tied into the
  culture of capitalist countries.

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3.5.4 Discuss the links that exist between social
systems and food production.

• Agribusiness
• The foundation is to maximize productivity and
  profit to compete on the global market.
• This is used to support gross national income,
  and the lifestyles the populations have come to
  expect.
• Led to many farmers moving into towns and cities
  to seek new work.

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3.5.4 Discuss the links that exist between social
systems and food production.

• General Points
• Socio-cultural factors influence tastes and
  development of different food production systems.
• MEDCs have growing trend on animal welfare.
• Education levels affect exchange of farming
  practices and technologies.
• Land ownership, migration patterns, environmental
  concerns, and attitudes towards the land in
  general impact how land is used.