CHAPTER 10—FOOD, SOIL, AND PEST MANAGEMENT MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following is a likely scenario for an organic farm?
a. use of synthetic pesticides
b. use of synthetic fertilizers
c. use of genetically engineered seeds d. use feed additives
e. use of feed that contains no antibiotics
2. Which of the following terms does not belong with the others? a. organic food b. sustainable agriculture
c. animals raised on 100% organic feed d. natural food e. label of 100% organic
3. Which of the following is the root cause of food insecurity?
a. insufficient food resources being produced globally b. rapid climate change c. Poverty
d. political disputes over natural resources
e. poor organization of government agencies
4. Which of the following is a micronutrient, which without sufficient quantities in a diet can result in goiter? a. Protein b. Carbohydrates c. vitamin A d. vitamin C e. Iodine
5. The term malnutrition refers to people who
a. eat less than the basic minimum number of daily calories b. eat balanced meals c. eat too much
d. suffer from lack of protein and other key nutrients e. eat too much protein
6. Which macronutrient in the human diet helps to build and repair body tissues? a. Proteins b. Carbohydrates c. Oils d. Fats e. both oils and proteins
7. Which of the following problems with nutrition do you think is most prevalent in the United States? a. Malnutrition b. under nutrition c. Micronutrition d. chronic hunger e. Overnutrition b. lOMoARcPSD|47231818
8. Which of the following is the list of macronutrients needed to sustain good health? a. vitamin A, C, and iodine vitamin A, C, and E
c. iodine, protein, and carbohydrate
d. protein, carbohydrate, and fats
e. protein, carbohydrate, and nucleic acids
9. The following grains are among the world's major food crops except a. Wheat b. Soybean c. Rice d. Corn
e. wheat and corn are major food crops, but not soybeans or rice
10. Which of the following types of agriculture is most characteristic of developing countries? a. plantation agriculture b. traditional agriculture c. industrialized agriculture
d. minimum-tillage agriculture e. high-input agriculture
11. Which of the following types of agriculture is most characteristic of developed countries? a. plantation agriculture b. traditional agriculture c. industrialized agriculture
d. minimum-tillage agriculture
e. maximum-tillage agriculture
12. All of the following crops are commonly grown in plantation agriculture (nông nghiệp trồng trọt) except a. Corn b. Bananas c. palm oil d. Coffee e. Sugarcane
13. The majority of soil organic matter is concentrated in the a. O horizon of leaf litter b. A horizon of topsoil c. O and A horizons d. C horizon e. B horizon
14. What proportion of food products sold on U.S. supermarket shelves contains some form of genetically engineered crop? a. 20% b. 30% c. 50% d. 60% e. 70%
15. Which of the following would not be used to describe poly-culture?
a. Plants mature at various times.
b. The plot of land is left unmanaged for long periods of time. b. lOMoARcPSD|47231818
c. Fertilizer use and water use are reduced.
d. Pesticides are rarely needed.
e. It produces higher yields than high-input monocultures.
16. Which of the following associations is incorrect? a. croplands and grains aquaculture and seafood c. rangelands and meat d. feedlots and shellfish
e. fishery and commercial harvesting
17. Because root systems at different depths in a given area of soil capture nutrients and soil efficiently we can say that
a. polyculture lessens the need for fertilizer
b. polyculture lessens the need for fertilizer and water
c. polyculture increases the need for fertilizer but not water
d. polyculture increases the need for water but not fertilizer
e. polyculture lessens the need for pollinators
18. Monoculture is a method of growing food that is utilized solely in a. industrialized agriculture b. Polyculture
c. traditional subsistence agriculture
d. traditional intensive agriculture
e. both industrialized agriculture and traditional intensive agriculture
19. Since 1950, aquaculture production has a. declined by half
b. increased almost seven-fold c. increased over 40-fold
d. stayed exactly the same as the wild fish catch e. declined by about 10%
20. Our economic systems promote unsustainable forms of industrialized agriculture because
a. they so successfully provide healthy food to our populations
b. they do not include most of the harmful environmental and health costs of such food production in the market prices
c. they are so effective in cutting costs d. they provide so many jobs
e. the food production is so efficient
21. Most soil erosion is caused by a. wind and moving water b. Photosynthesis c. earthquakes d. volcanoes e. excess heat 22. Salt buildup may a. increase crop growth b. increase yields c. eventually kill weeds
d. eventually make the land unproductive
e. initially decrease yield, but later increase yield b. lOMoARcPSD|47231818
23. Which of the following can lead to desertification? a. conservation tillage
b. severe and prolonged drought c. crop rotation d. polyculture farming e. terraced crop arrangements
24. Which of the following best describes how the process of irrigation can lead to salinization of soils?
a. Water associated with irrigation flows from uphill. The salts that were in the soil uphill end up
being brought to the lower elevations.
Water associated with irrigation contains small amounts of dissolved salts. Evaporation leaves behind
increasing concentrations of these salts.
c. Irrigation water contains salts. Evaporation allows the salts to be lifted away, reducing the levels of salts in the soil.
d. Irrigation water is treated with dissolved salts to promote plant growth. Over time the plants
become saturated with salts and do not need this macronutrient.
e. Irrigation is primarily accomplished through the use of abundant sea water, which contains high concentrations of salts.
25. How many units of energy are required to produce one unit of grain-fed beef? a. One b. 10 c. 15 d. 25 e. 35
26. Which one of the following items is a major disadvantage of animal feed lots ( cho thú ăn)? a. Less
land is required to feed the animals. b.
Use of antibiotics can increase genetic resistance to microbes (Virus mạnh hơn) in humans. c. Soil erosion is reduced. d. Overgrazing is reduced. e. Biodiversity is protected.
27. Killing wild predators is an example of a(n) ______________problem caused by industrialized food production. a. biodiversity loss b. soil c. human health d. air pollution e. water
28. The amount of irrigated land used to produce food crops has increased since 1950. It can also be said that:
a. The amount of irrigated land per person has increased since 1950.
b. The amount of irrigated land per person has decreased since 1950.
c. The amount of irrigated land per person has stayed the same since 1950.
d. The amount of irrigated land per person for this time period is not known.
e. The amount of irrigated land per person has increased in some areas and decreased in others.
29. Strains (Sức cố) of genetically modified food crops can hybridize (lai tạo) with wild crop varieties when
a. The process is carefully controlled in an agricultural lab.
b. Pollen blows from the genetically modified crop and spreads among wild varieties.
c. Pollen is transferred by the farmer from one crop to the other.
d. It is not possible for a genetically modified plant to hybridize with a wild species.
e. More than one of these answers is correct b. lOMoARcPSD|47231818
30. According to pesticide proponents, pesticides a. work fast
b. increase profit for farmers c. save lives and work fast
d. increase food supplies and profit for farmers
e. work fast, increase profit, save lives, and increase food supplies
31. The world’s 30,000 known species of spiders
a. kill more livestock with poisonous bites than any other threat.
b. have to be controlled in order for integrated pest management to work properly
c. are a threat not only to livestock, but also to rural farmers because they nest in sheds where
equipment is stored and later retrieved.
d. kill far more crop-eating insects every year than humans do by using chemicals.
e. Are at the bottom of the food chain in agricultural settings and so provide important food for birds lOMoARcPSD|47231818
that control caterpillar populations.
32. Since 1945, approximately ____ species of insects and rodents have developed resistance to one or
more insecticides (tăng khả năng đề kháng với các loại thuốc diệt côn trùng) a. 50 b. 500 c. 1,000 d. 2,000 e. 5,000
33. The Environmental Working Group estimates that you could reduce your pesticide intake by up to
90% by eating only 100% organic (100% organic mới loại bỏ đươc 90% pesticide intake) a. tomatoes and lettuce
b. lettuce, imported grapes, sweet bell peppers, peaches, apples and celery
c. nectarines, cherries, strawberries, spinach, pears and potatoes
d. choices a and b are both correct
e. choices b and c are both correct
34. Which of the following approaches would be the least beneficial in trying to reduce insect damage? a. rotating crops
b. genetic engineering of crops
c. planting monocultures (nhớ luôn là nó sẽ thu hút sâu bọ rất nhiều nên là “the least beneficial, tại
trồng có 1 loại à, kiểu vậy)
d. bringing in natural enemies e. planting polycultures
35. Biological control of pests (này giống như là implant genetic resistance (biological) hoăc là cho
insect enemies vào để khử insect, thì hoàn toàn ko độc hại – (ecological)) a. costs more money than pesticides to use b. is toxic to use c. is fast-acting d. is not toxic to use
e. has never been very effective 36. A pheromone is
a. a new form of chemical insecticide awaiting approval by FIFRA b. a strong herbicide
c. a species-specific chemical sex attractant
d. a bloodstream chemical that controls an organism's growth and development e. a safe, natural pesticide
37. Which of the following statements is a weakness of using pheromones?
a. They are costly and time-consuming to produce.
b. They are more effective in the juvenile stage than the adult stage.
c. Insects develop resistance to pheromones.
d. They are biologically magnified in nontarget species.
e. They only work in large amounts. 38. A hormone is
a. a new form of chemical insecticide awaiting approval by FIFRA b. a strong herbicide
c. a species-specific chemical sex attractant
d. a chemical that controls an organism's growth and development e. a strong pesticide
39. Integrated pest management ____ than pesticides.
a. requires more expert knowledge about individual pest-crop situations b. is faster acting lOMoARcPSD|47231818
c. requires more fertilizer and irrigation d. is more expensive e. requires more labor
40. An integrated pest management program attempts to
a. increase inputs of fertilizer and irrigation water
b. reduce crop damage to an economically tolerable level c. increase pesticide use
d. decrease yields and increase costs
e. increase the development of disease-resistant pests
41. Switching to integrated pest management in the United States
a. will be easy to do because it is very simple
b. is hindered by government subsidies for using chemicals and by opposition from chemical manufacturers
c. is difficult because it only works for a few pests
d. is strongly opposed by environmentalists
e. is easy to accomplish but is opposed by organic farmers
42. Perhaps the most important thing about Rachel Carson’s investigative work on the environmental
effects of pesticides, and her publication “Silent Spring,” is a. the number of errors in the book
b. her failure to include a discussion about Integrated Pest Management
c. that it laid the groundwork for later, more serious work
d. that many historians consider her work to be an important contribution to the modern environmental
movement emerging in the United States
e. that it is a remarkable book considering it was written by a person without any scientific training
43. The sale and use of pesticides in the United States is regulated by which agencies? a. FDA, EPA, and USDA b. USDA, FDA, and ATF c. CIA, FDA, and USDA d. FBI, FDA, and EPA e. EPA, ATF, and FBI
44. In the United States, the use of synthetic pesticides has increased 10-fold between 1942 and 1997.
For the same time period, the crop loss to insects has a. declined by 10% b. increased by 2%
c. almost doubled from 10% to 13%
d. stayed at exactly the same percentage e. declined by 50%
45. 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. could be eliminated if
a. the entire industrialized agriculture business switched to integrated pest management
b. genetically modified foods were grown exclusively
c. pheromone traps were used more effectively to capture pests
d. EPA standards for pre-1972 pesticides were as strict as standards for later pesticides
e. the government banned just one of the worst pesticides from use
46. All of the following are true about subsidies for food production except
a. Subsidies in developed countries average $571,000 per minute.
b. Milk production quadrupled in New Zealand after farm subsidies were ended.
c. Food prices in developed countries are kept artificially low.
d. Developing countries also receive large amounts of subsidies for growing food. lOMoARcPSD|47231818
e. Some analysts recommend replacing traditional subsidies with subsidies that promote sustainable agricultural practices.
47. Government subsidies (trợ cấp) to fishing fleets a. promote overfishing
b. promote the reduction of aquatic biodiversity
c. promote overfishing and reduction of aquatic biodiversity
d. reduce the use of bottom-trawling harvests
e. are currently less than $100,000 per year
48. Topsoil in the United States is eroding about ____ times faster than it can form. a. 2 b. 4 c. 8 d. 17 e. 22
49. Which of the following is central to most of the efforts to conserve topsoil?
a. an emphasis on agricultural practices that enhance monocultures b. annual crop rotations
c. keeping the soil covered by vegetation
d. preventing insect pests from destroying valuable crops
e. conversion of croplands into pasturelands or feedlots 50. Conservation tillage a. increases labor costs b. increases erosion
c. increases energy consumption
d. accelerates water loss from the soil
e. decreases erosion (conserve là tốt) 51. In alley cropping:
a. Crops are planted between hedgerows of trees or shrubs that are used for fruits or fuelwood.
b. Terraces are built to prevent swift water runoff.
c. Plowing runs across slopes.
d. Special tillers are used so the topsoil is not disturbed.
e. A row of crops alternates in strips with another row of crops.
52. Which of the following is not one of the three major types of organic fertilizer? a. green manure b. sewage sludge c. compost d. animal manure
e. All of these are major types of organic fertilizers.
53. The process least likely to conserve soil nutrients is a. crop rotation b. fertilizing with compost
c. fertilizing with green manure
d. fertilizing with animal manure e. irrigation
54. Aquaculture would be more sustainable if
a. consumers chose to eat fish species that are primary consumers instead of secondary consumers
b. consumers chose to eat top predators
c. fish farms were located near mangrove forests
d. fish farms were located near estuaries lOMoARcPSD|47231818
e. chemical pesticides were used to control common fish diseases
55. Which of the following is a characteristic of polyaquaculture?
a. Only herbivorous fish are raised.
b. Only carnivorous fish are raised.
c. Fish and shrimp are raised in ponds along with algae, seaweed, and shellfish.
d. Fish are raised in estuaries where the flushing action of rivers keeps the wastes moving away from the fish.
e. Multiple kinds of shellfish (crab, shrimp, mussels) are raised in the same pond.
56. Which choice reflects the correct sequence of animal efficiency at converting grain into protein, from
the most efficient animal to the least? a. fish, chicken, pigs, beef cattle
b. chicken, fish, beef cattle, pigs
c. pigs, chicken, fish, beef cattle
d. beef cattle, fish, chicken, pigs
e. These animals are all equally efficient at converting grain into protein.
57. The largest contributor to the ecological foot print of most individuals in affluent nations is a.
recreational hunting and fishing b. vacations via air travel c. residential heating
d. meat production and consumption
e. purchasing more clothing and accessories than are needed
58. Sustainable agriculture is characterized by all of the following except a. soil salinization b. crop rotation c. soil conservation d. integrated pest management
e. promoting polyculture practices
59. In order to switch to sustainable agriculture, which of the following practices would not be favorable?
a. Give subsidies and tax breaks to those that use the method.
b. Shift to full-cost pricing.
c. Increase government support of research on sustainable agriculture.
d. Expand the use of the crops of the green revolution. e. Discourage monocultures.
60. You spend an evening with friends who have invited you for dinner and are gourmet cooks. During
the conversation over dinner, you learn that the food being served was all locally grown and
purchased through a CSA that your hosts participate in. Your hosts could be called a. environmental activists b. bioprospectors c. omnivores d. backyard gardeners e. locavores
61. Which of the following are ways that individuals can support sustainable agriculture through their
choices and behaviors? a. waste less food
b. eat locally grown food and meat
c. waste less food and compost food wastes
d. waste less food, eat less meat, compost food wastes and eat locally grown food
e. use a drip system for watering in your own garden
62. Compared to conventional tillage, conservation tillage
a. reduces fuel and tillage costs
b. accelerates water loss from the soil lOMoARcPSD|47231818 c. causes soil compaction
d. requires increased use of herbicides
e. can qualify the farmer for more government subsidies TRUE/FALSE
1. Food production worldwide is now less than in previous decades.
ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Easy BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
2. There are sufficient food resources being produced to meet the basic nutritional requirements of every person on the planet.
ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
3. Overgrazing by cattle can ultimately result in water pollution.
ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION
4. Plantation agriculture is used primarily to reduce soil erosion and restore soil fertility.
ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION
5. Over time, the extensive addition of water through irrigation practices can actually lead to desertification.
ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION
6. A disadvantage to the green revolution is the intensive use of commercial inorganic fertilizers.
ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
7. Pesticides have a positive benefit in terms of public health because fungi, insects, and noncrop plants
can contaminate crops with many natural toxins.
ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION
8. Malnourished individuals may become more prone to infections, and eventually may develop a specific deficiency disease.
ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION
9. Farmers use alley cropping with row patterns nearly level around hills—not up and down—to dissuade soil erosion.
ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION lOMoARcPSD|47231818
10. Per unit area, the application of synthetic pesticides is higher on typical crop fields than it is on the average lawn. ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
11. Since 1942 the use of synthetic pesticides has increased 10-fold. In spite of this fact, food supply
damage due to pests has increased during that time.
ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
12. Some nations have experienced an increase in certain crop yields after greatly cutting pesticide use.
ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
13. Health problems faced by those who are overfed are completely different from the health problems
faced by those who are underfed.
ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION
14. There are no technological substitutes for fertile and uncontaminated topsoil. ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION
15. It takes about one unit of nonrenewable fossil fuel energy to put one unit of food energy on the table.
ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Easy BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
16. Research shows that, on average, low-input polycultures produce higher crop yields than high-input monocultures.
ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
17. To be classified as organically grown, animals must be free-ranging.
ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Easy BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
18. Organic agriculture is globally export-oriented because it also embraces cultural diversity.
ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Easy BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION
19. The main source of carbohydrates (one of the key nutrients) is lipids.
ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE lOMoARcPSD|47231818
20. Polyculture lessens the need for fertilizer and water.
ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION
21. World grain production per capita has increased consistently between 1961 and 2009.
ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
22. Excessive irrigation of food crops has never been a problem for agriculture. ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION COMPLETION
1. A(n) ____________________ is a chemical used to control or kill populations of organisms that we
consider undesirable such as insects, weeds, or rodents. ANS: pesticide
PTS: 1 DIF: Easy BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
2. Numerous practices have been developed to deter ____________________, including reducing or
eliminating tillage, managing irrigation to reduce runoff, and keeping the soil covered with plants or mulch. ANS: soil erosion
PTS: 1 DIF: Easy BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
3. ____________________ is a form of industrialized agriculture used primarily in tropical developing countries. ANS: Plantation agriculture
PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
4. ____________________ reduces soil oxygen levels, causes accumulation of gases toxic to plants,
and alters the concentration of nutrients around plant roots. ANS: Waterlogging
PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
5. ____________________ is a way to grow food on steep slopes or mountainsides without depleting topsoil. ANS: Terracing lOMoARcPSD|47231818 PTS: 1 DIF: Easy BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
6. The process of ____________________ allows for the raising of marine and freshwater fish in ponds and underwater cages. ANS: aquaculture
PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
7. ____________________ are chemicals emitted by living organisms to send messages to individuals
of the same species and can be used as alternatives to pesticides. ANS: Pheromones PTS: 1 DIF: Easy BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
8. The United States primarily uses ____________________ for food production.
ANS: industrialized agriculture
PTS: 1 DIF: Easy BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
9. Today in America, four of the top ten causes of death are diseases related to ____________________. ANS: diet PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
10. Low-input ____________________ produces higher yields than does high-input ____________________. ANS: polyculture, monoculture
PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
11. When farmers use _________________systems, typically 90-95% of the water input reaches the crops
ANS: drip, microirrigation, trickle irrigation
PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE lOMoARcPSD|47231818
12. One of the problems with genetically modified food crops is that if pollen released from the plants
spreads among non-engineered plants => Lai giống á, nên reduce natural genetic biodiversity hen) it
will reduce the natural genetic ____________________ of wild strains. ANS: biodiversity PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION
13. ________________is (are) a key nutrient that drives the synthesis of hormones as well as the growth
of membrane tissues in humans. ANS: lipids oils fats PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION
14. Alley cropping, agroforestry and terracing are all methods of reducing ____________________. ANS: soil erosion
PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE
15. Two of the solutions for cleaning up salinized soil are flushing the soil with water, and placing
underground drainage systems. The negative aspect of these solutions is their____________________. ANS: expense high cost
PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION
16. The irrigation system with the lowest efficiency rating is __________________. ANS: gravity flow PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: KNOWLEDGE MATCHING
Indicate whether the processes listed below are used in industrialized agriculture or organic agriculture. a. industrialized agriculture b. organic agriculture lOMoARcPSD|47231818 1. globally export-oriented
2. no genetically modified seeds
3. represents a shift away from the sustainability principle of reliance on solar energy
4. growth hormones used to produce meat 5. crop rotation 6. locally oriented
7. depends on non-renewable fossil fuels
8. uses antibiotics to produce meat
9. greater use of renewable energy sources
10. synthetic inorganic fertilizers
11. produces about 80% of the world’s food 12. biological pest control 1. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy 2. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy 3. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy 4. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy 5. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy 6. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy 7. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy 8. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy 9. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy 10. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy 11. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy 12. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION SHORT ANSWER
1. Polyface Farm in the U.S. state of Virginia raises beef, chickens and pigs. A particular practice on
Polyface Farm is to bring chickens into a pasture after the cows have eaten the grass. The chickens
eat the insect grubs that are found in the cow manure. While the chickens fatten up on the insect
grubs, they also produce waste which in turn fertilizes the grass the cows will later eat. Explain this
process in terms of sustainable agriculture and the basic principles of sustainability. ANS:
The raising of a diversity of animals on the same land is a form of polyculture. It reduces the need for
pesticides to control the insects that would hatch out of the cow manure, and the purchase of chemical
fertilizers. Thus, it also embraces the basic sustainability principle of nutrient and chemical cycling. PTS: 4 DIF: Difficult OBJ: Critical Thinking BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: ANALYSIS
2. 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. After his
extensive study, he writes that he believes hunting for meat may be the more humane and wise choice.
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. Additionally, the game animal typically has a relatively quick and painless death. lOMoARcPSD|47231818
Discuss this issue. 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. ANS:
Answers to this question will vary widely, depending on the worldview of students. Grading should
be based on the thoroughness of coverage of the question rather than on student opinions. PTS: 4 DIF: Difficult OBJ: Critical Thinking BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: ANALYSIS
3. For a given theoretical country, assume the productivity in metric tons per hectare remains stable, and
the weighting factor remains the same, but the metric tons of fish harvested per year is reduced by
50%. How will this affect the fishprint for this country? ANS:
The fishprint will be reduced by 50% also. PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate OBJ: Critical Thinking BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: ANALYSIS
4. If the metric tons of fish harvested per year is reduced by 50% how will this reduction affect the sustainable yield? ANS:
There will be no change in the sustainable yield for that year. PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate OBJ: Critical Thinking
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION
5. It is well-documented that while some synthetc pesticides have caused great harm to living creatures,
others have saved lives. Give a brief account of one that has, ironically, saved human lives: DDT. ANS:
Since 1945, it is estimated that DDT and other insecticides have probably prevented the premature
death of at least 7 million people and possibly up to 500 million people from insect-transmitted
diseases such as malaria (carried by the Anopheles mosquito), bubonic plague (carried by rat fleas)
and typhus (carried by body lice and fleas). PTS: 3 DIF: Moderate lOMoARcPSD|47231818
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION ESSAY
1. Clearly explain the relationship between irrigation and salinization of soils. ANS:
Water used in irrigation contains small concentrations of dissolved salts. As evaporation and
transpiration occur, the water molecules leave, but the salt is left behind. Over long periods of
irrigation and evapotranspiration, the end result is an increasing concentration of salts in the soil. This
results in salinization of the soil.
PTS: 2 DIF: Easy BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION
2. Discuss the relative costs of organically grown food and conventionally produced food. In your
answer, include specifics about why the costs are as they are. Also give a possible example. ANS:
Organically produced food is anywhere from 10% to 75% more expensive than traditionally produced
food, primarily because organic farming is very labor intensive. However, the harmful health and
environmental effects of traditional crop production are not included in the price of the food. If this
were so, traditionally produced food would be more expensive.
For example, if the costs of treating health problems that result from eating food treated with
chemicals and hormones were included in the price of the food, traditionally produced food would have a very high price tag.
PTS: 3 DIF: Moderate BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: ANALYSIS
3. Explain the benefits of using perennial plants rather than annual plants for food crops. ANS:
Annual plants such as the grain crops wheat, sorghum, and sunflowers, have to be replanted every year.
If perennial plants were used instead of annual plants, the soil would not have to be tilled every year
for planting. This would reduce soil erosion and water pollution from eroded sediment because the
unplowed soil would not be exposed to wind and rain. It also would reduce the need for irrigation
because the deep roots of the annual plants retain more water than the shallow rooted annual plants.
There is also less need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides for perennial plants. PTS: 4 DIF: Moderate
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: APPLICATION lOMoARcPSD|47231818
4. Explain how growing corn in the Midwest creates a ‘dead zone’ in the Gulf of Mexico. ANS:
Every growing season, huge amounts of synthetic inorganic fertilizer are used in the mid-western
United States to grow corn crops. The corn crops will be used for animal feed, and some will be
converted to ethanol as fuel. Much of this fertilizer runs off the land and into the Mississippi River,
which drains into the Gulf of Mexico. The addition of this nitrate and phosphorus nutrient load
creates an algal bloom that depletes the water of oxygen and results in a dead zone the size of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. PTS: 5 DIF: Moderate
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY: COMPREHENSION