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Edexcel Biology GCSE - Biological Factors Affecting Food Security Part 2

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This deck covers key concepts related to sustainability, farming techniques, biofuels, overfishing, and the effects of global warming on food security.

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Sustainability and farming

Sustainability means maintaining the needs of the human population into the future. This includes food security and fuel for vehicles and industry. Fuels such as diesel and petrol made from crude oil are non-renewable and are running out. An alternative fuel is biofuel such as bioethanol which is made by fermenting sugar from corn or sugar cane. Therefore these biofuel crops provide a renewable fuel. They have a negative impact though, as they are often grown on land which could be used for growing crops for food.
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Key Terms

Term
Definition
Sustainability and farming
Sustainability means maintaining the needs of the human population into the future. This includes food security and fuel for vehicles and industry. Fu...
Farming techniques | Cost of agricultural inputs
Farming is expensive in terms of land costs, machinery, fuel and fertilisers. As costs increase, many farmers find it too expensive to continue farmin...
Biofuel | definition
A type of energy source derived from renewable plant and animal materials, eg ethanol (often made from corn in the United States and sugarcane in Braz...
arable farming | definition
When crops are grown.
compost | definition
Decayed organic matter which can be used as a plant fertiliser.
Pathogen | definition
Microorganism that causes disease.
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Edexcel Biology GCSE - Biological Factors Affecting Food Security Part 2
TermDefinition
Sustainability and farming
Sustainability means maintaining the needs of the human population into the future. This includes food security and fuel for vehicles and industry. Fuels such as diesel and petrol made from crude oil are non-renewable and are running out. An alternative fuel is biofuel such as bioethanol which is made by fermenting sugar from corn or sugar cane. Therefore these biofuel crops provide a renewable fuel. They have a negative impact though, as they are often grown on land which could be used for growing crops for food.
Farming techniques | Cost of agricultural inputs
Farming is expensive in terms of land costs, machinery, fuel and fertilisers. As costs increase, many farmers find it too expensive to continue farming so farms shut down and food production stops. This has a negative impact on food security.
Biofuel | definition
A type of energy source derived from renewable plant and animal materials, eg ethanol (often made from corn in the United States and sugarcane in Brazil), biodiesel (vegetable oils and liquid animal fats) and biogas (methane from animal manure).
arable farming | definition
When crops are grown.
compost | definition
Decayed organic matter which can be used as a plant fertiliser.
Pathogen | definition
Microorganism that causes disease.
effect of sustainable fisheries on number of fish
Sustainable fisheries do not reduce the overall number of fish, because the number of fish that are caught and killed does not ever exceed the birth of new fish.
Overfishing
At one point we thought that we could remove as many fish as we wanted from the oceans without any consequence. During this period, we drastically overfished some of our oceans and seas and reduced some populations to critically low numbers.
Result of overfishing
Some scientists think that as much as 85% of the world's fish populations have been overfished. Common examples are cod in the North Sea and sole in the Irish Sea and English Channel. Overfishing can cause a critical point in populations that means certain species cannot ever recover and will become extinct.
Addressing overfishing
To address overfishing many countries are adopting a more sustainable strategy for fishing and have introduced fishing quotas which limit the amount of fish that can be caught and killed from specific species. The size of the gaps in fishing nets has also been increased to ensure that juvenile fish can reach reproductive maturity and have offspring before being caught. These practices have meant that many fish populations are now recovering.
Positive effects of the greenhouse effect
Without the greenhouse effect the mean temperature on Earth would be -18°C and there would be very little or no life. So the greenhouse effect itself is a good thing. The greenhouse effect traps some of the energy from the Sun, which keeps our planet at a suitable temperature for life.
Problem with our increased release of greenhouse gases
The problem is that our increased release of greenhouse gases is causing an increase in the greenhouse effect called the enhanced greenhouse effect. This is leading to global warming.
Carbon dioxide increase since the industrial revolution
Carbon dioxide, water vapour and methane are amongst the most common greenhouse gases. Since the start of the Industrial Revolution in about 1750 the levels of carbon dioxide have increased by 40%.
Global warming | overview
Global warming is the increase in the mean temperature of the Earth. The ten hottest years since records began have been in the last 30 years. The mean increase in the last 100 years has been less than 1°C. This might seem small, but is enough to have devastating consequences on many species in different parts of the world.
Global warming | Relationship between carbon dioxide and the earth's mean temperature
As the percentage of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has increased so has the Earth's mean temperature.
The consequences of global warming are:
melting of the polar ice caps the rise in sea level may one day threaten many cities such as London, New York and Amsterdam weather patterns will change with more unusual weather animals will migrate towards the poles to find habitats with suitable temperatures tropical diseases may become more common in other regions, such as Europe change in distribution of pests that attack crops, which will have an impact on food security in some areas many species will become extinct.
Monoculture is the growing of what?
Monoculture is the growing of one crop per field. It is more effective and profitable for the farmer.
What is a pathogen?
A disease causing organism.
What can the overuse of fertilisers in intensive farming lead to?
Eutrophication.
Why do farmers keep cattle in small pens?
To reduce energy wasted in movement and increase yield.
How have some countries tried to preserve fish stocks?
Quotas Some countries have tried to preserve fish stocks by the introduction of quotas. This will restrict the amount of fishing and protect fish species.
What types of fishing nets have been introduced to protect fish?
Fishing nets have been introduced with larger gaps. This means that younger, smaller fish can have offspring before being caught.
What are the consequences of global warming?
Melting of the polar ice caps and increased sea levels.
An increase in the greenhouse gas methane will do what to the temperature of the earth?
Increase.