SSM 3301 - Quiz 6

Which of the followng are two of the most important aspects of agriculture's relationship with water discussed in Dr. Gary Sand's lecture?

A) Water value and water footprint

B) Water consumption and water value

C) Water quality and water esthetics

D) Water consumption and water quality

D (Water consumption and water quality)

Select all the ways that water is used in agriculture

Making agricultural products

Aquaculture

Watering animals

Irrigation

The phrase, "eating lower on the food chain" can be described as (check all that apply)

Eating more fruits and vegetables and less meat products

Reducing the environmental footprint of one's diet

Eating a more plant-based diet

Agricultural production primarily has chemical and physical impacts on the environment, through pollution, soil erosion and related impacts but does not really impact biological or ecological systems

False

Agricultural cropland production (pasture lands excluded) is practiced approximately what percentage of the global land surface?

A) 90%

B) 40%

C) 3%

D) 10-12%

D (10-12%)

Which of the following is a common negative environmental impact associated with agricultural production?

A) Solar radiation absorption by crops

B) Increase in topsoil depth

C) Nutrient and sediment contamination from agricultural runoff

D) Increased organic matter in soil

C (Nutrient and sediment contamination from agricultural runoff)

In order to feed the world's population in 2050 according to Jon Foley's article, how many more people will need to be fed?

A) 200 million

B) 2 billion

C) 20 million

B (2 billion)

California, despite having been in a drought much of the past decade exports tons of water to China. How does that happen?

A) By shipping bottled water

B) By sending tankers full of groundwater?

C) Shipping over chickens that have consumed plants grown by irrigation

D) By shipping irrigated crops

D (By shipping irrigated crops)

The largest environmental cost associated with food waste is the production, shipping, and preparation of the food

True

Dr. Foley argues that deforestation can be reduced by making the cropland we have less productive

False

Which of the following is not one of the strategies that Dr. Foley suggests is needed to feed the world in his lecture?

A) Shift diets to more vegetables, less meat, dairy and eggs

B) Increase the area of farmland in the world substantially

C) Reduce food waste

D) Use resources more efficiently

B (Increase the area of farmland in the world substantially)

Based on what you've learned from this weeks reading and viewing (and earlier lectures), why do you think there is more grazing land for cattle in the western Dakotas and Great Plains region compared to southern Minnesota which is dominated by corn and soybean crops?

A) Western North and South Dakota receive too much rainfall making it too wet for crops

B) There is too much annual radiation from the sun making it unsuitable for crop growth

C) Western North and South Dakota receive less rainfall (<15 inches per year)

D) Cattle are native to the western Dakotas and survive better there

C (Western North and South Dakota receive less rainfall)

Dr. Foley argues in his article that we need to increase agricultural efficiency on the farms we have to feed the growing world population. He suggests that the world should focus on increasing yield on farms in the US and Canada, Asia and Africa

False

How does food waste affect the environment as discussed in this week's lectures and reading?

A) Although wasted food is not consumed, water is consumed and environmental impacts still occur

B) Food waste helps spread invasive species

C) Food waste absorbs more sunlight in landfills contributing to global warming

D) More water is needed to clean excess food from plates

A (Although wasted food is not consumed, water is consumed and environmental impacts still occur)

Prior to 1960 most nitrogen supplied to farm fields came from what source?

A) Manure

B) Atmospheric deposition

C) Synthetic fertilizer

D) Food scraps

A (manure)

How much land is used to make food that ultimately ends up in the trash?

A) More than the area of China

B) More than the area of the United Kingdom

C) More than the entire surface of Mars

D) More than the size of Minnesota

A (More than the area of China)

Which food product requires the greatest amount of water to produce

A) Steak (beef)

B) A cup of tea

C) An ear of corn

D) A glass of milk

E) An egg

A (steak)

In the article "How to Grow More Food with Less Water", which of the following is not one of the recommended strategies to help us reduce water use in agriculture?

A) Use drip irrigation

B) Do artificial cloud seeding to increase rainfall over farmland

C) Tracking water adsorption by crops

D) Installing sensors on center-pivot irrigation systems to better target dry areas for irrigation

B (Do artificial cloud seeding to increase rainfall over farmland)

Irrigation is used to produce about 43 percent of the world's crop calories according to the UM article, Can We Eat Less Water? Which two crops use the most water, globally?

A) Corn and soybeans

B) Sugar cane and corn

C) Rice and wheat

D) Rice and coton

C (Rice and wheat)

In the article, "Ag vs. Water Quality: DO we have to choose?", the Green Revolution is discussed. This revolution greatly increased agricultural productivity following World War II partly because of the availability of cheap synthetic nitrogen fertilize. However this led to excess nitrogen and subsequent pollution of downstream waters causing dead zones in some coastal areas.

True