Biomes and Food Security Lecture Review

Flashcards on Biomes and Food Security

Biome

Large areas on Earth with similar conditions, such as similar climates and similar living organisms.

Biomes

Complex ecosystems; if disturbed, it can result in a loss of biodiversity.

Five Major Types of Biomes

Aquatic, grassland, forest, desert, and tundra.

Types of Biomes

Rainforest, Grassland, Coniferous Forest, Desert, Tundra, Deciduous Forest, Shrub Land, Marine, River

Factors Influencing Biome Differences

The climate influences the biome, the climate is influenced by several factors; the equator, altitude and distance from the sea, winds, location of mountain ranges

Biotic Factors

Living things within an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, and bacteria

Abiotic Factors

Non-living components, such as water, soil, and atmosphere.

Biome

The community of plants and animals that occur naturally in an area, often sharing common characteristics specific to that area

Biomes consist of:

Living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components.

Five Major Biomes

Aquatic, grassland, forest, desert, and tundra.

Food Security

That all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.

Food availability

Sufficient quantities of appropriate and quality food is available from domestic production, commercial imports, food assistance or food reserves on a consistent base

Stability of food

Refers to availability of adequate food all the times, thus, certain that access and utilisation of appropriate food is not curtailed by any hindrance, shortages or by emergencies or sudden crises.

Access

People have adequate income or other resources to access appropriate food domestically through home production, buying in local markets or as exchange, gifts, borrowing or as food aid.

Utilisation

People utilise food properly through food storing and processing practices while have sufficient knowledge where they apply nutritional, health, sanitation, socio-cultural as well spiritual parameters of food.

Undernourished

Intake which is insufficient to meet the minimum energy requirements defined as necessary for a given population

Stunting

When a child is significantly shorter than the average for their age, as a consequence of poor nutrition and/or repeated infection.

Causes of Food Insecurity

Poverty, Food shortages, War and Conflict, Climate Change, Lack of variety, Poor public policy, Disease and illness, Food Waste, Gender Inequality

Agriculture

A process of growing and maintaining plants and livestock.

Irrigation

Water being supplied to agricultural areas where there may be a shortage.

Waterlogging

Ground becomes soggy and plants are unable to grow.

Salinity

Salt settles on the land surface and means that plants cannot grow properly.

Dryland Salinity

The accumulation of salts in soil and water to levels that impact on human and natural assets.