Biological Resources and Food Production Study Set

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the use of biological resources, including crop production, microorganisms in food, industrial fermenters, selective breeding, and genetic modification based on the lecture notes.

Glasshouses

Enclosed environments that provide a controlled climate (artificial heating, lighting, and increased $CO_2$) to increase crop yields to some extent.

Polyethene Tunnels

Commonly called polytunnels, these are large plastic tunnels used to protect crops from extreme weather and pests while slightly increasing the temperature.

Limiting factor

The specific factor (carbon dioxide concentration, light intensity, or temperature) that is at the lowest level and therefore limits the rate of photosynthesis.

Optimum temperature

The specific temperature at which the enzymes controlling photosynthesis work fastest before they begin to denature.

Magnesium ions

Mineral ions needed for chlorophyll; a deficiency in these results in the yellowing of plant leaves.

Nitrate ions

Mineral ions needed for amino acids; a deficiency results in weak plant growth and yellowing of the leaves.

Pesticides

Chemicals that kill unwanted species to reduce damage to crops and control competition from other plants and pests.

Bioaccumulation

The process where persistent chemicals do not break down in the body and accumulate in great concentrations at the top of food chains, harming top predators.

Biological control

A natural method of pest control that involves introducing a natural predator to prey on a pest species to keep its population at lower levels.

Yeast

A single-celled fungus that can carry out both aerobic and anaerobic respiration, used in food production such as bread making.

Lactobacillus

A specific type of bacterium used in yoghurt making that ferments the sugar (lactose) in milk into lactic acid.

Pasteurisation

The process of heating milk to $85-95$ degrees to kill unwanted bacteria and prevent chemical contamination or spoilage in yoghurt production.

Fermenters

Large industrial containers used to grow cultures of microorganisms like bacteria and fungi in large amounts under carefully controlled conditions.

Agitation

The use of stirring paddles in a fermenter to ensure that microorganisms, nutrients, oxygen, temperature, and pH are evenly distributed.

Selective breeding

Also known as artificial selection, the process of selecting individuals with desired characteristics and breeding them together over successive generations.

Inbreeding

The result of breeding closely related organisms, which leads to a reduction in the gene pool and an increased chance of inheriting harmful defects.

Restriction Enzymes

Often called 'DNA scissors,' these enzymes cut DNA fragments at specific sequences, leaving 'sticky ends' for genetic engineering.

Sticky ends

Short sections of single-stranded DNA with unpaired bases that are created when DNA is cut with restriction enzymes.

Ligase Enzymes

Known as 'DNA glue,' these enzymes link two pieces of DNA with complementary sticky ends together to form a single, unbroken molecule.

Vectors

Plasmids or viruses used in genetic engineering to take up pieces of DNA and insert recombinant DNA into other cells.

Recombinant DNA

The resulting DNA when the DNA of two different organisms is combined through gene transfer.

Golden rice

A genetically modified crop containing genes from another plant and a bacterium that trigger the production of a chemical turned into Vitamin A in the human body.

Transgenic

A term specifically referring to the transfer of genetic material or DNA from one species into a different species.