Agricultural energetics | AQA A-Level Environmental Science Revision | Primrose Kitten

Any input into the agriculture system that requires energy to do so.

Energy subsidies in agriculture

A method for manufacturing fertilizers that requires high temperatures and pressure, which necessitates combustion of fossil fuels.

Haber process

Farms that produce high yields using high inputs on a small land area.

Intensive agriculture

Farms that produce lower yields using lower inputs over a larger land area.

Extensive agriculture

The amount of yield per unit area of land.

Productivity in agriculture

The amount of yield per unit energy input.

Efficiency in agriculture

A measure of the efficiency of a farming system comparing the number of energy inputs to the number of energy outputs.

Energy ratio

The mass of food required to produce a specific increase in biomass of livestock, with lower ratios indicating higher efficiency.

Food conversion ratio (FCR)

The process where energy is transferred from producers to consumers, with losses occurring at each trophic level.

Energy transfer in food chains

The levels in a food chain, where energy is lost due to heat, respiration, and unconsumed parts.

Trophic levels

Calculations that determine how much energy is transferred between trophic levels in a food chain.

Percentage calculations in energy transfer

Energy sources that can replace fossil fuels in agricultural processes, such as geothermal energy heat pumps or biodiesel.

Renewable energy alternatives

Fertilizers such as manure that can be used as an alternative to synthetic fertilizers in extensive agriculture.

Organic fertilizers

An alternative method for pumping irrigation water that uses less energy.

Drip irrigation

Using sunlight instead of artificial lighting to control livestock breeding.

Natural lighting in barns

Energy lost due to heat, respiration, and movement in livestock farming.

Energy losses in livestock

Barns designed to maintain a stable temperature to reduce energy losses in livestock.

Temperature-controlled barns

Providing food to local areas to reduce the need for transport energy.

Local food distribution

The effectiveness of an agricultural system in producing yield relative to energy inputs.

Agricultural efficiency

The energy required to produce agricultural outputs, such as crops and livestock.

Energy inputs

The energy produced in the form of crops and livestock from agricultural processes.

Energy outputs