Study Notes on Environmental Science: Agriculture and Food Resources

Urban Agriculture

• Utilizes underused urban spaces for food production.
• Provides increased food access for local residents.
• Rooftop gardens can improve stormwater management.

World Food Problems

• 795 million people lack food security globally.
• Undernutrition associated with insufficient essential nutrients (2 billion with micronutrient deficiencies).
• Overnutrition prevalent in developed nations leading to health issues.
• Food insecurity prevalent in 54 low-income food-deficit countries, primarily due to poverty.

Agricultural Practices

• Industrialized agriculture: High yield, high-input, reliant on fossil fuels, leads to soil degradation.
• Subsistence agriculture: Traditional methods, low yield, feeds family only.

Challenges in Agriculture

• Decline in farmland due to urban sprawl.
• Genetic diversity loss in domesticated species.
• Production increases not sustainable long-term due to environmental impacts.

Environmental Impacts

• Industrial agriculture affects: carbon footprint, water pollution, air quality, biodiversity, land degradation.
• Chemical runoff impacts aquatic ecosystems.

Sustainable Agriculture

• Focus on maintaining soil productivity and ecological balance.
• Incorporates modern and traditional practices for high yields with less environmental damage.
• Emphasis on organic practices and integrated pest management.

Pesticides

• Benefits: Control of crop pests and disease vectors.
• Problems: Broad-spectrum effects, genetic resistance, environmental persistence.

Alternatives to Pesticides

• Integrated pest management (IPM): Combines various methods for effective pest control.
• Use of biological controls, pheromones, and reproductive controls.

Organic Agriculture

• Prohibits commercial fertilizers/pesticides. Standards specified by Organic Food Production Act.
• Rapid growth in the U.S. organic market (from $3 billion in 2008 to $35 billion in 2014).