Agricultural Systems and External Relationships
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Questions and Answers

When did the concept of agroecology start to appear in scientific literature?

  • 1980s
  • 1950s
  • 1970s
  • 1920s (correct)

    • What is the main focus of agroecology as a social movement?

  • Transforming food systems to sustainability (correct)
  • Promoting environmental preservation
  • Achieving social fairness
  • All of the above

    • What is the recommended approach to integrating the elements of agroecology?

  • Trans-disciplinary, participatory, and action-oriented approach (correct)
  • Multi-disciplinary and theoretical approach
  • Inter-disciplinary and action-oriented approach
  • Mono-disciplinary and practical approach

    • What is the study of within the crop field in agroecology?

    <p>Predator/prey relations and crop/weed competition</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When did agroecology begin to be expressed in family farmers' practices and grassroots social movements?

    <p>1920s</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the timeframe of World War II, according to the passage?

    <p>1 Sep 1939 - 2 Sep 1945</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What three elements does agroecology integrate?

    <p>Science, practice, and social movement</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who published a relevant work on agroecology in 1998?

    <p>Gliessman</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of mature ecosystems?

    <p>They have a degree of resistance to most perturbations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to ecosystem stability when periodic disturbances occur?

    <p>It increases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a consequence of the reduction of natural structural and functional diversity?

    <p>Much of the resilience of the system is lost.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of populations of crop plants or animals in agroecosystems?

    <p>They rarely reproduce or regulate themselves.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a consequence of the simplification of agroecosystems?

    <p>Biological diversity is reduced.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is necessary to maintain agroecosystems?

    <p>Constant human-derived external inputs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main goal of agroecology in terms of food production?

    <p>To meet the increasing food needs of the future while ensuring sustainability</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key characteristic of agroecological systems?

    <p>Use of ecological principles to optimize interactions between species</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relationship between agroecology and biodiversity?

    <p>Agroecology enhances biodiversity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of agroecology?

    <p>Application of ecological principles to agriculture</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the outcome of agroecological systems in terms of resource use?

    <p>Efficient use of local resources</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the impact of agroecology on local communities?

    <p>Empowerment of local communities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the key benefit of agroecology in terms of the environment?

    <p>Preservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the underlying principle of agroecology?

    <p>Optimization of ecological interactions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the direction of energy flow in a food web?

    <p>Unidirectional and non-cyclic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for organisms that are at the highest trophic level in a food web?

    <p>Top predators</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What makes up the non-living portions of the soil?

    <p>Minerals and dead organisms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the complex living system in the soil and its interactions with the environment, plants, and animals?

    <p>Soil food web</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary source of energy for green plants?

    <p>Solar energy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary factor affecting the dynamics of organisms in an ecosystem?

    <p>Abiotic factors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for organisms that make soil healthy and support healthy plants?

    <p>Beneficial soil biota</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the ultimate source of food for humans and other animals?

    <p>Ecosystem</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary difference between natural ecosystems and agroecosystems?

    <p>Human control</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key feature of agroecosystems that enhances productivity?

    <p>Auxiliary sources of energy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of studying agroecosystems?

    <p>To understand the relationship between human control and ecosystem productivity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is typically available in a supermarket about the food?

    <p>Information on who grew the food, how it was grown, and how far away it came from</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of natural ecosystems that is not typically found in agroecosystems?

    <p>High species diversity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the movement of energy from one organism to another in an agroecosystem?

    <p>Energy flow</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the graphical representation of energy flow in an agroecosystem?

    <p>Ecological pyramid</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the study of the relationships between agroecosystems, farms, crops, and farmers?

    <p>Interlinkages of agroecosystems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Agroecosystems vs. Natural Ecosystems

    • Agroecosystems have human control, whereas natural ecosystems do not
    • Net productivity is higher in agroecosystems due to auxiliary energy sources
    • Species diversity is lower in agroecosystems due to the loss of niche diversity and reduced trophic interactions
    • Trophic interactions are more complex in natural ecosystems
    • Habitat heterogeneity is lower in agroecosystems
    • Nutrient cycles are more controlled in agroecosystems
    • Stability and resilience are lower in agroecosystems due to the reduction of natural structural and functional diversity
    • Temporal permanence is lower in agroecosystems

    Characteristics of Agroecosystems

    • Include auxiliary sources of energy like human, animal, and fuel energy to enhance productivity
    • Have been identified in scientific literature since the 1920s
    • Have been expressed in family farmers' practices, grassroots social movements, and public policies

    Agroecology

    • Is a science, practice, and social movement focused on transforming food systems to sustainability
    • Integrates ecological and social concepts and principles to design and manage food and agricultural systems
    • Seeks to optimize interactions between plants, animals, humans, and the environment
    • Aims to ensure social fairness, economic stability, and biodiversity

    Agroecology's Role in Sustainability

    • Offers a unique approach to meeting food needs while ensuring environmental sustainability and social fairness
    • Can help mitigate climate instability and ensure food security
    • Is an integrated approach that applies ecological and social concepts to agricultural systems

    Food Webs and Energy Flow in Agroecosystems

    • Food webs describe the complex interactions between organisms in an ecosystem
    • Energy flow is unidirectional and non-cyclic, while nutrient flows are cyclic
    • Agricultural practices affect the spatial patterns and dynamics of soil decomposition and nutrient availability
    • Green plants capture solar energy and convert it into chemical energy for use by the biological system

    Soil Food Web

    • Soil is comprised of both non-living and living parts
    • Soil biota range from micro-organisms to megafauna
    • Soil organisms can be beneficial or harmful to soil health and plant growth
    • Soil food web describes the complex interactions between soil organisms and their environment

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    Description

    This quiz covers the general structure of an agricultural system and its relationship with external systems.

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