IB Ess 5 2 Agriculture And Food Question Bank

generally, the foods with the higher level of recommended consumption have a lower environmental impact; foods at the "top" (pictorially, rather than both apices) of both pyramids tend to be from higher trophic levels/produce a higher ecological footprint (EF) / foods at "bottom" of both pyramids tend to be from lower trophic levels/primary producers/produce a lower EF; pyramids appear opposite to one another / have an inverse relationship/negative correlation; (c) Identify two environmental impacts associated with producing the foods near the base of the recommended consumption pyramid (Figure 1(a)).

use of pesticides/herbicides causing soil degradation / superbugs / superweeds; over use of fertilizers causing soil degradation / eutrophication; over-cultivation of land causing soil degradation; intensive irrigation/over use of water leading to water scarcity / salinization; mono-cropping reducing biodiversity/increasing risk of losses through disease; use of fossil fuels through mechanization/intense farming/food miles that release \(\mathrm{GHGs} / \mathrm{CO}_{2}\); methane released from rice-farming; Credit can be given to any valid impact of agricultural food production. Credit may be given for positive impacts (eg roots prevent soil erosion/crop rotation enriches soils) but not just the absence of negative impacts (eg less methane/less water, etc) (d) Describe how foods high on the environmental impact pyramid, shown in Figure 1(b), are likely to affect the ecological footprint of global food production.

Their choice may be influenced by... traditional/cultural/religious values of certain foods; suitability of the prevailing climate/topography/arable land; availability of water supply; available technology/expertise for certain cultivation techniques; wealth / relative cost of production; some countries/cultures may have different perceptions of what constitutes health/healthy eating; some cultures may consider environmental impacts/have EVS that influences choice of food production; some LEDCs may not be able to import foods so rely on more local foods; This is a general question addressing potential factors affecting food choice; no specific examples of other diets are required for full credit.

In agroforestry: forests/habitats and their biodiversity are maintained / reduces deforestation; tree/forest cover/root system reduces risk of flooding/flash floods/soil erosion; tree canopy/plant cover reduces impact of precipitation on soils / soil erosion; within agroforestry soil maintains organic matter / levels of fertility / trees fix nitrogen in soil / leaves from trees enrich soil; forest provides a variety of resources e.g. medicinal plants/firewood/timber/crops / farmer can get milk and food from agroforestry / forest can provide fodder for animal; manure from animals can be used as a fertilizer for crops/trees; land can be used sustainably/indefinitely/over long period of time rather than for a few years; no burning of woodland reduces amount of carbon dioxide effect on global warming/climate change / forest can absorb carbon dioxide; Accept converse statements for tavy method.

tavy is a method that can be considered part of the local culture/traditions; people tend to have an aversion to change / do not trust change; if site conditions are poor, rehabilitation can take time / if soil is poor in nutrients it can be difficult to establish agroforestry / trees take time to grow so benefits would not be seen immediately; agroforestry cannot provide same products as traditional methods e.g. rice; lack of education to explain the advantages of alternative methods / lack of knowledge about agroforestry / agroforestry is a more complex system to farm / tavy is easier than agroforestry /agroforestry requires more work; lack of funds to promote agroforestry;

production is more efficient because of less loss of light energy; it is more efficient because food chain is shorter/more efficient as food is harvested from lower trophic level; it is more readily harvested because it is less dispersed; easier to harvest / less dangerous / requires less equipment; greater diversity of food products/crops / people decide what to grow; reduces threat to marine habitats from overfishing / reduces damage to marine ecosystems from fishing / reduces overfishing rates / conserving marine ecosystems can make them more attractive for recreational use/tourism; good growing condition in the area for crop growth / high levels of insolation and rainfall (tropical conditions) in the area promote rapid crop growth; Accept other reasonable responses. Do not accept "absorbs/stores carbon dioxide / contains large number of nutrients". Do not accept only "sell goods".

i. increases food resources, (which increases carrying capacity); ii. decreases water use, (which increases carrying capacity); iii. no pesticides, so less water pollution/does not harm/pollute environment / no pesticides used so fewer inputs/resources needed, (which increases carrying capacity); iv. vertical farming uses less land area, (so more land area is available for housing); v. farming on roofs and in abandoned buildings means more land area is available (for housing/population growth); vi. bees result in more pollination, so more primary productivity, (increasing carbon sink); Notes: Do not accept only 'bees increase resources available' without reference to increasing food. Do not accept 'bees provide healthier food'. Do not accept only 'no pesticides used / provides goods / produces agricultural items / pesticides cause eutrophication'.

100\% of food crops were destroyed in the hurricane (reducing food availability); damage to coral reef ecosystems reduced fish catch; wild food sources within the forest (eg nuts, fruits) destroyed; delays to food supply due to time needed to regrow local crops; food transportation disrupted due to loss of/damage to roads/bridges/airports/ports; soil erosion/landslides reduced soil fertility/area available for cultivation; heavy rains leached soil nutrients/reduced soil fertility; contamination of freshwater with oil/chemicals reduces water available for irrigation; disruption to electricity supply resulted in spoilage / unable to store food due to lack of refrigeration; Note: Do not accept only 'hurricane damages food crops'.

soil degradation from erosion; eutrophication from agricultural run-off; moral/ethical dilemmas from factory farming; pollution from insecticides / pesticides / fertilizers ; salinization from over irrigation; lowered water tables / over abstraction of ground water; loss of valuable habitats e.g. wetlands drained for agriculture; Accept other reasonable responses.

(conversion of) pasture land;

Answers may include: - understanding concepts and terminology of equilibria, sustainability, natural capital/income, climatic factors (temp/precipitation/seasonality), greenhouse gases, climate change, biome shifts, water conservation, irrigation, desertification, vegetarian vs meat-rich diets, mitigation, adaptation, commercial vs artisanal, intensive vs extensive, food miles, selective breeding/genetic engineering, etc; - breadth in addressing and linking influences of climate on food production eg water scarcity, shifting biomes, mean temperatures / precipitation, desertification, wind / rain / erosion, etc and influences of food production on climate eg methane production, deforestation, use of fossil fuels, global transport, etc and ways in which production strategies may adapt to, or mitigate climate change; - examples of food production strategies that adapt to climate change eg water conservation, drip irrigation, terracing, drought/temperature resistant crops, aquaponics, greenhouses, etc and strategies that mitigate climate change eg switching from meat-rich diets, localising food production, employing artisanal/low-energy farming strategies, etc; - balanced analysis of the extent to which production strategies from a range of contexts may contribute to, or mitigate against, an equilibrium between food production and the climate etc; - a conclusion that is consistent with, and supported by, analysis and examples given eg "although there are many production strategies that mitigate or adapt to climate change, the relationship has already shifted so far away from a sustainable equilibrium, and with growing populations, it seems unlikely that their contribution will be sufficient to avoid a tipping point in the future"; Please see markbands on page 17.

MEDCs may be more sustainable because... they may be more able to afford more sustainable technology/practice (eg hydroponics/organic farming/biological pest control); may be more environmentally aware due to greater media/communication technology (and so adopt more sustainable farming methods); MEDCs may be more unsustainable because... they can afford to import a large proportion of their food supply / incur high food mileage which is unsustainable; industries may exploit LEDCs where restrictions on unsustainable practices/technologies (eg pesticides) are more lax; may tend to favour meat-rich diets/eating at higher trophic levels that are less sustainable; they may over-produce and generate considerable food waste for economic reasons/quotas which reduces sustainability; they employ commercial intensive farming techniques that impose unsustainable impacts/pressures on soils/water; LEDCs may be more sustainable because... may be unable to afford commercial farming technology that tends to be less sustainable; are more likely to have hunter-gatherer practises / rely on subsistence farming which may be more sustainable; may tend to have strong cultural/historical/spiritual links with the environment and so put high value on sustainability/environmental protection; LEDCs may be more unsustainable because... may depend on exporting food products and so invest in less sustainable farming technology/practices / cash crops are grown rather than food crops on productive land, these are often less sustainable monocrops; tend to have higher population growth rates leading to unsustainable/rapid increases in food production / leading to unsustainable/intensive production systems/use of marginal land to meet growing demand; practice slash and burn as a cheap strategy/due to population growth but this is unsustainable in the long term; Award [7 max] for marking points above, and [1 max] for an explicit and valid conclusion that is justified by points raised. Note to examiners: An isolated statement eg "Increased economic development leads to reduced sustainability" or an unjustified opinion eg "I think LEDCs have less sustainable farming systems" should not be considered as a valid conclusion. The conclusion must be supported/justified by points raised. eg historically, economic development has generally led to reduced sustainability, but recently this is beginning to change in some MEDCs; low economic growth and reduced individual needs lead to sustainable food production system, however rapid population growth results in most LEDCs to revert to unsustainable practices as they try to increase food productivity; Alternative points of equivalent validity, significance and relevance to those given, should be credited.

Outline of impacts: Award [3 max] if examples are not specifically named Example 1: e g intensive wheat/corn production in USA: using large quantities of herbicide/pesticides/agrochemicals reduces the biodiversity in surrounding areas/locally / eg may kill off many useful insects; agrochemicals may affect top predators/birds through biomagnification/bioaccumulation / will intoxicate soils / kill soil invertebrates; using a GMO (genetically modified organism) crop (eg Bt corn) reduces biodiversity; heavy use of artificial/inorganic fertilisers may cause eutrophication of local water bodies; use of agrochemicals/over-cultivation/heavy machinery may lead to loss of soil quality/compaction/salinization/toxification; heavy irrigation/use of agrochemicals may lead to depletion/pollution of aquifers/water reservoirs; irrigation/leaving fields bare after harvesting may lead to soil erosion; [2 max] Example 2: eg cattle farming in Brazil: land clearance/deforestation of tropical rainforest/cerrado vegetation results in loss of habitat/biodiversity / reduces a major global carbon sink/storage increasing global warming; use of agrochemicals/pesticides/antibiotics leads to pollution of local habitats/loss of biodiversity; displacement of indigenous people and their way of life reduces stewardship of local environment; deforestation and overgrazing of the cattle increases soil erosion/desertification; methane production by cattle contributes to global warming; [2 max] Counterarguments and balancing factors relating to either or both systems: impacts of inorganic fertilisers can be reduced/prevented by use of buffer zones; use of agrochemicals/GM/intensive technology can increase yields per area reducing land required for food production; drip irrigation technology can be used on a commercial scale to reduce water consumption; GMO crops may be pest-resistant reducing need for pesticides; crop-farming is ecologically more efficient than meat production (cattle farming); cattle farming on Brazil has greater global impact than wheat farming in USA through its significant contribution to global warming; tropical rainforest has particularly high biodiversity and so deforestation there causes a greater biodiversity loss; [4 max] Award [1 max] for an explicit and valid conclusion. Alternative points of equivalent validity, significance and relevance to those given, should be credited. ie award [7 max] for marking points above, and [1 max] for a clear conclusion. [8 max] Expression of ideas: [2 max] Total: [20]