Agriculture

Summary

This environmental science video explores the evolution of agriculture, from ancient practices to modern industrial methods. It discusses the green revolution's impact on food production, including mono cropping, irrigation, pesticides, fertilizers, and GMOs. The video highlights the challenges of undernourishment, malnutrition, and over-nutrition, and advocates for a shift towards sustainable agriculture to address environmental concerns while meeting global nutritional needs.

Takeaways

• 🌾 Agriculture's primary function is to meet human nutritional needs, including providing enough calories and essential nutrients.
• 🔄 The transition from traditional to industrial agriculture was driven by population growth, leading to practices like the Green Revolution to increase food production.
• 🌱 Mono-cropping, or planting a single crop type, is a characteristic of industrial agriculture that simplifies farming but can reduce biodiversity and lead to soil erosion.
• 💧 Irrigation has expanded farming into arid regions but can deplete water sources and cause soil salinization.
• 🐛 Pesticides, including herbicides and insecticides, are used to protect crops but can lead to resistance in pests and bioaccumulation of chemicals in the environment.
• 🌿 Fertilizers, both organic and synthetic, boost crop yields but excessive use can result in nutrient runoff and eutrophication of water bodies.
• 🌿 Sustainable agriculture is emerging as an alternative to industrial methods, aiming to reduce environmental impact and promote biodiversity.
• 🌿 Contour plowing can mitigate soil erosion by plowing along the natural contours of the land, reducing water runoff.
• 🌱 Salt-tolerant crops could be a solution to the problem of soil salinization caused by excessive irrigation.
• 🔬 Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are used in agriculture to enhance crop traits, but their long-term environmental impact is a subject of ongoing debate.

Q & A

What is the primary function of agriculture as discussed in the video?

The primary function of agriculture is to provide for our human nutritional requirements by producing food.

What is undernourishment and how does it differ from malnutrition?

Undernourishment refers to not getting enough calories in one's diet, whereas malnutrition is about not getting the proper nutrients, such as proteins, vitamins, and minerals.

How has the advent of industrialization impacted agriculture?

Industrialization has led to the green revolution, which introduced industrial agriculture characterized by practices like mono cropping, irrigation, use of pesticides, fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to meet the exponential growth in population.

What is mono cropping and what are its potential drawbacks?

Mono cropping is the practice of planting only one type of crop. Its potential drawbacks include soil erosion, a lack of biodiversity, and the need for harvesting all plants at once, which can lead to issues like soil runoff.

What are some methods to prevent soil erosion as mentioned in the video?

Methods to prevent soil erosion include contour plowing, which involves plowing with the contour of the field to keep the surface flat and reduce runoff.

What is the issue with irrigation in agriculture and how can it be addressed?

Irrigation can deplete aquifers and lead to salinization. It can be addressed by varying crops, limiting irrigation, or developing salt-tolerant crops.

What are the double problems associated with the use of pesticides in agriculture?

The double problems with pesticides are that pests can become resistant to them, and the chemicals can bioaccumulate within the food web, potentially causing harm to the ecosystem.

How can integrated pest management help mitigate the problems associated with pesticide use?

Integrated pest management (IPM) involves monitoring pest populations and using a combination of techniques such as mechanical removal, traps, and biological controls to manage pests, reducing the reliance on chemical pesticides.

What is the role of fertilizers in industrial agriculture and what are the environmental concerns associated with their use?

Fertilizers provide essential nutrients for plant growth, but their use can lead to environmental concerns such as eutrophication when excess nutrients from runoff enter water bodies.

What is the concept of intercropping and how does it help in sustainable agriculture?

Intercropping involves growing two or more crops together, such as beans and corn. This practice can help in sustainable agriculture by providing natural fertilizers, like the nitrogen from the beans, and reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.

What are genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and what is the controversy surrounding them?

Genetically modified organisms are plants or animals that have had genes from other organisms inserted into their DNA. The controversy surrounding GMOs includes concerns about their environmental impact, such as decreased biodiversity, and the long-term safety of consuming GMO foods.

What is the push towards alternative agriculture and how does it relate to our historical farming practices?

The push towards alternative or sustainable agriculture aims to reduce the environmental impact of farming practices. It relates to historical subsistence farming practices by potentially returning to more natural and less resource-intensive methods of food production.

Outlines

00:00

🌾 Agriculture's Role and Challenges

Mr. Andersen introduces the topic of agriculture, highlighting its function to meet human nutritional needs. He discusses the evolution from ancient practices like using a sickle for harvesting wheat to modern industrial-scale farming. The video addresses issues such as undernourishment, malnutrition, and overnutrition, emphasizing the importance of proper nutrient intake. The Green Revolution is mentioned as a response to population growth, leading to industrial agriculture characterized by mono cropping, irrigation, pesticides, fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Each characteristic's drawbacks, such as soil erosion from mono cropping and bioaccumulation from pesticides, are also discussed, along with potential solutions like contour plowing and integrated pest management.

05:01

🌱 Industrial Agriculture and Its Impact

This paragraph delves deeper into the specifics of industrial agriculture, focusing on the economic and environmental implications. It discusses the use of pesticides, particularly herbicides like Atrazine, and their benefits in terms of increased crop yield. However, it also points out the problems of bioaccumulation and pest resistance. The paragraph suggests integrated pest management as a solution to these issues. The use of fertilizers is explored, noting their contribution to plant growth but also the environmental concerns they raise, such as eutrophication. Intercropping as a sustainable alternative is presented. The paragraph also touches on the use of GMOs, like golden rice and Bt corn, discussing their potential benefits and the ongoing controversy surrounding them. The push towards sustainable agriculture is emphasized as a way to reduce the environmental impact of farming practices.

Keywords

💡Agriculture

Agriculture refers to the practice of cultivating plants and animals to produce food, fiber, and other products. In the video, agriculture is central to the discussion of how humans meet their nutritional needs. It is highlighted as a long-standing practice, dating back thousands of years, and has evolved to include modern industrial methods. The video emphasizes the role of agriculture in addressing undernourishment, malnutrition, and over-nutrition.

💡Undernourishment

Undernourishment is a condition where an individual does not consume enough calories, leading to malnutrition. The video discusses this as a problem that has been somewhat alleviated by advancements in agriculture, but it still exists in certain regions and situations. It is contrasted with over-nutrition, where individuals consume too many calories.

💡Malnutrition

Malnutrition in the video is described as a condition where individuals do not receive the proper nutrients, such as proteins, vitamins, and minerals, even if they consume enough calories. It is presented as a growing problem, especially in areas where the diet lacks diversity, leading to health issues despite sufficient caloric intake.

💡Over-nutrition

Over-nutrition is the opposite of undernourishment, where individuals consume more calories than their bodies need, often leading to obesity and other health problems. The video points out that while undernourishment is a concern in some areas, over-nutrition is becoming increasingly prevalent, especially in developed countries.

💡Industrial Agriculture

Industrial agriculture is a modern approach to farming that involves large-scale monoculture, heavy use of machinery, and the application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The video discusses how this method has been a response to the exponential growth of the human population and the need to produce more food. It also touches on the negative environmental impacts and the shift towards more sustainable practices.

💡Mono Cropping

Mono cropping is the practice of growing a single type of crop on a large scale. The video explains that this method is characteristic of industrial agriculture and while it simplifies farming processes, it can lead to a decrease in biodiversity and soil erosion. Mono cropping is contrasted with more diverse and sustainable agricultural practices.

💡Irrigation

Irrigation is the artificial application of water to land to assist in the growth of crops. The video mentions that irrigation has allowed farming in areas that were previously arid, but it also points out the potential depletion of water resources like aquifers and the problem of soil salinization.

💡Pesticides

Pesticides are chemicals used to control pests that can damage crops. The video discusses the use of herbicides and insecticides in industrial agriculture, noting the benefits of increased crop yields but also the problems of pest resistance and chemical bioaccumulation in the environment.

💡Fertilizers

Fertilizers are substances added to soil to provide nutrients necessary for plant growth. The video explains that while synthetic fertilizers can boost crop production, they require significant energy to produce and can lead to environmental issues like eutrophication when they runoff into water bodies.

💡Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

GMOs are organisms whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. The video discusses GMOs as a characteristic of industrial agriculture, with examples like golden rice and Bt corn. While GMOs can offer benefits such as increased nutritional content or pest resistance, they also raise concerns about their long-term environmental impact and effects on biodiversity.

💡Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture is an approach to farming that aims to meet food production needs while preserving environmental health and promoting social equity. The video suggests a shift towards this method as a way to address the negative impacts of industrial agriculture. It implies a return to more traditional practices that are less harmful to the environment and promote biodiversity.

Highlights

Agriculture's function is to provide for human nutritional requirements.

Undernourishment is a problem when not enough calories are consumed.

Malnutrition occurs when the diet lacks proper nutrients like proteins, vitamins, and minerals.

Overnutrition is a growing issue leading to obesity due to excessive food consumption.

Industrialization led to the Green Revolution and industrial agriculture to feed the growing population.

Mono cropping is a characteristic of industrial agriculture, where one crop type is planted.

Irrigation is used in industrial agriculture, but it can deplete aquifers and cause salinization.

Pesticides, including herbicides and insecticides, are used to target pests but can lead to resistance and bioaccumulation.

Fertilizers, both organic and synthetic, are used to enrich soil but can cause eutrophication when they runoff into water bodies.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are used to create crops with desired traits, but they can affect biodiversity.

Contour plowing can help prevent soil erosion caused by mono cropping.

Alternative agriculture is a shift towards more sustainable practices to reduce the environmental impact.

Subsistence farming has been the majority of farming history, but population growth has led to a need for more food production.

The Green Revolution increased wheat yields in developing countries like India and Mexico.

Integrated pest management is a method to mitigate the problems associated with pesticide use.

Intercropping, where different crops are grown together, can provide natural fertilizers and reduce the need for synthetic ones.

Golden Rice is an example of GMOs being used to address vitamin A deficiency.

Bt corn is a GMO that produces a natural pesticide, protecting it from pests like the corn borer.

There is a current push towards sustainable agriculture to reduce the environmental impact of farming practices.

Transcripts

Hi. It’s Mr. Andersen and this is environmental science video 16. It is on agriculture. This

is a picture of wheat. We grind it to make flour and then make things like bread. And

we have been doing so for thousands of years. This sickle is over 5000 years old and was

used to harvest wheat. We still harvest wheat today in a similar fashion but now on an industrial

scale. What is the function of agriculture? It is to provide for our human nutritional

requirements. If you do not get enough calories in your diet we call that undernourishment.

And it is less of a problem. We generally can make enough food but it is not always

in the right place at the right time. And things like war can disrupt that flow. A bigger

problem is malnutrition. It is when you are not getting the proper nutrients. You are

not getting the right proteins, vitamins, minerals in your diet. A growing problem is

actually over nutrition where we eat too much and can lead to things like obesity. Agriculture

provides for these needs and it has been doing so for thousands of years. Now what happened

with industrialization is as we had exponential growth in the population we had to feed that

population. And therefore we had the green revolution where we have industrial agriculture

today. There are five characteristics of that. The first one is mono cropping, when you plant

just one crop type. We also have irrigation, the use of pesticides that target different

things. The major ones are herbicides and insecticides. We use fertilizers. Some of

those are going to be organic, like manure. But a lot of those are going to be synthetic.

And now we have the arrival of genetically modified organisms. All of these together

have allowed us to create more food than we ever have. But each of them have draw backs.

Mono cropping for example, when you harvest all of those plants, it can lead to soil erosion

and a lack of biodiversity. How could we prevent soil erosion? Things like contour plowing.

Irrigation depletes aquifers and can lead to salinization. So we could maybe have the

arrival of new salt tolerant crops. Pesticides have a double problem. Pests are going to

become resistant to the pesticides and also those chemicals are going to bioaccumulate

within the food web. What can we do? We can use processes like integrated pest management

to try to mediate those problems. Fertilizers require a lot of energy. They require fossil

fuels to make and also they will run off the fields and enter into the food web causing

things like eutrophication. So what can we do? We can use other crops as fertilizers

using something called intercropping. Genetically modified organisms, most of the studies are

saying are not harmful to humans to eat, but they can lead to a decrease in biodiversity.

And so there is a big push away from industrial agriculture towards alternative (or sustainable)

agriculture. We still have to feed the humans on our planet, but we can do it in a smarter

way. And so if we look at the history of farming, most of it has been subsistence. So this is

over 3000 years old in a burial tomb. And so this is an early farmer plowing his field.

And so what has happened is as the population has grown exponentially, we have only been

able to create food in a linearly increasing fashion. And so eventually what you have is

this catastrophe where you cannot make enough food to feed everyone. And this happened in

the last century. So we could see that the food growth was quickly going to be outpaced

by the exponential growth of the population. And so biologists like Norman Borlaug, farmers

brought forth these industrial ways, called the green revolution, of providing more food.

You could see this in wheat yields. So this is in developing countries. Back in the last

century it was increasing in a linear fashion and then we had this green revolution. Places

like India and Mexico. So what are the characteristics of industrial agriculture? One big one is

mono cropping. It is when you plant just one crop. So this is corn for example. What is

great about that? You become really good at planting corn and taking care of corn. It

is easier to plant this way. It is easier to harvest it as well. What are some of the

problems? Well we have a decrease in biodiversity and it can lead to things like soil erosion.

You have to harvest all of that food at the same time. Rain can wash that really valuable

soil away. So what could we do to prevent that? Things like contour plowing where you

are plowing with the contour of the field. It keeps it flat, the surface is flat so we

have less of that runoff. Irrigation has allowed us to farm in areas where we never could of

in the past. So this is in Kansas for example. What are some problems with irrigation? Well

you are going to deplete, this is the Ogallala Aquifer that this sits on, so eventually that

will run out. You also have the problem of salinization. So rain water will generally

wash the natural salts away. But if you start pumping water out of the ground, that is ground

water. And it is going to contain salt. Those drops of water have salt in it and so we are

going to have an increase in salt. Salinization over time. How do we solve this? Well we could

try varying the crops that we have. We could limit irrigation. Or we could start to evolve,

through artificial selection, salt tolerant crops. Another major part of industrial agriculture

is the use of pesticides. The major ones are going to be herbicides that kill other plants

or weeds. We have insecticides, fungicides and other biocides. Now why are farmers using

them? It is because they can get return on their investment. For every dollar they spend

on pesticides they get four dollars in higher crop yield. So an example. If we look at one

of the most popular herbicides in America, Atrazine, it is a broad leaf plant killer.

So it is going to kill the weeds in crops like corn. And so you can see it is going

to be aggregated where we are growing a lot of corn. And the reason why is that they can

get more corn back. Now what are the problems with this? One is bioaccumulation. Those chemicals

do not just go away. They are going to build up in the food pyramid. And so pests are killed

but they are eaten by other consumers and other consumers. Like the example that we

are familiar with is DDT aggregating inside and eventually killing things like bald eagles.

Another problem is resistance. If you spray pesticides, what pests are you killing? The

ones that are least resistant. So if you spray it the first time you will kill a lot of those

insects. But the ones that survive are resistant. And over time through natural selection those

pesticides do not work anymore. So how do we solve this problem? Well if we look at

the population of the pest itself, so one individual pest, it is going to undergo exponential

and then logistic growth. So right down here in this area it does not make sense, financial

sense, to spray pesticides. The numbers are not large enough. We have not gone over what

is called the economic injury level. And so farmers are constantly monitoring the fields,

figuring out what pests do I have? What is the level of them? They can use other things

beside pesticides. We can mechanically remove those pests. We could use things like traps.

We could use other life. We could use things like this lace wing larva to kill other aphids.

And then we could monitor it to the point where maybe it is going to a level where it

is going to hurt us. So then we could use pesticides but we could use pesticides wisely.

Another characteristic of industrial agriculture is the use of fertilizers. It puts those important

nutrients that plants need, like nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, into the soil. And

so this right here is spraying anhydrous ammonia into the soil. That is a process that humans

have invented to take nitrogen out of the air using the Haber process and making ammonia

out of it. You can spray it on the fields and the plants are going to grow more quickly

with a higher yield. What is the problem? As we have rain that runoff is going to push

those fertilizers into the water supply and it can lead to problems like eutrophication.

How could solve this problem? Well we could start using other crops. And so this is intercropping

where we are having beans mixed in with corn. And so the beans are providing manure, essentially

green manure for that corn to grow. A growing characteristic of industrial agriculture is

the use of genetically modified organisms. Now we have always been breeding plants, but

recently we are taking genes from one organism and inserting them in another. An example

could be golden rice. And so you are inserting genes into rice so they produce vitamin A.

Why is this a big deal? Over a 500,000 children under the age of 5 die each year due to vitamin

A deficiency. So we could insert those genes, they can eat the rice and that is not going

to be a problem. Another example could be Bt corn. We are taking genes from a bacteria

and inserting it into corn and it produces a natural pesticide so things like a corn

bore cannot eat it. Now most of the studies are saying that this food is generally safe

for humans to eat. But depending on where you are, in the US we use lots of GMOs but

in Europe not so much. And so there is controversy over the effects to the environment through

the use of genetically modified organisms. And so the current push is towards sustainable

agriculture. We do not want to have such an impact on our planet. And what is interesting

is a lot of these practices will return us towards our subsistence farming roots. And

so did you learn the following? Could you pause the video at this point and fill in

all of the blanks? Well let me do it form you. So malnutrition is a lack of calories.

The green revolution led to industrial agriculture. Some of the characteristics are mono cropping,

irrigation, pesticides, fertilizers and GMOs. Herbicides are the most popular type of pesticides.

Our fertilizers can be either organic or synthetic. And what are we moving towards? Alternative

agriculture, where we do not have so much of an impact on our planet. And I hope that

And I hope was helpful.