Food and Soil Resources G. Tyler Miller’s Living in the Environment 14 th Edition Chapter 14 G. Tyler Miller’s Living in the Environment 14 th Edition Chapter 14

Key Concepts  Methods of producing food  Increasing food production  Soil degradation  Increasing sustainability How Is Food Produced?  Sources of food  Primary plants: wheat, corn, and rice  Primary animals: fish, beef, pork, and chicken

Food for Thought Here’s a photo essay of a week’s worth of food throughout different parts of the world.

Japan : The Ukita family of Kodaira City Food expenditure for one week: 37,699 Yen or $317.25

Italy : The Manzo family of Sicily Food expenditure for one week: Euros or $260.11

Germany : The Melander family of Bargteheide Food expenditure for one week: Euros or $500.07

United States : The Revis family of North Carolina Food expenditure for one week: $341.98

Mexico : The Casales family of Cuernavaca Food expenditure for one week: 1, Mexican Pesos or $189.09

Poland : The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna Food expenditure for one week: Zlotys or $151.27

Egypt : The Ahmed family of Cairo Food expenditure for one week: Egyptian Pounds or $68.53

Ecuador : The Ayme family of Tingo Food expenditure for one week: $31.55

Bhutan : The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village Food expenditure for one week: ngultrum or $5.03

Chad : The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23

World Food Production Major Types of Agriculture Industrialized agriculture Industrialized agriculture Traditional subsistence agriculture shifting agriculture Nomadic herding Traditional subsistence agriculture shifting agriculture Nomadic herding Plantation Traditional intensive agriculture Traditional intensive agriculture

Producing Food by Green-Revolution Techniques  High-input monoculture  Selectively bred or genetically-engineered crops  High inputs of fertilizer  Extensive use of pesticides  High inputs of water  Multiple cropping

Producing Food by Traditional Techniques  Interplanting  Polyvarietal cultivation  Intercropping  Agroforestry (alley cropping)  Polyculture

Areas of serious concern Areas of some concern Stable or nonvegetative areas Global Soil Erosion Fig p. 280

Soil Erosion in the US  Dust Bowl – 1930s:  Reductions in erosion since 1987  1985 Food Security Act  Dust Bowl – 1930s:  Reductions in erosion since 1987  1985 Food Security Act Causes of Soil Erosion  Wind  Water  People Causes of Soil Erosion  Wind  Water  People Black Blizzard China’s desertification

Causes of Desertification  Overgrazing  Deforestation  Erosion  Salinization  Soil Compaction  Natural Climate Change  Overgrazing  Deforestation  Erosion  Salinization  Soil Compaction  Natural Climate Change Refer to Fig p. 283

World Desertification Fig p. 282

Soil Degradation on Irrigated Land Fig p. 283

Solutions: Soil Conservation  Conventional-tillage  Conservation tillage  Terracing  Windbreaks  Land Classification Refer to Fig p. 285  Contour farming  Strip and alley cropping

 Terracing  Windbreaks  Strip and alley cropping  Contour farming

Soil Restoration  Organic fertilizer  Commercial inorganic fertilizer  Animal manure  Green manure  Compost  Crop rotation

World Food Production  Now leveling off  Shortages in developing countries Fig p. 287

Nutrition  Undernutrition  Malnutrition  Overnutrition Refer to Fig p. 288

Environmental Effects of Food Production  Biodiversity loss  Soil degradation  Air pollution  Water shortages and erosion  Human health See Fig p. 290

Increasing World Crop Production  Crossbreeding and artificial selection  Genetic engineering (gene splicing)  Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)  Continued Green Revolution techniques  Introducing new foods  Working more land

Producing More Meat  Feedlots  Rangelands  Improved rangeland management  Efficiency  Environmental consequences ( Connections p. 295 ) Kilograms of grain needed per kilogram of body weight Beef cattle 7 7 Pigs 4 4 Chicken 2.2 Fish (catfish or carp) Fish (catfish or carp) 2 2 Fig p. 297

Catching and Raising More Fish  Fisheries  Fishing methods ( See Fig p. 299 )  Overfishing  Commercial extinction  Aquiculture  Fish farming and ranching

Government Agricultural Policy  Artificially low prices  Subsidies  Elimination of price controls  Food aid

Solutions: Sustainable Agriculture  Low-input agriculture  Organic farming  Profitable  Increasing funding for research in sustainable techniques See Fig p. 302