Efficiency and Impact of Farming and Food Production
Marwan Antill
Environmental Systems
Mr. Crook
2/4/12
Efficiency of Food Production Systems
Objective 1:
Compare and Contrast Aquatic and Terrestrial Systems Humans depend on food systems in order to survive. These food systems follow the same paths and rules as food chains. Food chains follow the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Energy is lost as it passes through food chain from one trophic level to the next due to decreases in food. In turn there will be fewer organisms at trophic levels as they increase. Food systems are dependent on the amount of organisms at each trophic levels and the efficiency of energy at each trophic level. Efficiency relies on organisms being able to convert energy to biomass while minimizing losses in production in systems.
Terrestrial Systems: * Short food chains * Food removed at low trophic levels; producers or primary consumers * Low efficiency * Natural decline in energy available in the food chain * Can’t supply enough meat to meet needs of society * Supplementary feeding of cereal crops is needed * Increases inefficiency
Aquatic Systems: * Long food chains * Food removed at high tropic levels; levels 4 and 5 * Less energy available from original input * Lack of sunlight * Water columns absorb and reflect most of solar radiation before photosynthesis * Less energy enters the system * Energy efficiency between energy transfers in trophic levels * Less biomass stored in bone and skeletal compared to flesh
* Overfishing * Selective fish species, un-selective catch methods * Removal of more fish than the system can replace
Objective 2:
Efficiency and Impact of Farming and Food Production Systems
Intensive Beef Production in MEDCs and the Maasai Tribal Use of Livestock
In this paper, I will be comparing and contrasting the inputs and outputs of materials and energy efficiency, the
Environmental Systems
Mr. Crook
2/4/12
Efficiency of Food Production Systems
Objective 1:
Compare and Contrast Aquatic and Terrestrial Systems Humans depend on food systems in order to survive. These food systems follow the same paths and rules as food chains. Food chains follow the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Energy is lost as it passes through food chain from one trophic level to the next due to decreases in food. In turn there will be fewer organisms at trophic levels as they increase. Food systems are dependent on the amount of organisms at each trophic levels and the efficiency of energy at each trophic level. Efficiency relies on organisms being able to convert energy to biomass while minimizing losses in production in systems.
Terrestrial Systems: * Short food chains * Food removed at low trophic levels; producers or primary consumers * Low efficiency * Natural decline in energy available in the food chain * Can’t supply enough meat to meet needs of society * Supplementary feeding of cereal crops is needed * Increases inefficiency
Aquatic Systems: * Long food chains * Food removed at high tropic levels; levels 4 and 5 * Less energy available from original input * Lack of sunlight * Water columns absorb and reflect most of solar radiation before photosynthesis * Less energy enters the system * Energy efficiency between energy transfers in trophic levels * Less biomass stored in bone and skeletal compared to flesh
* Overfishing * Selective fish species, un-selective catch methods * Removal of more fish than the system can replace
Objective 2:
Efficiency and Impact of Farming and Food Production Systems
Intensive Beef Production in MEDCs and the Maasai Tribal Use of Livestock
In this paper, I will be comparing and contrasting the inputs and outputs of materials and energy efficiency, the