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Today’s Outline (^) Announcements ! ! ! ! !
Ecology (BIOL 250)
Lecture 23 : Agriculture Fire (Homo erectus) Homo sapiens Agricultural revolution
H u n t i n g a n d g a t h e r i n g
Industrial revolution
Cultural evolution of agriculture
Slash and burn (Swidden) Agriculture
Slash and Burn Agriculture
Slash and Burn Agriculture Cultural^ evolution^ of^ agriculture
"Slash and burn "Early intensification #Terracing #Rice Farming
Cultural evolution of agriculture
"Slash and burn "Early intensification "Industrial agriculture #Mechanization #Fertilize the soil with artificial chemicals #Control pests with biocides
Industrial Agriculture - Mechanization
The farm beginning to approximate more closely to a factory. “Agriculture, ancient and modern” (Samuel Copeland 1865 ). "Lack of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus often limits plant growth. #Adding nutrients via fertilizer usually stimulates growth and increases crop yields. #Manure and nitrogen-fixing bacteria are alternative methods of replenishing soil nutrients.
Industrial Agriculture - Fertilizer Industrial Agriculture - Fertilizer
Pest Control
Industrial agriculture - PESTICIDES Industrial agriculture
Input Vs. Output
"Spraying
kills high percentage of pests, but...
"Resurgence
all pests are never killed! Due to genetic resistance and
natural “hide-outs” "Secondary pest outbreaks
due to killing of beneficial insects
"Evolution of resistance
Industrial agriculture - Pesticide Treadmill
How it functions
Genetic Engineering
"Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) #Contain DNA possessing genes borrowed from unrelated species. "Can produce crops with pest-resistance and wider tolerance levels. "Opponents fear traits could spread to wild varieties, and increased expense would largely hurt smaller farmers. #Estimated that 60% of all processed foods in North America contain transgenic products.
Is Genetic Engineering Safe?
" Environmental and consumer groups have campaigned against “transgenic” organisms. #“Frankenfoods” " U.S. Food and Drug Administration declined to require labeling of foods containing GMO’s. #New varieties are “substantially equivalent” to related traditionally-bred varieties.
Genetic Engineering
