SESSION 1 DRAFT: RESEARCH QUESTION + INTRODUCTION

Environmental problem: Sustainability of Terrestrial Food Production System

Two named case studies: intensive beef production in South America and the Maasai tribal use of livestock .

Research Question: To what extent are intensive and extensive agricultural practices sustainable for the
environment?

Introductioni:
Food production systems can be divided into two major systems: terrestrial or aquatic. Terrestrial food production
systems are typically harvested from lower trophic levels, such as producers or primary consumers, consequently,
they have an efficient use of solar energy since producers convert the solar energy to chemical energy through
photosynthesis. Therefore, terrestrial food production systems that use crops rather than livestock are more efficient
because crops contain more energy per mass than consumers, stated by the Lindeman´s 10% rule. However, many
food systems harvest livestock because it is a common source of protein and the animals may also be used for manual
labor. The sustainability of terrestrial food production systems, meaning the use and management of resources that
allows full natural replacement of the resources exploited and full recovery of the ecosystems affected by their
extraction and use, has become an environmental problem because the supply of food is inequitably available and
land suitable for production is unevenly distributed, leading to conflicts and disputes. Furthermore, since human
population is growing exponentially, available agricultural land is decreasing due to human activities such as
urbanization, and desertification, making it so that ¾ of the world is inadequately fed with about 1 billion going
hungry and too much food being produced in MEDCs, leading to surplus. Food production systems produce enough
food to feed every person on earth, with surplus, however it is lack of transportation, access to resources like land,
water, and money to distribute this food that creates the shortages. Inside farming systems there are two main types:
subsistence farming and commercial farming. Subsistence farming focuses on producing food for family and local
communities, with no surplus and lower use of technology, while commercial farming aims to make profit, maximizing
yields with high inputs of energy from fossil fuels and fertilizers. Furthermore, commercial farming consists of either
extensive or intensive agricultural practices. Extensive farming uses more land but has a lower density of stocky or
planting and lower inputs and outputs while intensive practices use less land with high levels of inputs and outputs
per unit area. The sustainability of these practices is important to manage global systems and maximize the yield of
food production systems.
i
Write an introduction of 200 to 400 words regarding the environmental issue. Do not elaborate on any of the case
studies.
In this introduction you must address 5 key concepts, that must be highlighted with bold letters.
Those concepts must be linked together and make sense regarding the environmental issue.