History
What is humus?
The dark, organic matter of soils. Nutrient rich, holds water, creates nitrogen, provides structure
What is reductionism?
Explaining complex systems by breaking them down into smaller, fundamental parts
What was Peru's response to the guano extraction?
Hired foreign biologist to protect it
Established strict, sustainable, government-run harvesting practices
What is the Haber-Bosch method?
Revolutionary industrial method to synthesize ammonia, creating fertilizers from nitrogen
How have synthetic fertilizers impacted the environment? Bonus: what % is unabsorbed?
Drained aquifers, dead zones, waterlogged soils, ocean acidification, social upheaval
40%
What was Aristotle’s viewpoint on where plants derived their nutrients from?
Humus/pneuma
What is the Law of Return?
Notion that we must give back. Nutrients and organic materials taken from the Earth must be returned to maintain fertility
What have the implications of a Green Revolution generally been for the global N and global S?
N= increased industrial capacity, capital, "development"
S= Socio-environmental challenges. Uneven wealth, cheap labor, loan dependency, neocolonialism, natural disasters, pollution, forced relocation, land degradation
What is the indore process?
Method of aerobic composting by Howard
Waste--> humus
How has reductionism impacted the conceptualization of plants as living organisms and thus how they are treated?
As mechanistic, passive, divisible systems rather than autonomous, sentient or holistic organisms. Exploitation
Who was Liebig and what line of thinking did he propose?
Pioneering German chemist, founder of organic+ agricultural chemistry, "father of fertilizer industry".
Plant growth determined by limited nutrient rather than total
Law of Minimum
What is a chemicalist and an organiculturalist?
C= Treating unwanted symptoms by synthetic means
O= Preventative, build healthy soil, natural processes to manage pests and fertility
How did IRRI and the C4 innovation impact Asia?
Genetic erosion of varieties, intense pollution, water scarcity, pest vulnerability, economic disparity, biodiversity loss, land degradation, concerns
What are CR4 plants?
Specialized group of plants that have evolved a highly efficient, two-stage photosynthetic pathway (on leaves).
Thrive in hot, sunny, dry environments
What were some public responses to legal GMO usage?
Lawsuits, protests, GMO banning, backlash
What did Robert McCarrison discover in Pakistan and India?
India- Manure for agriculture, importance of soil health
Give an example of an agricultural practice/method for each side
C= Fertilizer, pesticides, GMOs, technology
O=Polycropping, organic fertilizer, compost, manure, agroforestry
Why did McCarrison believe the disease rate was different in England vs the Hunza people?
The quality of the food
"Perfectly constituted food"
What is the "ice minus" bacterium?
A genetically modified bacteria put on crops to prevent freezing
What was the outcome of the study comparing growth of rats and pigeons that ate food from fertilized vs manured soils?
Manure--> grew robustly
Synthetic fertilizer-->malnourished
Who was Rifkin?
Activist against ice-minus test, critiqued "the boys" and called for intersectional approach
What would each side’s reasoning be on the usage or resistance of GMOs?
C= Supportive. Efficient, advanced, necessary
O=Against. Unnatural, destructive, unhealthy
Give an example of a Global N and S disparity
n/a
What is CRISPR?
Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
Precise, versatile, efficient gene editing technology adapted from natural bacteria immune system
Why are tubers and perennials ideal for organic farming?
Tubers produce more calories than cereals
Perennials grow every year, have deep root systems, less dependent on surface water+ nutrients