Biology SL
Biology SL
4
Chapters
553
Notes
Theme A - Unity & Diversity
Theme A - Unity & Diversity
Theme B - Form & Function
Theme B - Form & Function
Theme C - Interaction &  Interdependence
Theme C - Interaction & Interdependence
Theme D - Continuity & Change
Theme D - Continuity & Change
IB Resources
Theme D - Continuity & Change
Biology SL
Biology SL

Theme D - Continuity & Change

Unlock Sustainable Agriculture Top Factors!

Word Count Emoji
557 words
Reading Time Emoji
3 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 14th Jun 2024

Table of content

Let's Dig In - The Dirt on Tillage 🚜

  • What is Tillage?
    • Tillage is like giving the soil a good massage before planting crops. This involves loosening the soil through plowing, harrowing, and other techniques.
  • So What's the Problem?
    • The issue here is like giving too many massages—you wear the soil out! The structure of the soil can degrade. This makes it easy for wind and water to carry away the soil faster than new soil can form.
  • Extra Sitch in the Tropics 🌴
    • If you clear a tropical forest to farm, the soil quality will degrade super fast, so you can't keep up high-yield farming for a long time.

Real-World Example

Think about soil as your phone battery. If you overuse it without giving it time to recharge, eventually it will degrade and not hold a charge for long.

It's All About Nutrients, Baby! 🍅🧪

  • Nutrient Depletion
    • Every time you remove harvested crops, you're also taking away nutrients from the soil. Water can also drain out nutrients (a process called leaching).
  • The Nasty Cycle 🔄
    • To keep up crop yields, you gotta keep adding chemical fertilizers, which require energy to produce and can cause pollution.

Real-World Example:

Imagine your body without vitamins. You'd have to take supplements to keep going. The same goes for soil; it needs its 'vitamin' supply to be sustainable!

The Problem with Monoculture 🌽🌽🌽

  • What's Monoculture?
    • Planting the same type of crop over and over again in a large area.
  • Downside?
    • It's like inviting pests and weeds to a party and asking them to stay forever! To kick them out, we use pesticides and herbicides, which can be bad for the environment.

Real-World Example

Eating the same food every day can get boring and isn't nutritious. Similarly, growing the same crop every year is bad for soil health and invites pests.

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IB Resources
Theme D - Continuity & Change
Biology SL
Biology SL

Theme D - Continuity & Change

Unlock Sustainable Agriculture Top Factors!

Word Count Emoji
557 words
Reading Time Emoji
3 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 14th Jun 2024

Table of content

Let's Dig In - The Dirt on Tillage 🚜

  • What is Tillage?
    • Tillage is like giving the soil a good massage before planting crops. This involves loosening the soil through plowing, harrowing, and other techniques.
  • So What's the Problem?
    • The issue here is like giving too many massages—you wear the soil out! The structure of the soil can degrade. This makes it easy for wind and water to carry away the soil faster than new soil can form.
  • Extra Sitch in the Tropics 🌴
    • If you clear a tropical forest to farm, the soil quality will degrade super fast, so you can't keep up high-yield farming for a long time.

Real-World Example

Think about soil as your phone battery. If you overuse it without giving it time to recharge, eventually it will degrade and not hold a charge for long.

It's All About Nutrients, Baby! 🍅🧪

  • Nutrient Depletion
    • Every time you remove harvested crops, you're also taking away nutrients from the soil. Water can also drain out nutrients (a process called leaching).
  • The Nasty Cycle 🔄
    • To keep up crop yields, you gotta keep adding chemical fertilizers, which require energy to produce and can cause pollution.

Real-World Example:

Imagine your body without vitamins. You'd have to take supplements to keep going. The same goes for soil; it needs its 'vitamin' supply to be sustainable!

The Problem with Monoculture 🌽🌽🌽

  • What's Monoculture?
    • Planting the same type of crop over and over again in a large area.
  • Downside?
    • It's like inviting pests and weeds to a party and asking them to stay forever! To kick them out, we use pesticides and herbicides, which can be bad for the environment.

Real-World Example

Eating the same food every day can get boring and isn't nutritious. Similarly, growing the same crop every year is bad for soil health and invites pests.

Unlock the Full Content! File Is Locked Emoji

Dive deeper and gain exclusive access to premium files of Biology SL. Subscribe now and get closer to that 45 🌟