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 system characteristics, and evaluating the relative environmental impacts of the demanding production of beef in more economically developed countries and the Maasai tribal use of livestock. To begin with, Meat production impacts vary depending on the used agricultural practices, all of which have several effects on the environment.Many of the common environmental effects of meat production are pollution, fossil fuels, water, and land consumption.
Animals in the second trophic level such as cows are fed on grain. These animals in general require more water to raise than grain crops do. When the food production of animals from feed is traced one can see its inefficiencies. Typically meat, milk and egg production range from a 4:1 energy input compared to the harvest of crops. This in turn means that animal production foods are much less efficient than crops.It is much more efficient to harvest crops such as grains, vegetables, beans, seeds and fruits for direct human consumption.
Although meet production requires less land for the livestock, factory farming needs large amounts of feed. In order for this to be manageable large amounts of land are required. Free-range beef production requires land for their grazing, which has in turn caused to earth compaction and erosion on undeveloped lands and also causes the cutting down of forests to make more space.Expansion as such can and has caused an increase in the rate of species extinction and prevented certain functions of nature like the natural processing of pollutants. In MEDCs, raising animals for consumption by humans makes up about 40% of the total amount of its agricultural output.
In total grazing occupies 26% of the earth’s surface, feed crop uses approximately 1/3 of arable land. They account as the largest land users; land degradation, deforestation, desertification, and soil quality are quickly declining as a result. 0% of grazing land is considered degraded due to overgrazing. Additionally, the production of meat has a large need for water resources.
The amount of food needed in its production is much higher than the amount needed in producing the same amount of food in grains. It takes about 60 pounds of water to produce a pound of potatoes. A pound of beef, however, needs about 12,000 gallons of water. The average cow consumes 100 kg of hay and 4 kg of grain per 1 kg of beef produced; a total of 100,000 liters would be needed to produce just 1 kg of beef.Also, the meat and livestock industry contributes about 9% of total carbon dioxide emissions.
Livestock make up about 20% of the total methane emissions of the US. Beef production ranks second in highest impact, lamb ranking first. Lastly, beef production also has negative effects on aquatic ecosystems. Water habitats in MEDCs are being negatively impacted by livestock grazing due to runoffs from grazed land.
This results in increased phosphates, nitrates, decreased dissolved oxygen, increased temperature.Secondly, there is a much different view and value to cattle in LED groups such as the Maasai. For the Maasais, cattle are more than simply a meal. They also view cattle as material, culture, ritual.
Cattle are a large part of their life not just part of their diet such as MEDCs. A common greeting there is "I hope your cattle are well”. In the Maasais society, cattle are vital to the success of individual or a family status. For the Maasai cattle are viewed as a sign of wealth.
Owning more cattle results in both higher economic and social status.In contrast to livestock farms in MEDCs, the average herd for Maasais ranges from 50 to 300 cattle, and in the case of the wealthy, up to 1000’s. Despite being LED, the Maasai too are facing environmental issues similar to those of MEDCs with their meat production. Despite their grazing lands being limited and no option for further expansion options such as deforestation being available, the Maasai continue to raise as much cattle as possible.
This has in turn led to several environmental issues to rise. The main issue is soil degradation which is being caused by cattle overgrazing which then results in soil erosion.The Maasai are also faced with the ever growing problem of species habitats being destroyed due to their human actions of trying to clear up land for cattle to roam and feed. Additionally, the creation of water wells created in order to prevent cattle dehydration in hot summer days has further increased to the overall population of the cattle. This is good for Maasai however at the same time it has consequently led to increased pressure and compaction on the already severely compacted land of the Maasai due to the increase of cattle roaming and feeding on the land.
