having reliable access to enough safe and nutritious food to meet the needs of the human population

climate change is a long-term shift in weather patterns

modifying the genome of an organism by adding, removing or altering genes, to introduce a desirable characteristic (or remove an undesirable one)

the alteration and use of organisms to produce products for human use

whether an action taken is right or wrong

Factors affecting human food security, and possible solutions

Biology

Transfers of biomass between trophic levels

Negative human interactions with ecosystems and impacts on biodiversity

Examples of human interactions with ecosystems, including use of peat

Benefits and challenges of maintaining biodiversity

Climate change and biodiversity: changes in the distribution of organisms

Climate change and biodiversity: forests and oceans

Pupils learned about biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem, measuring population size, interdependence and competition in ecosystems, how changes in biotic and abiotic factors affect communities, the cycling of carbon and water, and the role of microorganisms in cycling materials through ecosystems.

This unit explores trophic levels, biomass pyramids, and the efficiency of biomass transfers in ecosystems. It examines human impacts on biodiversity, factors affecting food security, and biotechnological solutions. Emphasis is on evaluating environmental changes and ethical considerations.

Maintaining biodiversity and human impacts

Which two letters are used to indicate that a crop has been genetically engineered to have more favourable characteristics?

It provides a high-protein meat substitute.

It provides a low-protein meat substitute.

It provides a cheap and sustainable source of protein.

It provides an expensive alternative source of protein.

It takes up large areas of farmland to produce.

Why is mycoprotein a food that helps to improve food security?

technology that makes animals live longer

increasing the rate that animals reproduce so there is more meat available

the modification and use of organisms to make useful products

It is used as a source of food by the fungus.

It helps to maintain the right conditions for the fungus.

It helps to maintain aerobic conditions for the fungus.

Glucose syrup is used to help culture the fungus that is used to produce mycoprotein. What is the glucose syrup used for?

Crops can be modified to produce small yields.

Crops can be modified to produce pesticides which stop them from being eaten.

Crops can be modified to make them more vulnerable to disease.

Crops can be modified so that they die when there is not enough rainfall.

Genetically modified crops can help to ensure that there is food security. Which of the following are ways that crops can be modified to help produce more food?

a resource that is replaced as quickly as it is used

a resource that is of importance for improving human quality of life

a resource that is used at certain times of the year

What is meant by the term 'sustainable resource'?

We are farming more cattle that eat our food.

The population of humans is increasing rapidly.

We need to make sure that ecosystems have high biodiversity.

More of the biomass that is eaten is converted into the animal's biomass.

The animals use less biomass to photosynthesise.

There is more biomass used by animals that do not move around.

Less biomass eaten by animals is digested and it passes through the animal.

Why does limiting the movement of animals on farms (e.g. cattle or fish) help to improve the efficiency of food production?

What is the long term change in weather patterns called?

intensive farming methods which produce high crop yields

Food security is reduced by which of the following?

Which of the following is a consequence of increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?

Factors affecting human food security, and possible solutions

Lesson outcome