Climate Change Climate Change Agriculture & Food Systems 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How does rising CO2 affect the nutritional quality of staple crops like wheat and rice?
- It increases protein and mineral content
- It reduces protein, zinc, and iron concentrations (Correct answer)
- It has no effect on nutritional value
- It increases vitamin C levels significantly
Correct answer: It reduces protein, zinc, and iron concentrations
Studies show elevated CO2 levels reduce the concentrations of protein, zinc, and iron in staple crops like wheat, rice, and soybeans.
Question 2: Which U.S. region is projected to face the greatest agricultural losses due to increased heat stress and drought by mid-century?
- Pacific Northwest
- Great Lakes region
- Southeast and Southern Plains (Correct answer)
- New England
Correct answer: Southeast and Southern Plains
The Southeast and Southern Plains face projected declines in crop yields due to extreme heat events and intensifying drought conditions.
Question 3: What is 'climate-smart agriculture'?
- Farming that uses only solar-powered machinery
- Practices that increase productivity, build resilience, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (Correct answer)
- Agriculture limited to crops with low water needs
- Farming guided by AI and satellite data only
Correct answer: Practices that increase productivity, build resilience, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Climate-smart agriculture integrates strategies to boost productivity, help farmers adapt to climate change, and reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.
Question 4: How does climate change affect the geographic range of crop pests and diseases in the U.S.?
- Warmer winters allow pests to survive and spread into previously cold regions (Correct answer)
- Cold snaps increase year-round to control pest populations
- Pests migrate only toward coastal areas
- Pest ranges remain stable regardless of temperature changes
Correct answer: Warmer winters allow pests to survive and spread into previously cold regions
Milder winters reduce frost-kill events, allowing crop pests and invasive species to expand northward into regions that were previously too cold.
Question 5: What percentage of global greenhouse gas emissions comes from food systems, including agriculture and land use?
- About 5%
- About 10%
- About 20–30% (Correct answer)
- About 50%
Correct answer: About 20–30%
Food systems—including agriculture, land use change, and food supply chains—account for roughly 20–30% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Question 6: Which agricultural practice can simultaneously sequester carbon and improve soil health?
- Intensive tillage farming
- Cover cropping and no-till farming (Correct answer)
- Monoculture planting
- Heavy synthetic fertilizer application
Correct answer: Cover cropping and no-till farming
Cover cropping and no-till practices reduce soil disturbance, increase organic matter, and sequester carbon while improving soil structure and water retention.
Climate Change Climate Change Agriculture & Food Systems 1
How does rising CO2 affect the nutritional quality of staple crops like wheat and rice?