Soil

Clay:

• poor drainage, soil is waterlogged

• heavy cultivation

• cold, late soil

• nutrients not leached

Loam:

• drains well but water remains in soil

• easy cultivation

• warms up quite quickly

• nutrients remain in the soil

Sand:

• drains quickly so the soil is dry

• easy cultivation

• warms up quickly

• nutrients leached from the soil

Testing soil pH

• Add distilled water to soil and mix

• Add barium sulphate to allow soil to settle

• Add universal indicator solution

• Check against a pH chart

Effect of soil pH

• Acid soils can be neutralised using lime

• Alkaline soils can be neutralised using FYM

• pH affects the ability of plants to absorb nutrients

Food Chains and Webs

Producer

Herbivore/

Primary Consumer

Carnivore/ Secondary Consumer

At each stage in the food chain energy is lost because:

• organisms respire

• some of the organism is inedible eg. bones and roots

• some of the organism is indigestible and is excreted in the faeces

Habitats

• A habitat is a place where an organism lives

Weeds

These are plants growing where we do not want them to.

They compete with crops for light, water and nutrients

Types of Weed Control

Chemical:• Herbicides

Cultural:• Mulching – covering the soil with bark, FYM or

grass cuttings• Polythene – black plastic prevents light reaching

the weed seeds• Hoeing – removing the weeds with a hoe

Monoculture

• Removal of Hedgerows leading to soil erosion

• Loss of Habitats

• Increased Pests

• Increased use of Fertilisers

Organic Food

• No artificial fertilisers used, only organic ones like FYM

• No chemical pesticides used, only biological control of pests

• Organic food is healthier for you but does not necessarily taste any better

Use of Large Machinery

• Improves efficiency of farming

• Compacts the soil leading to poor drainage and lack of oxygen for respiration

Keeping Animals

Intensive Farming:• High inputs of labour,

feed, chemicals• Large profits• Animals are at high

stocking densities• Animals are not able

to show normal behaviour

Extensive Farming:• Low inputs and lower

profits• Animals at low

stocking densities• Animals are able to

behave naturally.

Ancient Monuments

Farmers must

• protect any ancient monuments on their land from damage by the public

• protect the public from any damage due to the ancient monument

Countryside Right of Way Act

Farmers must ensure that any public footpaths on their land are accessible and stiles are maintained.

Public footpaths cannot go through back or front gardens, military land, quarries, airfields etc. Access can be restricted for example during lambing, nesting or shooting

Renewable and Non Renewable energy

Risk Assessments