Hydroculture

?

The world is in the middle of a food crisis. Opinions differ as to its severity, but most accept that the crisis is real and potentially poses a major threat to the health and food supply of a large proportion of the global population. The roots of the crisis are diverse, but among them are two primary factors. The first of these is changing weather patterns and extreme weather events. Simply put, a number of previously productive agricultural regions are no longer as fertile as they once were because of the weather. And second, many farmers have found that they can get a better return growing biofuels than raising crops. As a result, large areas of valuable cropland are no longer being used for this end. Conventional agriculture is ill-suited to solve the food crisis, but hydroculture might be a potential solution.

?

?

As its name suggests, hydroculture typically involves growing plants in nutrient-rich water rather than in soil. Hydroponics is the most widely-known method of hydroculture. Some believe it has significant potential to reduce the impact of the food crisis by allowing farmers to produce large quantities of food in a sustainable and cost-effective way. In a typical hydroponic system, crops are grown indoors in controlled environments. The plants grow in containers that are filled with water and nutrients that they need to thrive. These nutrients vary depending on the crop being grown but typically include nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, zinc, and copper, among other trace elements. A light source provides the energy the sun would usually deliver.?

?

?

In so-called static systems, the nutrient solution is changed or replaced either according to a schedule or when the plants require it. In continuous-flow systems, the nutrient solution flows constantly past the roots of the plants. Although it may seem like a technologically sophisticated form of agriculture, scientists have been experimenting with hydroculture since at least 1627. Early experiments showed that plants grow best when raised in water that is rich in various nutrients rather than in distilled water. By the early decades of the twentieth century, the concept of hydroponics was becoming more widely known and some commercial applications of the technology were even in place. These days, even NASA, the US government agency in charge of space missions, is researching hydroponics.

?

Hydroponics offers a number of benefits over conventional agriculture. It happens indoors, so it does not require large areas of land. In fact, hydroponic farms can be located in industrial warehouses in or near large cities.?This gives them another advantage over traditional farms since they can be located much closer to the markets for their produce, reducing distribution and transportation costs for hydroponic farmers.?The indoor location allows farmers to create controlled environments. Not only does this mean that crops are not affected by weather, it means that farmers can grow crops in regions where they would not normally thrive. For example, tropical vegetables can be grown in Canada. But hydroponic farms are not without their drawbacks. For one thing, some important food crops do not grow well hydroponically. Most herbs and vegetables thrive, but important sources of nutrition like carrots, potatoes, and corn are either not suitable or hard to grow. And so much space would be required to raise staple crops like rice and wheat cost-effectively that their hydroponic cultivation is not practical. Furthermore, most foods that grow well hydroponically are relatively low in protein, a vital nutrient for human health.?

?

?

?

A variation on hydroponics that solves some of these issues is aquaponics. A basic aquaponics system is a hydroponics farm with a second layer. On top are plants growing hydroponically in nutrient-rich water. Below that is a tank of fish being raised as part of a fish farm. In traditional aquaculture, farmers must spend time and money cleaning the water in which the fish live; if they do not, the health of the fish will suffer as waste from the fish concentrates in the water. The clever part of aquaponics is that instead of having to filter and discard the fish waste, farmers can use it as the source of nutrients for the plants. By closing the system in this way, aquaponic farms can produce the same kinds of herbs, fruits, and vegetables as hydroponic farms, as well as high-quality protein from farm-raised fish.

?

?

?

?

?

Reading Paragraph 1

The world is in the middle of a food crisis. Opinions differ as to its?severity, but most accept that the crisis is real and potentially poses a major threat to the health and food supply of a large proportion of the global population. The roots of the crisis are diverse, but among them are two primary factors. The first of these is changing weather patterns and extreme weather events. Simply put, a number of previously productive agricultural regions are no longer as fertile as they once were because of the weather. And second, many farmers have found that they can get a better return growing biofuels than raising crops. As a result, large areas of valuable cropland are no longer being used for?this end. Conventional agriculture is ill-suited to solve the food crisis, but hydroculture might be a potential solution.?

?

?

1. The word severity in paragraph 1 most likely means

a. Conversion

b. Deployment

c. Opportunity

d. Seriousness

?

?

2. What does the author say about the food crisis in paragraph 1?

a. It could be solved by limiting the global production and use of biofuels

b. Its causes are related to a reduction in farms growing crops

c. Its main effect is that major agricultural regions have become less fertile

d. It has already had a major impact on the health of the world’s population

?

?

?

Reading Paragraph 1

The world is in the middle of a food crisis. Opinions differ as to its severity, but most accept that the crisis is real and potentially poses a major threat to the health and food supply of a large proportion of the global population. The roots of the crisis are diverse, but among them are two primary factors. The first of these is changing weather patterns and extreme weather events. Simply put, a number of previously productive agricultural regions are no longer as fertile as they once were because of the weather. And second, many farmers have found that they can get a better return growing biofuels than raising crops. As a result, large areas of valuable cropland are no longer being used for this end. Conventional agriculture is ill-suited to solve the food crisis, but hydroculture might be a potential solution.

?

3. The phrase this end in paragraph 1 refers to

a. Large areas

b. Raising crops

c. Growing biofuels

d. Many farmers?

?

?

Reading Paragraph 2

As its name suggests, hydroculture typically involves growing plants in nutrient-rich water rather than in soil. Hydroponics is the most widely-known method of hydroculture. Some believe it has significant potential to reduce the impact of the food crisis by allowing farmers to produce large quantities of food in a sustainable and cost-effective way. In a typical hydroponic system, crops are grown indoors in controlled environments. The plants grow in containers filled with water and the nutrients that they need to thrive. These nutrients vary depending on the crop being grown but typically include nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, zinc, and copper, among other trace elements. A light source provides the energy the sun would usually deliver.

?

4. What does the author say about hydroponics in paragraph 2?

a. The food crisis will be greater without food from hydroponic farms

b. Food that has been grown hydroponically costs less than all other food

c. The goal of hydroponic farms is to produce food in a sustainable way

d. Hydroponically-grown plants need a source of water, energy, and food

?

?

Reading Paragraph 3

In so-called static systems, the nutrient solution is changed or replaced either according to a schedule or when the plants require it. In continuous-flow systems, the nutrient solution flows constantly past the roots of the plants. Although it may seem like a technologically sophisticated form of agriculture, scientists have been experimenting with hydroculture since at least 1627. Early experiments showed that plants grow best when raised in water that is rich in various nutrients rather than in distilled water. By the early decades of the twentieth century, the concept of hydroponics was becoming more widely known and some commercial applications of the technology were even in place. These days, even NASA, the US government agency in charge of space missions, is researching hydroponics.?

?

?

5. It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that

a. Distilled water has a negative impact on the growth of plants

b. NASA is planning to use hydroponics to create farms in space

c. The first experiments in hydroponics were mostly unsuccessful

d. Hydroponics is a simpler form of agriculture than people believe

?

?

Reading Paragraph 4

Hydroponics offers a number of benefits over conventional agriculture. It happens indoors, so it does not require large areas of land. In fact, hydroponic farms can be located in industrial warehouses in or near large cities.?This gives them another advantage over traditional farms since they can be located much closer to the markets for their produce, reducing distribution and transportation costs for hydroponic farmers.?The indoor location allows farmers to create controlled environments. Not only does this mean that crops are not affected by weather, it means that farmers can grow crops in regions where they would not normally thrive. For example, tropical vegetables can be grown in Canada. But hydroponic farms are not without their drawbacks. For one thing, some important food crops do not grow well hydroponically. Most herbs and vegetables thrive, but important sources of nutrition like carrots, potatoes, and corn are either not suitable or hard to grow. And so much space would be required to raise staple crops like rice and wheat cost-effectively that their hydroponic cultivation is not practical. Furthermore, most foods that grow well hydroponically are relatively low in protein, a vital nutrient for human health.?

?

6. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 4? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

a. Hydroponic farms benefit from reduced costs by being placed near large markets

b. Farmers contemplating growing hydroponically should consider factors like distribution

c. The main advantage of hydroponics compared to conventional farming is its location

d. The markets for both conventional and hydroponic crops are situated close to farms

?

?

7. Why does the author mention “tropical vegetables” in paragraph 4?

a. To imply that the popularity of food can vary

b. To highlight the demand for one type of crop

c. To illustrate one advantage of farming indoors

d. To argue that healthy diets require vegetables?

?

8. What point does the author NOT make in paragraph 4?

a. Certain crops are harder to grow hydroponically than others

b. Many herbs and vegetables do well when hydroponically grown

c. It is often not cost-effective to grow staple crops hydroponically

d. It is relatively easy to produce protein-rich crops hydroponically

?

9. Look at the four squares (A, B, C, D) that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.

Even though it has yet to be implemented on the same scope as traditional farming methods, the potential for the aquaponics industry is enormous.

Where would the sentence best fit?

?

A variation on hydroponics that solves some of these issues is aquaponics. A basic aquaponic system is a hydroponics farm with a second layer. On top are plants growing hydroponically in nutrient-rich water. A Below that is a tank of fish being raised as part of a fish farm. In traditional aquaculture, farmers must spend time and money cleaning the water in which the fish live; if they do not, the health of the fish will suffer as waste from the fish concentrates in the water. B The clever part of aquaponics is that instead of having to filter and discard the fish waste, farmers can use it as the source of nutrients for the plants. C By closing the system in this way, aquaponic farms can produce the same kinds of herbs, fruits, and vegetables as hydroponic farms, as well as high-quality protein from farm-raised fish. D?

?

10. DIRECTIONS: Select the phrases that correctly describe each farming method. Two of the phrases will NOT be used. This question is worth 3 points.

?

Both hydroponics and aquaponics

?

Aquaponics only

?

a. Crops are grown indoors in a controlled environment

b. The system uses waste as a valuable source of plant food

c. Cultivating food requires a significant amount of space

d. The crops grown do not contain much protein

e. Crops are grown in a solution of water and nutrients

f. Farmers cultivate both plants and protein-rich species

g. Changing weather conditions have a negative impact on the crops

?