Biology 107

Plants and Civilization

Essay Questions for Exam #2

Note: Sections in brackets [ ] are included to help you organize a complete answer as you study. They will not appear if the question is used on the test.

1. Contrast the two views of the origin of agriculture [agricultural revolution vs. cultural evolution]; name three early sites of agriculture, and for each, state typical plants grown there; and explain how domesticated plants differ in general from their wild ancestors.

2. For both wheat and corn, describe their origin, modern types and their uses, and their nutritional value. [Origin includes where, from what wild plants, and when; nutritional value includes amount and quality of protein and presence of other notable nutrients.]

3. For any one of rice, rye, oats, or barley, describe its origin, modern use, and nutritional value.

4. Describe the characteristics of the legume family. [This includes flowers, fruits & seeds; relationship with Rhizobium bacteria; and naming representative members of the family.]

5. Describe where and when soybeans were domesticated, the kinds of foods they are in and their nutritional value, and the role of photoperiodism in soybean production.

6. Write an essay on the Irish potato famine, including the political background, why the Irish were so dependent on potatoes, what caused the famine, and the effects of the famine on the population of Ireland.

7. For white potatoes, describe their origin, where they are grown today and how they are used, and their nutritional value. [How they are used should indicate relative use – e.g., 1/4 used as French fries – and nutritional value includes what are the notable nutrients in potatoes.]

8. Describe the Green Revolution: what it was, the characteristics of its plants, and the problems associated with it. [Problems, in particular, should be more than just a list; describe why each item was considered a problem.]

9. Choose one: a) Define monoculture, explain why it has developed over the last fifty years, and any differences between monoculture and sustainable agriculture; OR b) Explain what is meant by biotechnology, some of the ways it has already been applied, and its potential problems.

10. State where cotton domestication originated, how cotton fibers are extracted from the plant, the differences between the two major types of modern cotton, and the relationship between cotton farming and the growth of slavery in the United States.

11. Describe the writing surfaces that have been used in the past, where and when paper originated, and the process for making most paper today.