Plants & Human Affairs (BIOL106)  -  Stephen G. Saupe, Ph.D.; Biology Department, College of St. Benedict/St. John's University, Collegeville, MN 56321; ssaupe@csbsju.edu; http://www.employees.csbsju.edu/ssaupe

Video:  "Seeds for Tomorrow"

1. What was the effect of the 1985 drought in Ethiopia on crop diversity?
   
    

2. What is meant by a "native crop?"  Name some crops native to North America.
   
    

3. What is crop diversity?
   
    

4. What are the major centers of crop diversity?  What are the characteristics of these areas?
   
    

5. What are some advantages of crop diversity?  Disadvantages?
   
    

6. Using the potato as a model, describe the importance of culture on our use of food plants.  Why were people slow to accept the potato?  What caused the Irish potato famine?
   
    

7. What is Southern corn blight?  What lessons did we learn from from this disease?
   
    

8. What is the Green Revolution?
   
    

9. What are some of the advantages/disadvantages of replacing old varieties with new ones?
   
    

10. What is a seed bank?  Why are they important?
    
     

11. What are some threats to crop diversity?  What are some current alternatives?
    
     

12. Who owns genetic diversity?
    
     

Last updated:  04/01/2005 / � Copyright  by SG Saupe