Question

Domestication of plants and animals led to stable food supplies during the Holocene; however, it also resulted in significant environmental and health problems. What were these problems? (300 words minimum).

Answer 1

Answer- The mesolithic people lived on hunting, fishing and food gathering; at a later stage they started domestication of plants and animals. The first three occupations continued the palaeolithic practice, whereas the last developed in neolithic culture. Domestication is the process of nurturing plants and animals for human use. These are adapted for medicine, food, work, clothing and many other uses.

However domestication of plants (agriculture) have led to increase in food production. But it also led to evolution of different pests, which negatively affect animal and plant health. After agricultural evolution several pesticides have also been developed. Massive use of such pesticides led to decrease in soil fertility, entering of excess pesticides in running water hamper the environment and biotic organisms very much. Since Holocene, Agricultural settlements have been replacing majority of grasslands, forests and different biomes. As a result, these became major concerns for environment as these emit massive amount of global carbonsand decrease global fresh water.

Different animals were adapted by human (goats, cows, dogs, birds) for work or food. Significant increase in domestication of animals put pressure on limited natural resources. These also helped in emergence of infections which can spread between animals and humans. Animals closely associated to humans can act as reservoir hosts of different parasites that can spread to wildlife. So massive domestication led to dense population, which led to formation of the biotic community which are vulnerable to different diseases.