Which farming method is characterized by high environmental impact due to factors like antibiotic use?

Study for the IB Environmental Systems and Societies Test. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

The farming method characterized by high environmental impact due to factors such as antibiotic use is beef production. This industry often employs practices that significantly affect the environment, including the use of antibiotics in livestock to promote growth and prevent disease in crowded conditions. This not only leads to concerns about antibiotic resistance but also has broader implications for ecosystems, including greenhouse gas emissions from methane produced by cattle, deforestation for grazing land, and water resource depletion.

Beef production is often associated with intensive farming practices that prioritize high output, contributing to soil degradation, water pollution from runoffs, and habitat destruction. These environmental consequences highlight how certain farming methods can have broader ecological implications, especially when they involve heavy resource use and management practices that can harm the environment.

The other options, while they may have environmental impacts, do not specifically highlight the same level of acute issues linked to antibiotic use and high-intensity operations in the same way that beef production does. For instance, subsistence farming typically focuses on local food production with less environmental impact compared to large-scale commercial farming. Borneo traditional farming may involve methods that integrate agricultural practices with local ecosystems, and California commercial farming, though impactful, encompasses a range of crops and practices, not solely focused on the issues prevalent in beef production.

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