The agricultural practice of growing a single crop species in a given area, often leading to reduced biodiversity is called?

• A. Monoculture
• B. Monocropping
• C. Double Cropping
• D. Crop Rotation

Answer: (A)

Monoculture is the practice of growing a single crop species in a defined area. This creates a uniform landscape with little variety, which reduces biodiversity because fewer plant and animal niches are available and the ecosystem becomes more dependent on a single crop’s health. Such systems are often more vulnerable to pests, diseases, and weather stress that target that one crop, and they can lead to soil nutrient imbalances and a heavier reliance on inputs like pesticides and fertilizers to maintain yields.

Monocropping is closely related in that it involves repeatedly planting the same crop, but the phrase in the question emphasizes the stand of a single species in a given area, which is the hallmark of monoculture. Crop rotation, by contrast, alternates different crops across seasons to maintain soil health and biodiversity, while double cropping involves growing two crops in the same area within one year (often different crops), which introduces more than one species rather than maintaining a single-species system.