Chapter 10: Agricultural Geography

What two options do farmers have for agricultural location?

Two options are:

• Ensure that there is a match between animal and plant requirements and the physical environment.

• Or create artificial physical environments by practicing irrigation or building greenhouses.

Give an example how religious beliefs affect agricultural activities.

One of the example is; pigs are not allowed in Islam, while Hindu and Buddhists believe it's wrong to kill/slaughter animals (cattle animals)

Give two common features of contemporary mixed farming.

It is intensive and commercial and integrates crops and livestock.

Milton Friedman

According to American economist ________,"the distinction between agriculture and industry is no longer viable, and should be replaced by the conception of an agri- food sector central to capital accumulation in the world economy.

In what demand is agricultural production affected.

They are produced in response to market demand; thus farming is produced in subject to laws of supply and demand.

What is the relationship between supply and demand?

When supply increases and demand decreases when the price rises, an equilibrium price is identified.

Climatic factors

________ are the main physical variables affecting agriculture.

What is the aim of subsistence farming?

The aim is to produce the amount required to meet only family needs; here profit maximization has no meanings.

Agriculture

________ is not only affected by state policies but also by national and international trade legislation.

What are common domesticated animals?

Cows, sheep, goats, pigs, yaks and buffalo; all are domesticated in various ways in different parts of the world.

aim of subsistence agriculture

The ________ is to produce the amount required to meet only family needs; here profit maximization has no meanings.

What is the benefit of natural selection?

It results in the survival and reproduction of those plants and animals that are best able to cope in a particular environment.

What is the benefit of artificial selection?

It involves humans allowing certain plants and animals to survive and animals to survive and breed because they possess features judged desirable by humans.

What is the common cause of domestication?

Domestication is occurred mainly due to climate change or population pressure. This hypothesis is based on the idea that, although the process of domestication is not difficult, it can require a great deal of work and therefore it's not attractive.

contribution of livestock

The ________ products to diets has risen greatly in recent years and is expected to continue increasing.

What are the principal technological advancements?

Principal technological advancements transforming agriculture:

• Industrial Revolution in the eighteenth century

• Development of nitrogen fertilizers in the early twentieth century

• Green Revolution

• Biotechnology Revolution

• Ongoing transition in some areas from ploughing the soil prior to planting to use of no-till strategies.

What second agricultural revolution after 1700 bought?

Involved the following changes:

• new farming techniques; fodder crops and new crop rotation

• increase in crop output

• introduction of labour saving machinery

What environmental changes are caused by use of nitrogen fertilizers.

Environmental damage - including soil and water contamination, increasing soil acidity, and the release of nitrous oxide into the atmosphere.

Why is agribusiness criticized?

It has been widely criticized, most often on the grounds that, it is a form of economic colonialism, with little concern for the social, economic, and environmental consequences of activities in the producing area.

What are environmental consequences are caused by green revolution.

Undesirable environmental consequences - resulted in water pollution which caused serious health problems.

Low temperatures

________ result in slow plant growth, while short growing seasons may prevent crops from reaching maturity.

ideal soil texture

The ________ is the one that is not dominated by either large sand particles or small clay particles.

insertion of new genes

The ________ is intended to give crop a favourable new characteristic.

Nitrogen fertilizers have associated with environmental damage

including soil and water contamination, increasing soil acidity, and the release of nitrous oxide into the atmosphere

Economic circumstances

only better off farmers could afford it, poor farms prevented it

Undesirable environmental consequences

resulted in water pollution which caused serious health problems

Subsistence oriented

rely on their herds for milk and wool