APHUG- Unit 5 Chapter 12 Cornell Notes

Agriculture

The purposeful cultivation of plants or raising of animals to produce goods for survival.

How is Agriculture more than growing food or raising animals?

Fiber crops, such as cotton, are used for textile and paper products and oil crops can be used for consumption or for industrial purposes. For example, olives, corn, and soybeans may be harvested and processed into oils for cooking, for machinery lubrication, or as biofuel. Also, geographers study agriculture to understand how humans have modified the environment to sustain themselves.

4 factors that affect agriculture

Climate, which includes temperature and precipitation; elevation; soil; and topography.

What is climate? Why is it important to agriculture?

Climate is the long term patterns of weather in a particular area. It is important because it provides precipitation and temperatures needed for seeds to germinate, plants to grow, or livestock to have the food needed to survive.

Climate includes…

Water/Precipitation: provides the moisture plants and animals require. Temperature: determines growing seasons.

How does closeness or distance from the equator affect growing seasons?

The greater the distance from the equator, the shorter the growing season. At the equator and in the tropics, the growing season can be year round.

What is the effect of elevation on the growing season?

The higher the elevation, the shorter the growing season.

Tierra Nevada

Snow line; 15,000ft

Tierra Helada (Punta)

Tree line; Grazing (alpacas, llamas, sheep); 12,000ft

Tierra Fria

Highest zone in Central America; Barley, potatoes. Grazing, dairy operations; 6,000ft

Tierra Templada

Zone with largest human population; sheep, cattle, dairy, vegetables, coffee, corn, small grains; 2,500ft

Tierra Caliente

Tropical rainforest; Bananas, sugarcane, rice. Other tropical crops, some livestock; sea level

What is the importance of soil in agriculture ?

It is a vital factor in determining the agricultural potential of a given area.

What is the importance of topography in agriculture ?

An area's land features, includes the slope of that land, which affects the ability of the soil to stay in place and retain water. Also, the position of the land determines how much sun it receives.

4 key factors of climate

Distance from the equator, wind and ocean currents ,proximity to large bodies of water, and topography.

What does distance from the Equator determine?

The amount of daylight and average temperatures.

Tropic of cancer

North of the equator

Tropic of capricorn

South of the equator

Dry bands/climates (containing deserts)

Located just to the north and south of the tropics. With some exceptions, dry climates are commonly found in continental interiors and are either arid or semiarid.

Tropics (The regions north and south of the equator)

Receive direct rays from the sun year round. These regions have nearly equal periods of daylight and nighttime every day and are warm throughout the year but vary in their amounts of precipitation.

Tropical agriculture

Allow for year round agriculture, which can also permit multiple harvests of crops in a year. The type of tropical climate limits that potential, however. Areas with a tropical dry climate may not receive enough precipitation and areas with tropical wet climates tend to have poor soil.

Temperate zones

Located farther north and south of the desert bands; between the tropics and frigid polar circles. Climates with moderate temperatures and adequate precipitation amounts; and tend to have long, warm summers and short winters.

Temperate agriculture

Long growing seasons; are home to major grain producing regions.

Two polar climate types

Tundra and ice cap; found near the north and south poles and are both extremely cold.

Continental climates

Found in the interior of continents in the northern hemisphere, and are characterized by distinct seasons that include cold winters and snow.