Unit_V_Review

Advanced Placement Human Geography

Unit V: Agriculture and Rural Land Use Patterns and Processes

Topic 5.1: Introduction to Agriculture

• Influences on Agricultural Practices:

  • Physical environment and climate play a significant role in shaping agricultural methods.

• Types of Farming Practices:

  • Intensive Farming:

    • Market gardening, plantations, mixed crop/livestock systems.

  • Extensive Farming:

    • Shifting cultivation, nomadic herding, and ranching.

Climate Zones

• Global Climate Zones:

  • Polar Zone:

    • Found at 60°N and 60°S.

  • Temperate Zone:

    • Drawn between latitudes 30°N to 60°N and 30°S to 60°S.

  • Tropical Zone:

    • Located near the equator (0°) to 30°N and 30°S.

Topic 5.2: Settlement Patterns and Survey Methods

• Influence of Agriculture on Land Use Patterns:

  • Agricultural practices influence rural settlement patterns.

• Types of Rural Settlement Patterns:

  • Clustered: Concentrated housing in a single area.

  • Dispersed: Individual farms spread out over larger areas.

  • Linear: Settlements arranged in a line along a resource or transportation route.

• Rural Survey Methods:

  • Metes and Bounds:

    • Utilizes physical features and landmarks to define property boundaries.

  • Township and Range:

    • Rectangular survey system defined by meridians and base lines.

  • Long Lot:

    • Land divided into narrow lots along a river or road.

Topic 5.3: Agricultural Origins and Diffusions

• Carl Sauer's Contribution:

  • Identified major centers of plant and animal domestication.

• Key Hearths of Agriculture:

  • Fertile Crescent, Indus River Valley, Southeast Asia, and Central America.

• Patterns of Diffusion:

  • Columbian Exchange and agricultural revolutions demonstrate how agriculture spread globally.

Topic 5.4: The Second Agricultural Revolution

• Technological Impact:

  • Innovations led to improved diets, longer life spans, and urbanization.

• Land Use Changes:

  • Enclosure Acts led to larger farms and increased production, showcasing the contrast between Boserup and Malthus' theories.

Topic 5.5: The Green Revolution

• Advancements in Agriculture:

  • High-yielding, disease-resistant crops such as rice, wheat, and corn.

• Impacts:

  • Increased crop sizes and reliance on fertilizers/pesticides.

  • Hybrid and GMO crop production, introducing new machinery and technologies.

• Consequences:

  • Lower food prices, higher yields, but also environmental concerns regarding pollution and fossil fuel use.

Topic 5.6: Agricultural Production Regions

• Classification of Agricultural Regions:

  • Defined by outputs (subsistence vs. commercial) and farming practices (monocropping vs. monoculture).

• Farming Practices:

  • Intensive and extensive farming approaches are common, coupled with bid-rent theory influencing land use.

Topic 5.7: Spatial Organization of Agriculture

• Impact of Economic Forces:

  • Larger farms are increasingly replacing smaller family farms.

• Commodity Chains:

  • Complex systems link agricultural production and consumption.

• Technological Advancements:

  • Improvements have led to increased economies of scale and carrying capacity in agriculture.

Topic 5.8: Von Thunen Model

• Overview of the Model:

  • Illustrates ideal agricultural locations relative to market centers based on land quality and transportation costs.

• Relevance:

  • Adaptable to modern transportation and technology and influenced Weber’s least-cost theory of industry.

Topic 5.9: The Global System of Agriculture

• Global Supply Chain:

  • Involves food and agricultural products circulated worldwide, with countries reliant on one another.

• Influencing Factors:

  • Political relations, infrastructure, and trade patterns are crucial for trade routes and product availability.

Topic 5.10: Consequences of Agricultural Practices

• Environmental Effects:

  • Includes pollution, changes in land cover, desertification, and soil salinization.

• Agricultural Practices:

  • Techniques like slash and burn, terraces, and irrigation have significant effects on landscapes.

• Societal Effects:

  • Changing diets, impacts on gender roles, and economic purposes linked to agriculture.

Topic 5.11: Challenges of Contemporary Agriculture

• Modern Innovations:

  • GMOs and aquaculture promote debates regarding sustainability and resource use.

• Food Production Patterns:

  • Urban, organic, fair-trade, and local food movements are rising to address food security.

• Global Challenges:

  • Issues such as food access, food deserts, distribution, and land loss hinder agricultural success amid urban development.

Topic 5.12: Women in Agriculture

• Role of Families:

  • Families significantly contribute to food production, with implications for development, population, economic opportunities, and education.