unit 5

AP Human Geography Unit 5: Agriculture and Rural Land-Use Patterns and Processes

1. Introduction to Agriculture

  • Definition of Agriculture: Agriculture is the deliberate effort to modify a portion of Earth's surface through the cultivation of crops and raising livestock for sustenance or economic gain.

First Agricultural Revolution (Neolithic)

  • Date: Dating back approximately 10,000 years.

  • Significance: Marked the transition from hunting and gathering to the domestication of plants and animals.

  • Key Hearths:
      - Fertile Crescent
      - Indus River Valley
      - Southeast Asia
      - Central America

Second Agricultural Revolution

  • Context: Coincided with the Industrial Revolution.

  • Characteristics:
      - Mechanization (increased use of tractors and reapers)
      - Improved transportation methods

  • Outcomes: Led to higher agricultural yields and urban migration.

Green Revolution (Third Agricultural Revolution)

  • Timeframe: Mid-20th century.

  • Features:
      - Introduction of high-yield seeds, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), chemical fertilizers, and advanced irrigation techniques.

  • Consequences:
      - Significant increase in food production.
      - Raised environmental concerns, such as sustainability issues, and social equity concerns regarding access to food and resources.

2. Settlement Patterns and Survey Systems

Rural Settlement Patterns

  • Clustered Settlement: Families live close together with agricultural fields surrounding their houses.

  • Dispersed Settlement: Farmers reside on individual farms isolated from neighbors.

  • Linear Settlement: Buildings clustered along transportation routes such as roads, rivers, or dikes, to facilitate communication and access.

Survey Systems

  • Metes and Bounds:
      - Description: Uses natural features such as trees and streams to mark boundaries.
      - Common Usage: Predominantly found in England and the East Coast of the United States.

  • Township and Range:
      - Description: A grid system composed of 1x1 mile squares.
      - Usage: Employed primarily in the Western United States.

  • Long Lots:
      - Description: Narrow lots that extend back from a river.
      - Origin: Influenced by French land distribution methods in regions like Quebec and Louisiana.

3. Agricultural Production Regions

  • Classification: Agriculture is divided based on crop purpose and development levels.

Types of Agriculture

  • Subsistence Agriculture:
      - Definition: Predominantly found in Less Developed Countries (LDCs), where food is produced mainly for the farmer's family.

  • Shifting Cultivation:
      - Method: Involves slash-and-burn techniques primarily in tropical areas.

  • Nomadic Herding:
      - Definition: Involves the seasonal movement of animals across arid lands.

  • Commercial Agriculture:
      - Focus: Predominantly found in More Developed Countries (MDCs), where food is produced for sale off the farm.

  • Mixed Crop and Livestock:
      - Description: Most prevalent in the Midwestern United States; crops produced are often used to feed livestock.

  • Plantation Agriculture:
      - Description: Large-scale commercial farming in LDCs focused on one or two cash crops (e.g., coffee, sugar).

  • Market Gardening (Truck Farming):
      - Focus: Cultivates fruits and vegetables primarily for urban markets.

4. The Von Thünen Model

  • Framework: The model explains the location of agricultural activities based on transportation costs and land rent, also referred to as bid-rent theory.

  • Structure:
      - Center: The City (Market)
      - Ring 1: Market Gardening & Dairying
        - Characteristics: Produces perishable goods that incur high transportation costs.
      - Ring 2: Forest/Lumber
        - Characteristics: Heavier products that are costly to transport.
      - Ring 3: Extensive Field Crops
        - Characteristics: Typically grains that are lighter and easier to ship.
      - Ring 4: Ranching/Livestock
        - Characteristics: Animals are self-transporting, therefore requiring less proximity to the market.

5. Modern Challenges & Sustainability

  • Desertification:
      - Definition: Degradation of land, particularly in semiarid areas, primarily due to human activities.

  • Salinization:
      - Definition: Accumulation of salt in soil as a consequence of excessive irrigation practices.

  • Agribusiness:
      - Trend: The increasing control of food production by large corporations, managing the entire supply chain from seed to shelf.

  • Food Deserts:
      - Definition: Urban locations characterized by a lack of access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food options.

  • Sustainable Agriculture:
      - Practices: Includes methods such as organic farming, ridge tillage, and fair trade initiatives aimed at protecting the environment and promoting sustainability in agricultural practices.

AP Human Geography Unit 5 Summary

  • Emphasis on understanding the development, patterns, and challenges of agriculture in human geography from historical and modern perspectives.

  • Critical examination of sustainability practices and the socio-economic factors that influence agricultural production globally.