Agriculture 5.1-5.2

Page 3: Introduction to Agriculture

Essential Question

  • What is the connection between physical geography and agricultural practices?

Overview of Agriculture

  • Agriculture: Process where humans alter landscapes to cultivate crops and raise livestock for consumption and trade.

  • Influenced by:

    • Physical Geography: Soil types, landforms, water availability.

    • Climate: Long-term weather patterns.

    • Economic Factors: Consumer preferences impact what is grown (e.g., peaches vs. plums).

Influence of Physical Geography on Agriculture

  • Water Access: Essential for animals and crops.

    • Example: Cattle herders in the Sahel must find water despite arid conditions.

  • Soil Nutrient Levels: Determines what can be grown.

    • Ex: Cotton requires nutrient-rich soil; sorghum can thrive in nutrient-poor conditions.

  • Landforms: Flat lands are ideal for agriculture, while rugged terrains require more labor.

  • Human Alteration: Techniques like irrigation, terrace farming, and deforestation enhance agricultural production.

Page 4: Climate and Agriculture

Influence of Climate on Agriculture

  • Climate is crucial in determining crop types and livestock.

  • All land supports some agriculture except extremes (high latitudes/elevations, areas with extreme precipitation).

  • Economic development and technology can help overcome climatic challenges.

    • Example: Greenhouses in cold regions like Iceland.

Cultural and Climate Interaction

  • Climate impacts cultural preferences which can dictate agricultural choices.

    • Example: Hog farming is limited in Southwest Asia due to religious dietary laws.

Page 5: Economic Factors and Agriculture

Economic Influence on Agriculture

  • Diverse involvement in food production; consumption varies.

Types of Agriculture

  • Subsistence Agriculture: Grows to meet immediate family needs; small farms common in less-developed regions.

  • Commercial Agriculture: Grows for profit; more prevalent in developed countries; increasingly seen in semi-periphery countries like China and Brazil.

Farming Practices

  • Intensive vs. Extensive Farming:

    • Intensive: High inputs to maximize yields (e.g., commercial farmers).

    • Extensive: Low inputs and yields (e.g., pastoral nomadism).

Page 6: Farming Practices Detailed

Types of Agricultural Practices

  • Intensive Subsistence Agriculture: Labor-intensive, often seen in rice paddies in Southeast Asia.

  • Extensive Commercial Agriculture: Low resource input, common in ranching.

  • Extensive Subsistent Agriculture: Nomadic herding, shifting cultivation.

Page 7: Agricultural Regions Overview

Categories of Agricultural Practices by Climate

  • Pastoral Nomadism: Drylands; animals for food and trade.

  • Shifting Cultivation: Tropical regions (e.g., Latin America, Southeast Asia).

  • Plantation Agriculture: Tropical/subtropical regions; specializes in single cash crops.

  • Mixed Crop and Livestock: Cold and warm mid-latitudes; interdependent farming systems.

Page 8: Pastoral Nomadism and Shifting Cultivation

Details on Pastoral Nomadism

  • Practiced in arid climates; trade meat for crops.

  • Livestock depends on climate (e.g., camels in deserts).

Shifting Cultivation

  • Farmers rotate fields to maintain soil fertility; includes slash-and-burn methods.

  • Common in tropical regions; land owned collectively.

Page 9: Plantation Agriculture

Characteristics

  • Large scale, one-crop focus, labor-intensive.

  • Products: coffee, sugarcane, cotton; significant processing nearby.

Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming

  • Integrates crop production and livestock; interdependent practices.

  • Common in developed regions; utilizes grain production for animal feed.

Page 10: Other Farming Types

Grain Farming

  • Primarily wheat; regions vary in practices (spring vs. winter wheat).

Commercial Gardening

  • Located mainly in California and Southeast; truck farming practices.

  • Notable resurgence of small-scale market gardening.

Dairy Farming

  • Shift from local to corporate operations; expanded milk shed distribution.

Mediterranean Agriculture

  • Characterized by hot, dry summers; includes herding and crop types like olives and grapes.

Livestock Ranching

  • Occurs in dry areas; commercial grazing of animals.

Reflecting on Essential Questions

  • Connection between physical geography and agricultural practices.

Page 11: Settlement Patterns and Survey Methods

Essential Question

  • What are rural settlement patterns and methods of surveying rural settlements?

Rural Settlement Patterns

  • Clustering vs. dispersed settlements, impact of technology.

  • Linear settlements develop along water sources or transportation routes.

Page 12: Impact of Agricultural Practices on Land

Changes in Land Use

  • Technological advances like the mechanical reaper changed labor requirements.

  • The enclosure movement and Green Revolution impacted land practices.

Page 13: Establishing Property Boundaries

British and American Land Surveys

  • Metes and Bounds: Traditional UK system using landscape features.

  • Public Land Survey System: Legal rectangular plots.

  • French Long-Lot System: Land oriented to access rivers for agriculture and trade.