Unit 5 Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Agriculture: Human-Environment Interaction

12.1 Agriculture and the Environment

Introduction to Agriculture

Definition: Agriculture is the purposeful cultivation of plants and raising of animals to produce goods for survival.Key Factors Influencing Agriculture:

• Elevation: Higher elevation leads to shorter growing seasons.

• Soil: Biologically active coating of Earth's surface; key characteristics include fertility, texture, and structure.

• Topography: Slope of the land affects water retention and sun exposure.

• Climate: Influenced by distance from the Equator, wind and ocean currents, proximity to water bodies, and topography.

Climate Regions

• Tropical Climate:

  • Crops: Rice, cassava, sugarcane, fruits (bananas, mangoes), cocoa.

  • Agricultural Practice: Intensive subsistence agriculture with multiple cropping and fishing.

• Dry Climate:

  • Crops: Cacti, grains (wheat, barley), drought-resistant crops such as sorghum and millet.

  • Agricultural Practice: Extensive agriculture, often involving nomadic herding and limited irrigation due to aridity.

• Temperate Climate:

  • Crops: Wheat, corn, barley, various fruits and vegetables.

  • Agricultural Practice: Mixed cropping and intensive agriculture, including both subsistence and commercial farming methods.

• Mediterranean Climate:

  • Crops: Grapes, olives, citrus fruits, figs.

  • Agricultural Practice: Intensive farming focusing on horticulture and vineyards, sustained by seasonal rainfall and irrigation.

• Polar Climate:

  • Crops: Minimal agriculture; some hardy plants like moss or lichens may grow, primarily used for grazing.

  • Agricultural Practice: Limited to extensive grazing of livestock with reliance on seasonal pastures.Köppen Climate Classifications

Classifies climates based on average temperatures, precipitation, and natural vegetation; highland areas are difficult to classify.

12.2 Agricultural Practices

Types of Agriculture

• Subsistence Agriculture: Farmers grow diverse crops and raise livestock primarily for their families.

• Commercial Agriculture: Farmers grow and raise animals for profit; can be intensive or extensive.

Bid-Rent Theory

Developed by William Alonso to explain land costs determined by location and accessibility.Higher land cost near central business districts (CBD) influences farming practices based on proximity to markets.

Rural Survey Methods

• Metes and Bounds: Property boundaries described via lines and reference points.

• Long-Lot Survey: Land strips along rivers or lakes.

• Township and Range: Divided into townships of 6x6 miles.

Intensive vs. Extensive Agriculture

• Intensive Agriculture: High inputs and labor for maximum yield; includes intensive subsistence and commercial agriculture.

  • Types: Monocropping, plantation agriculture, market gardening, mixed crop/livestock systems.

• Extensive Agriculture: Lower inputs and labor, resulting in lower outputs; prevalent in rural and marginal areas.

  • Types: Shifting cultivation, slash and burn, nomadic herding, ranching.

12.3 Agricultural Origins and Diffusions

Agricultural Hearths

1. Fertile Crescent (Middle East): Considered one of the earliest sites of agriculture, with domestication of wheat, barley, and legumes.

2. Mesoamerica: Region where maize, beans, and squash were first cultivated.

3. Andean Region (South America): Domestication of potatoes, quinoa, and other crops occurred here.

4. Sub-Saharan Africa: Area known for the domestication of millet, sorghum, and yams.

5. Southeast Asia: Region where rice and taro were first cultivated.Features of Agricultural Hearths:

• Fertile soil

• Water availability

• Moderate climate

• Organizational skills

• Irrigation

• Seed storage methods.

  Definition: Areas where domestication of plants and animals began.Features of Agricultural Hearths: Fertile soil, water availability, moderate climate, organizational skills, irrigation, seed storage methods.

Diffusion of Agriculture

• Global Diffusions: Knowledge spread through relocation and stimulus diffusion over centuries.

• First Global Diffusions: Domestication spread throughout Asia, Europe, and Africa by the 15th century.

The Columbian Exchange

Exchange of goods and ideas after Columbus’s landing in 1492.Consequences include population explosions in Europe and Asia and the integration of crops from the Americas.

12.4 Advances in Agriculture

The First Agricultural Revolution

Began ~11,000 years ago; shift from foraging to farming; occurred in different hearths at different times.Consequences: Focus on staple crops, reduced diet diversity, population growth, emergence of cities.

The Second Agricultural Revolution

Launched in the 1700s; new practices and tools led to dramatic yield improvements.Enclosure system replaced shared land farming, enabling effective practices.

The Third Agricultural Revolution

Began in the early 20th century; reliance on mechanical equipment, synthetic fertilizers, and GMOs.Green Revolution within this era increased crop yields in peripheral regions, saving millions but also raising environmental concerns.

Consequences of Modern Agricultural Advances

Increased production efficiency but also negative environmental impacts:

• Water demand rise, pesticide harm, biodiversity loss, reliance on multinational corporations.

Chapter 12 Key Vocabulary

• Agriculture: Cultivating plants and animals for goods.

• Agricultural Hearth: Original sites of domestication.

• Bid-Rent Theory: Economic theory on land value based on location.

• Central Business District (CBD): Urban hub with high accessibility.

• Intensive Agriculture: High input and output farming methods.

• Extensive Agriculture: Low input, low output methods.

• Columbian Exchange: Transfer of goods/ideas across the Atlantic after 1492.

• Green Revolution: Technological advances in agriculture in the mid-20th century.