Agriculture and Rural Land Use
early hearths of domestication of plants and animals
fertile crescent, indus river valley, southeast asia, central america
what is part of the global supply chain?
food and other agricultural products
where does the role of females in agriculture vary?
food production, distribution, and consumption depending on type of production involved
what are patterns of food production and consumption influenced by?
individual food choice - urban farming, CSA, organic farming, value-added specialty crops, fair trade, dietary shifts
second agricultural revolution
new tech and increased food production led to better diets, longer life expectancies, and more people available for work in factories
how are agricultural production regions defined?
the extent to which they reflect subsistence or commercial practices
what links production and consumption of agricultural products?
complex commodity chains
what are some agricultural innovations and what have they led to?
biotechnology, GMOs, and aquaculture have led to debates over sustainability, soil and water usage, reductions in biodiversity, extensive fertilizer/pesticide use
societal effects of agricultural practices
changing diets, role of women in agricultural production, economic purpose
3 rural settlement patterns
clustered, dispersed, linear
von thunen model
explains rural land use with importance of transportation costs and distance from market
challenges of feeding a global population
lack of food access (food insecurity/food deserts), problems with food distribution, adverse weather, land use lost to suburbanization
how are intensive and extensive farming practices determined?
land costs (bid-rent theory)
relationship between large scale and small farms
large scale commercial agricultural operations are replacing small family farms
environmental effects of agricultural land
pollution, land cover change, desertification, soil salinization, conservation efforts
economic effects on food-production practices
location of food-processing facilities, economies of scale, distribution systems, government policies
intensive farming practices
market gardening, plantation agriculture, mixed crop/livestock systems
3 rural survey methods
metes and bounds, township and range, long lot
what are agricultural practices mainly influenced by?
physical environment and climatic conditions
what are the main elements of global food distribution networks affected by?
political relationships, infrastructure, patterns of world trade
extensive farming practices
shifting cultivation, nomadic herding, ranching
how do agricultural practices alter the landscape?
slash and burn, terraces, irrigation, deforestation, draining wetlands, shifting cultivation, pastoral nomadism
what are rural land-use patterns influenced by?
specific agricultural practices
what affects the economies of scale?
technology has increased economies of scale in the agricultural sector and carrying capacity of land
how did patterns of diffusion affect agricultural spread?
the columbian exchange and agricultural revolutions resulted in the global spread of various plants and animals
green revolution
use of high-yield seeds, increased use of chemicals, and mechanized farming that had positive and negative consequences for human populations and environment
