Responses to rising demand for land

What are the responses to rising demand for land?

1. Increasing the price of land 2. Increasing the supply of land 3. Conserving land

What are the ways to maximise agricultural land use?

1. Irrigation 2. Terracing 3. Soil-less farming

What are the disadvantages to irrigation?

1. Irrigation canals can hold stagnant water if not properly maintained, which may become breeding sites for bacteria, mosquitoes and other pests. 2. With poor drainage, irrigation may cause land to be waterlogged, causing damage to crops. 3. Sometimes, river water that is used for irrigation may contain high amounts of dissolved mineral salts, which can cause damage to crops. 4. Some irrigation systems can be expensive to construct, especially in cases where a dam needs to be built across a waterway to make a reservoir.

What are the advantages to irrigation?

1. Irrigation ensures a regular supply of water, allowing farmers to grow greater amounts and ider varieties of crops. 2. Irrigation maximises the use of land as areas that were previously unsuitable for cultivation can now be made arable 3. Computerised irrigation systems can also water plants automatically and efficiently, reducing the need for human labour.

What are some ways to increase the supply of land?

1. Land clearance 2. Land reclamation 3. Maximising use of existing land

What are the different ways to maximise use of existing land?

1. Maximising urban landuse 2. Maximising agricultural landuse

What are the advantages and disadvantages to empoldering?

An advantage is that empoldering is a better method than landfill method as a lot of sand will be needed. It also provides better protection floods and creates more land for cultivation compared to if empoldering was not used. However, global warming and rising sea level may cause severe floods which may damage dikes so the Netherlands have to invest a lot of money in developing flood monitoring systems, building extensive drainage systems and maintaining dikes.

What are the advantages and disadvantages to high density building?

An advantage is that it frees up scarce land for other land uses, such as for conservation as nature reserves or use as military training areas as more people can work or be housed on a small piece of land. Another advantage is that it helps reduce the rate at which the country's remaining green spaces are developed. A disadvantage is that there is a large number of people in a small area may result in a more crowded environment, traffic congestion and higher noise levels which may lead to higher stress levels among people and reduce their quality of life.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the landfill method?

An advantage is that many countries have successfully increased their land area through this method. However, a disadvantage is that current technology only allows land to be reclaimed from waters up to 15 metre is depth. Another disadvantage is that it will cost a lot more to reclaim land from deeper waters. This is because more sand will be needed to fill the area being reclaimed, however, if there is not enough sand from within the country, sand has to be bought from elsewhere, increasing the overall costs. Another disadvantage is that for countries surrounded by other countries, like Singapore, there is a limit to the amount of land that can be reclaimed as such countries cannot extend the land too far out into the sea without entering another country's territories. Another disadvantage is that they are also limited by the need to keep a certain amount of sea space available for shipping activities.

What are the advantages and disadvantages in mixed landuse?

An advantage is that people can enjoy the convenience of having their homes, jobs and a wide range of services within the same area. It can also meet the needs of more users and thus help to maximise urban land use. However, a disadvantage is that mixed land use areas require both the construction and reconstruction of new and old buildings as well as transport networks, making it costly. Another disadvantage is that locating residential areas close to other functions like shopping areas may lead to traffic congestion as well as noise and air pollution due to the increased amounts of human and vehicle traffic.

What are the advantages and disadvantages to soil-less farming?

An advantage is that plants can be grown closer together, hence more crops can be grown on a single area of land at the same time. Another advantage is that it is effective in increasing the output of crops as sufficient amounts of nutrients can be delivered and distributed evenly to crops at regular intervals. The controlled conditions also help to prevent the growth of weeds or insects. A disadvantage is that farmers must invest in high technology equipment and specially prepared nutrient solutions to plants which can be too costly for farmers without sufficient funds. Another disadvantage is that it may not be practical in countries where farmers do no receive enough training to enable them to operate the high technology equipment.

What are the advantages and disadvantages to terracing?

An advantage is that terracing is an inexpensive way of increasing the area of arable land. Another advantage is that the bunds used in terracing prevent the soil from being washed away. Another advantage is that strips of flat land make it possible to operate modern farm machinery, making farming more efficient. A disadvantage is that terraces are difficult to construct and a lot of human energy and time are needed to cut steps into hill slopes. Another disadvantage is that a lot of effort is needed to maintain the terraces after they are constructed. If the bunds are damaged, the may not be able to hold the soil back, resulting in soil erosion.

Explain conserving land

Conserving land refers to the careful use of land resources to ensure that damage is kept to a minimum. An example of a way to conserve land is to set aside land for nature reserves. A nature reserve is an area where land is carefully managed to protect its wildlife, plants and other natural features and provide special opportunities for study or research. They are protected for their natural heritage.

What is derelict land and what causes it?

Derelict land refers to land that is badly damaged and cannot be used effectively. Land can be damaged by human activities like improper farming practices and mining activities or natural disasters like forest fires or severe floods.

Describe empoldering

Empoldering is a method of reclaiming land from the sea. It involves the creation of polders, which are pieces of land in a low-lying area reclaimed from a body of water by building dikes and drainage canals. It is usually carried out in low-lying coastal areas but can also be applied to areas that are further inland like lakes. Polders are enclosed by dikes to keep sea or river water out. Dikes also protect the polder from erosion. To prevent the polders from being waterlogged and suitable for cultivation, they are also managed by drainage canals and pumps. This method is used in the Netherlands for example. The Netherlands is one of the mot densely populated areas in Europe and half of its land is below sea level, making it prone to flooding. This has resulted in them having a scarcity in land. About one-fifth of the Netherlands has been reclaimed from the sea and their largest and most successful project is the Zuider Zee project.

Describe soil-less farming

Farmers can maximise land for agriculture by growing crops without using soil. This enables crops to be grown closer together, maximising the use of land for agricultural purposes. Examples of soil-less farming methods are aeroponics and hydroponics.

How is derelict land made arable again if it is made derelict by improper farming practices?

Fertilisers can be added to the soil to restore the nutrients that have been removed.

Describe terracing

In places where flat arable land is limited, hilly areas are used for cultivation. However, they are usually unsuitable as steep slopes cause water to run off the slopes very quickly, hence very little water is retained by the soil. Rain will also erode the soil and wash away its nutrients so plants do not have enough water or nutrients to grow well. It is also difficult to operate modern farm machinery on steep slopes. Terracing makes it possible to cultivate on steep slopes. It involves creating flat strips of land by cutting a series of steps into hill slopes, increasing the supply of arable land. Bunds, low walls that are built at the end of each step, are a common characteristic of terracing. They help to slow down the runoff of rainwater so that it can seep into the soil and be absorbed by plant roots. They also hold water in an enclosed area and create the flooded conditions needed for growing crops like padi. Terracing is commonly carried out in many areas of the Philippines and Indonesia where wet rice is cultivated.

Describe urban landuse

In urban areas, the population density is high so there is great competition for land. Two ways to maximise urban landuse is by mixed landuse and high density building.

Describe irrigation

Irrigation is the watering of crops through artificial means which allows farmers to grow crops in areas that experience water shortage and to ensure that their crops receive just the right amount of water. Water can be channeled through irrigation pipes from various water sources, such as rivers or lakes, to places where water is scarce.

Explain land clearance

Land clearance leads to deforestation which occurs because people need timber for: cooking or heating, logging for construction of homes, agriculture and paper production. Demands for these needs also increase due to the rapid population growth. Deforestation also occurs because of mining which takes place underground and trees need to be cleared to access it and dam building as the area behind the dam needs to be cleared so that the reservoir will not be contaminated. Deforestation increases soil erosion as the absence of roots causes soil to be less compact and the soil on top is eroded, affecting fertility. It also increases sedimentation in rivers and seas which affects marine life as sediments suspended in the water block sunlight s underwater plants cannot photosynthesise, hence there is no oxygen for marine life. Without trees, there will also be an accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as trees help to remove carbon dioxide trough photosynthesis, leading to enhanced greenhouse effect as carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that traps heat and consequently lead to global warming.

Explain land reclamation, what are the different types of land reclamation?

Land reclamation is the creation of dry land from an area covered by water. It also refers to the process of recovering land that is damaged and abandoned and making it usable again. The 3 methods of reclaiming land are: 1. Landfill 2. Empoldering 3. Reclaiming derelict land (damaged land)

How does mixed landuse maximise urban landuse?

Mixed land use is usually a result of land use planning which is the process by which different areas on a piece of land are assigned for different land uses. Traditionally, cities were planned based on zones which have specific functions, industrial, housing or leisure. However, this is inconvenient as people have to travel over long distances in order to get from one zone to another. Mixed land use allows everything to be nearby and thus convenient as there is a combination of shopping malls, offices, houses and hotels in one area. The various land uses are usually closely packed in a small area and linked by pedestrian walkways and escalators. An example is the Petronas Twin Towers of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where shopping malls, offices and hotels are located in the sae building. Another example in Singapore is the Suntec City area where offices, shops and hotels are of walking distance from one another. It is also the largest mixed land use development in Singapore.

Rising demand for limited land leads to competition between different groups of people so a decision has to be made on how to use the land. This decision often has an opportunity cost. Explain opportunity cost

Opportunity cost is defined as the cost of something in terms of the most valuable benefit which has to be given up. "What is the next best choice you could have made?"

The way in which the prices of goods and services are set based on their demand and supply is known as price mechanism. Describe price mechanism

Price mechanism is defined as the method through which buyers and sellers organise the resources required and to be sold. It is a relationship between how much the resource is demanded and how much is the supply of the resource. People are sometimes adversely affected so government intervention is required.

How does improper farming practices cause derelict land?

Soil loses its fertility when crops are continually grown, harvested and not given enough time to replace its nutrients. Excessive ploughing of land can also cause a large amount of soil erosion as the soil becomes loose, making it prone to erosion by water. When this happens, nutrients are lost and the soil is no longer suitable for cultivation.

Process of empoldering

Stages of empoldering: 1. A dike is constructed around the area to be reclaimed to keep water from coming in. 2. Area is drained by pumps and drainage canals. 3. Reeds, a type of plant, is sown to help absorb excess water in the soil and help the soil form. 4. After 3 years, reeds are burnt and the ash is used as fertilisers for the soil. Ploughs are used to mix the fertile ash into the soil. 5. After around 15 years, the polder is ready for growing crops, building houses and constructing roads.

How does high density building maximise urban landuse?

Technological advances have enabled taller buildings to be constructed in areas where land is scarce but in high demand. These areas are known as high density areas because there are many people working or living per unit area. In Singapore, the Housing Development Board (HDB), plans to build flats of 30 storeys or more in order to maximise land use. Most of these flats will be located in the more established housing estates like Bishan or Tanjong Pagar. For example, at the Pinnacle, located in Tanjong Pagar, 50-storey blocks consisting of 1800 flats can be housed within a land area of about 2 hectares.

Describe landfill method

The landfill method is used to create dry land from swampy areas, marshes and shallow parts of the sea. These areas are drained and filled with material like sand to form dry land. Stages of landfill method: 1. Columns of sand known as piles are forced into the soft clay of the seabed to make it more stable. 2. A sand wall is built around the area to be reclaimed to keep seawater out. Sand is loaded into the sea just outside the sand wall and stored there until it is needed. 3. The sand that was previously loaded into the sea is sucked up and pumped into the enclosed area 4. The sand is compressed and a granite wall is built on the side facing the sea to prevent the area from being eroded by waves. 5. Trees and other vegetation are grown on the reclaimed land to prevent soil erosion and the land is left to rest. The number of years the land needs to rest depends on how this land will be used.

How does mining cause derelict land?

Vegetation and soil have to be removed because minerals are found underground. The extraction and drilling for mineral ores damage the land. The mining waste left behind may also contain toxic metals that may pollute groundwater or nearby water bodies and contaminate the soil. An example of restored derelict land in Singapore is Bukit Batok which was a former granite mining area. Another area that was reclaimed from derelict land is The Sunway Lagoon Theme Park in Malaysia which was a former tin mine. Another example is Little Guilin in Bukit Batok in Singapore which was a former quarry that had been disused and was converted into a lake.

How is derelict land restored if it is made derelict by mining activities?

Waste heaps need to be levelled out and mining pools need to be filled. Chemicals can then be used to treat the contaminated coil. New vegetation can be planted to provide cover for the soil to prevent topsoil erosion during the recovery period.

Describe increasing the price of land

When the demand for land increases and the available land supply cannot satisfy the increase in demand, the price of land may increase. However, there are users who value the land more and are willing to pay a higher price, causing the price of land to rise.