Unit 5 - Agriculture
extensive subsistence agriculture
a form of subsistence agriculture in which farmers must expend just enough effort to produce enough yield to feed themselves and their families
agricultural hearths
places farming practices diffused from across the surface of the earth
long lot system
put in by French and used in French regions of North America such as Canada and Louisiana -most farmland along rivers and system created long rectangular plots of farmland to give equal access to water
small family farms
run solely by the family and most (or all) crops produced are consumed by the family -mostly subsistence
Carl Sauer (mid-20th Cenutry)
-raising and caring for animals by humans for protection or food, probably began in Central Asia (dogs and then in Southwest Asia - goats and sheep) -first learned to farm/plant in the Fertile Crescent -the growing of crops that people planted, raised, and harvested, probably began after animal domestication -root crops: plant the root of another plant (ex. potatoes) -seed crops: more complicated, cultivate seeds (ex. corn)
bid-rent theory
-rent is highest in closest proximity to (urban) market -land rent decreases as further away from Central Business District (CBD)
Southwest Asia (agricultural hearths example)
lentil, olive, rye, barley
grid (settlement pattern)
more modern like a city
luxury crops
non-subsistence crops such as tea, cacoa, coffee, and tobacco -Ivory Coast and Ghana have
high-yield seeds
often genetically modified to produce desirable shapes and sizes for increased food production. farming techniques that use high quantities of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides to accommodate genetically modified seeds or less fertile soil
the Green Revolution led to an increase in food production in many places around the world, but there have been some negative consequences. what explains one of the negative consequences of the Green Revolution that would be of greater concern for people in developing countries than for people in more-developed countries?
runoff of agricultural chemicals into the local groundwater that pollutes water resources
tillage
system of planting crops on ridge tops, in order to reduce farm production costs and promote greater soil conservation
commercial agriculture
term used to describe large scale farming and ranching operations that employ vast land bases, large mechanized equipment, factory-type labor, and the latest technology for profit off the farm
primogeniture
the Germanic practice in which all land passes to the eldest son in a family
fertile crescent
the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers gave life to the first known agricultural villages in this area about 10,000 years ago and the first known cities about 5,000 years ago. includes Mesopotamia, Palestine, and the Nile.
Sub-Saharan Africa (agricultural hearths example)
yams, sorghum, finger millet, coffee
mercantilism
an economic policy under which nations sought to increase their wealth and power by obtaining large amounts of gold and silver and by selling more goods than they bought
milkshed
area served by this agriculture -farther the farm from the markets, less focus on fresh milk and more focus on less perishable milk products -ex. cheese
linear (settlement pattern)
areas of Western Europe located on dikes and levels
food deserts
areas with little or no access to healthy and affordable food or limited or no access to fresh fruits and vegetables
chemical farming
associated with the green revolution. these are used to kill pests that can eat crops and decrease yields
what scenario explains the Colombian Exchange?
domesticated animals such as cattle, horses, pigs, and chickens were introduced to the Americas by European colonizers. prior to this, very few animals had been domesticated in the Americas
more developed countries tend to have greater access to agricultural technology and government-supported loans used to purchase computerized farm equipment. what explains the significance of access to these resources?
government financing and improved technology lead to larger economies of scale and improved efficiency
what explains how a wheat farmer in the Northern Plains region of the United States is able to maximize profits?
grain farming is an extensive farming practice that can maximize profits in part by lower land costs, lower transportation costs, and imperishability of the product
a typical grocery store in the United States may sell oranges grown primarily in California during part of the year and oranges grown primarily in South Africa during a different part of the year. what explains why oranges are available year-round in the United States?
grocery stores sell oranges that are grown in locations with similar climates but different growing seasons
double cropping
harvesting twice a year from the same field
monoculture
used to describe the deliberate cultivation of only one single crop in a large land area
local food movement
"local food", "local food movement" or the "Locavores" are a movement which aim to connect food producers and food consumers in the same geographic region; in order to develop more self-reliant and resilient food networks, improve local economies, or for health, environmental, community, or social impact
shifting cultivation (slash and burn)
-LDCs farmers in tropical climate regions move from one field to another -slash and burn or Swidden agriculture (cleared region called this) -clear land with machetes and fire (enrich nutrient-poor soil by adding nitrogen to it)
mediterranean
-N Africa, California, Central Chile, SW of S Africa, and Australia (and Mediterranean of course) -olives, figs, dates, and grapes -intensive
commercial gardening or fruit, truck, and specialized crops
-SE U.S. (small-scale production of fruits, vegetables, and flowers as cash crops; frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants) -like Von Thunen -labor costs low with migrant workers -apples, asparagus, cherries, lettuce, mushrooms, and tomatoes -intensive
hunters and gatherers
-before agriculture men and women did this -Jared Diamond
intensive subsistence wet rice not dominant
-can't grow rice because of climate (ex. barely, oats, soybeans, corn) -crop rotation practiced - allows farmers to increase yields -mostly done by hand - some help from animals
enclosure movement
-enclosure acts (1600s-1900): laws enacted by British gov. enabling landowners to purchase and enclosure land for own use that previously been common land used by peasant farmers - more yield = better profit! -resulted in fewer and more productive farms
negatives impacts of the Green Revolution
-environmental damage (soil erosion from double-cropping and irrigation, hazardous runoff, and increased fossil-based fuel increased pollution) -lack of sustained investment -disregard for local needs -more fertilizer = less organic matter in soil -small scale farmers lack $ for hybrid seed -men benefited because given decision making powers -men operated machinery and women's role in society marginalized poor results in Africa -fertilizer expensive -harsh environmental conditions (insets, plants, and viral strains) -lacks sufficient transportation infrastructure cost of research high -stable crops (yams and peanuts) not always included in research
pastoral nomadism
-form of subsistence agriculture in LDCs -arid and semi-arid climates -nomadism: peoples who do not live continually in the same place (more cyclically or periodically)
positive impacts of the Green Revolution
-global food production increased dramatically (no Malthusian dear from '60s) -yield up, lower death rates, growing population -great success: Latin America, South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia (India: importer of wheat 1940, surplus within a few decades) -creates high rates of investment in both public and private sectors -higher yields and increased production led to falling food prices
livestock ranching
-grazing livestock in semi-arid and arid regions -U.S. (W & SW), Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay -in the Amazon region, one of major contributors to deforestation -extensive
mixed crop and livestock
-integration between raising crops and livestock -crop rotation often practiced (allows farmers to increase their yield) -corn most common type of crop (grown to feed livestock not humans)
1st agricultural revolution
-major hearths led to the first civilizations, large societies with cities and powerful states -civilization brought increased trade, larger empires and conquest -people had time to specialize in work and developed new occupations and technologies (metalwork, artists, soldiers, weavers, etc.) -increased trade between cultures -pretty expansive considering transportation of that time (ex. Roman Empire traded from present-day England to Africa and SW Asia; Silk Roads connecting Rome w/ China) -the Colombian Exchange was the global movement of plants and animals between Afro-Eurasia and the Americas (Coffee from East Africa and Bananas from New Guinea continue to be grown in America, Potatoes grown in South America)
3rd agricultural revolutions (Green Revolution)
-mid-20th Century: science, research and tech -involved development and dissemination of better and more efficient farming equipment and practices, particularly in the area of vastly improved varieties of grain -higher-yielding, disease resistant, faster growing varieties of grain (rice, corn, wheat) -allowed double-cropping (more than one crop per year) -seed hybridization = breed together 2 plants that have desirable characteristics (1960s: new strain of rice - long grain Indonesian rice and denser grain Taiwan dwarf rice; helped turn Mexico from corn importing country to self-sufficient country with surplus) -genetically modified organisms: humans use engineering techniques to change DNA of a seed (1st in '70s and widely used in '90s; most corn, soybeans, and cotton GMOs in U.S. increase yield, resist diseases; benefits but don't know consequences) -also encourages transfer of mechanical tech
Von Thunen's model (1826)
-model suggests that certain crops are grown in direct relation to distance from market -if farmer grows product that doesn't fit model they won't make money -central marketplace surrounded by agricultural rings -moving outwards from marketplace, farming activities change from intensive to more extensive 1. market gardening activities and dairy -heavy, bulky products -spoil factor -weight and mass raises transportation costs 2. forestry -woodlots where trees are cut for resources -weight increases transportation costs 2. mixed crop and livestock (crop mostly grains) -land is cheaper, further from urban centers -livestock is transported to town only a couple times a year, reducing costs 4. extensive pastoral grazing -piece of land and amount of land needed = more
intensive subsistence wet rice dominant
-most commonly practiced type of agriculture globally -mostly done by hand - some help from animals -large yields from elaborate process that is time-consuming -LDCs
dairy
-most labor intensive of commercial agriculture -milkshed: area served by this agriculture (farther the farm from the markets, less focus on fresh milk and more focus on less perishable milk products; ex. cheese) -found in U.S. (NE), Canada (SE), and Europe (NW) -intensive
plantation farming
-mostly LDCs -legacy of colonialism -large commercial farm that specializes in one crop (cash crop) -low latitudes in the tropics of lots of rain -labor intensive and exploit cheap labor in nearby villages -processing near plantation to reduce transportation costs -crops include coffee, tea, coconuts, cotton, sugar, cocoa, rubber, tobacco - not for local consumption
intentrillage
-planting more than 1 type of crop in small piece of land to produce more variety per amount of arable land commonly practiced -due to growth of population and deforestation not used anymore
slash and burn
-vegetation in area or forest out down and burned in place -ash provides some soil nutrients -land can be formed for few years before soil becomes depleted and plot abandoned -land returns to almost natural state while farmers move on -requires people to move regularly - also called shifting cultivation (doesn't work today because too many people) -advantages small scale - beneficial for humans and environment recovers quickly -disadvantages large scale - seriously damages environment (ex. Dust Bowl - bad farming)
grain
-wheat, corn, oats, barley, and millet -crops raised primarily for human consumption -"McCormick Reaper" and combine harvest -winter v. spring wheat (planted in spring and get in autumn)
in 2017, the United States exported approximately $500 million of beef to Mexico, and Mexico exported approximately $500 million of beef to the United States. what explains this international supply chain?
United States and Mexican producers rely on each other's market to sell certain beef products
fair trade
a concept used in developing countries to help create sustainability. producers, farmers, and craftspeople are paid fair prices for their products, and workers get fair wages. these businesses are not just run on a local level, but they are run in a democratic way
subsidy
a government payment that supports a business or market
2nd agricultural revolution/neolithic revolution
accompanied the industrial revolution that began in GB in the 18th Century. Involved: -mechanization of agricultural production -advances in transportation -development of large-scale irrigation -changes to consumption patterns of agricultural goods innovations such as steel plow and mechanized harvesting greatly increased harvesting -other innovations: enclosures, crop rotation, Jethro Tull's seed drill, refrigeration, fertilizers, weed killers, pesticides
secondary economic activities
activities (eg. manufacturing and construction) that take a primary product and change it into something else
what explains an economic benefit of cattle production using feedlots rather than grass pastures?
agricultural technology has increased the economy of scale and the carrying capacity of grass pastures, increasing profits for the farmer
subsistence agriculture
agriculture designed primarily to provide food for direct consumption by the farmer and the farmer's family
slash-and-burn cultivation is an agricultural practice used by subsistence farmers in tropical forest areas. what explains an environmental effect of this practice?
air pollution and long-term land-cover change are side effects of slash-and-burn agriculture that have a long-ranging effect on a broader region
cash crop
an agricultural crop that is purposely made strictly to be sold in a market environment for as much money as possible. most cash crops, which include cotton, opium, grains, and many other products, are grown in a monoculture environment, where they are the only product grown on a piece of land
intensive agriculture
an agricultural system characterized by growing crops on every available piece of usable land and using lots of labor
extensive agriculture
an agricultural system characterized by low inputs of labor per unit land area
concentrated animal feed operation (feedlot)
an animal feeding operation (AFO) that concentrates large numbers of animals in relatively small and confined places, and that substitutes structures and equipment for land and labor
what explains the prevalence of banana plantations in Central America?
banana plants were brought to Central America from Southeast Asia to be grown closer to markets in the United States and Canada
cluster (settlement pattern)
begun as small hamlet at intersection of 2 roads and developed by accretion
what explains the significance of similarities between the farming practices for apple orchards and grape vineyards?
both farming practices require considerable labor input because the fruit is picked by hand, making it a product of intensive agriculture
agribusiness
businesses that provide a vast array of goods and services to support the agriculture industry -global network of farm production oriented to the one-fifth world's population (urbanized, wealthy, and powerful)
hybrid crops
crops developed by combining genetic material from more than 1 population
desertification
degradation of land, especially in semiarid areas, primarily because of human actions like excessive crop planting, animal grazing, and tree cutting
overgrazing
destruction of vegetation caused by too many grazing animals consuming the plants in a particular area so they cannot recover
terracing
early form of land alteration in E Asia (rice), N Africa (fruit and olive trees), S America (potatoes and corn) -steps into side of hill creating flat surface
since the mid-twentieth century, wheat production has risen dramatically in some regions of the world but not others, which may increase the uneven development among countries. what explains the increase in wheat production in Europe and the United States compared to sub-Saharan Africa?
farmers in Europe and the United States use high-yield seeds and other technology but farmers in sub-Saharan Africa depend on low levels of mechanization and non-genetically modified seeds
what compares a technological consequence of the Green Revolution in more developed and less developed countries?
farmers in less developed countries were able to increase their profits from growing and exporting high-yield grain to levels similar to those in more developed countries
mechanized farming
farming techniques that rely on machines to more efficiently produce crops. more common in MDCs
aquaculture
fish farming (fed corn) -salmon, tilapia
GMOs (genetically modifies organisms)
foods that are mostly products or organisms that have their genes altered in a laboratory for specific purposes, such as disease resistance, increased productivity, or nutritional value allowing growers greater control, predictability, and efficiency
drug agriculture
high demand for drugs in global economic zone -farmers in periphery often find it more profitable to cultivate poppy, coca, or marijuana plants than to grow standard food crops -90% poppy (heroin) from Afghanistan drug cartels that oversee drug trade have brought crime and violence to the places that they hold sway Mexicans now control 11/13 of the largest drug markets in the U.S.
salinization
increasing the salt content of soil resulting in decreased crop yield and soil fertility -problem with irrigation
what explains the significance of a similarity among locations where olives, figs, grapes and lemons are grown?
intensive agriculture is practiced in a Mediterranean climate
primary economic activities
involve the extraction of economically valuable products from the earth -including agriculture, ranching, hunting and gathering, fishing, forestry, mining and quarrying
industrial agriculture
involves state control of land, technology, and goods produced
what explains how irrigated commercial agriculture in arid environments creates both environmental opportunities and challenges?
irrigation increases production but potentially depletes water resources
wetland destruction
it is the degradation of wetlands, link between land and water. this is caused because of farming, housing development, and other developments
Latin America (agricultural hearths example)
maize, cotton, potatoes, lima beans
Southeast Asia (agricultural hearths example)
mango, taro, coconut, pigeon pea
cadastral/land survey system
method of land survey through which land ownership and property lines are defined
what explains the farming practice related to plantation agriculture?
plantation farming is considered to be an intensive farming practice because it requires large inputs of labor and capital to produce the crop
rectangular survey system
prevailing survey system throughout much of the U.S., one that appears as checkerboards across land -PLSS divided land into 6 mile square townships (within subdivided)
walled (settlement pattern)
protection for a village
vegetative planting
reproduction of plants by direct cloning from existing plants
East Asia (agricultural hearths example)
rice, soybean, walnut, chinese chestnut
tertiary economic activities
service industries that connect producers to consumers and facilitate commerce and trade or help people meet their needs
round (settlement pattern)
slavic farmer 1st used; circle surrounding a central location
quaternary/quinary economic activities
some analysts separate specialized into these activities, distinguishing between those services concerned with information or the exchange of money or goods (quaternary) and research and high-level education and decisions (quinary)
sustainability
the ability to meet humanities current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs
irrigation
the artificial application of water to land to assist in the production of crops -can be detrimental to the environment as it takes away water from a different location
agriculture is practiced at the local scale, and agricultural yields are measured at the national scale. what explains why the concept of the global system of agriculture is helpful to geographers?
the concept helps geographers simplify and visualize a vast and complicated global supply chain
deforestation
the destruction of forest or forested areas by human or natural means. some notable human-based causes are slash and burn agriculture and production of forest products (i.e logging). desertification can also lead to deforestation.
colombian exchange
the exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and technologies between the Americas and the rest of the world following Columbus's voyages
biotechnology
the exploitation of biological processes for industrial and other purposes, especially the genetic manipulation of microorganisms for the production of antibiotics, hormones, etc.
horticulture
the growing of fruits, vegetables, and flowers -ex. lots of Horticulture in the Mediterranean Region important because fruits an vegetables offer the most nutrients in our diets
crop rotation
the practice of rotating use of different fields from crop to crop each year, to avoid exhausting the soil
agriculture
the process by which humans alter the landscape in order to raise crops and livestock for consumption and trade
value-added specialty crops
the process of changing or transforming a product from its original state to a more valuable state
domestication
the process of changing plants or animals to make them more useful to humans
commercial agriculture in dry climates relies heavily on irrigation. what explains an environmental concern that results from irrigation in arid regions?
the soil will have increased salinity, leading to soil erosion and reduced nutrients in the soil for plant health
transhumance
the specific seasonal migration of livestock between mountains and lowland pastures
organic farming
the use of crop rotation, natural fertilizers such as manure, and biological pest control, as opposed to artificial fertilizers,pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, additives, and genetically modified organisms, to promote healthy vigorous crops
herbicides
type of pesticide used to kill unwanted plants
metes and bounds system
uses physical features of geography with directions and distances to desire boundaries of land parcels -form air can be seen land parcels irregular in shape and size
what explains the relationship between wheat and its early hearth of domestication?
wheat was first domesticated in Mesopotamia because of a favorable climate and a great diversity of wild grains that led to crossbreeding of seeds
what explains patterns of subsistence and commercial agriculture in West African countries such as Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire?
while some farmers are engaged in subsistence agriculture practices, there is significant commercial farming focused on luxury goods for export, such as coffee and cocoa
