AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY – UNIT 2 Textbook – Chapter 11

Agriculture

• The purposeful tending of crops and raising of livestock in order to produce food and fiber.

Hunting and Gathering

• Before agriculture humans were nomadic hunters and gatherers

• Unable to stay in any one place for a long period • Had to be constantly moving to the next food source

According to Carl Sauer the leap from hunting and gathering evolved over thousands of years, in various places, as humans constantly touched and handled plants when gathering food.

Vegetative Agriculture: Saur believes that humans first learned how to grow plants by simply cutting off a stem and planting it or dividing up the roots of a plant.

The Origins of Agriculture

Seed Agriculture is farming through planting seeds rather than simply planting a part of the parent plant Leads to higher crop yields The use of seed agriculture would kick off the First Agricultural Revolution

Seed Agriculture

The First Agricultural Revolution • Occurred over 12,000 years ago

• Also called the Neolithic revolution

• The growth of seed crops like wheat and rice and the

use of animals such as goats and sheep, replaced hunting and gathering.

• Humans could now stay in one place, grow their populations and build communities – It is the birth of civilization.

12,000 years

• Occurred between 14,000 and 8,000 years ago.

• The first use of both domesticated plants and animals happened in the fertile crescent of Southwest Asia

• Benefits = source of meat, source of milk, waste fertilized crops and pulled plows.

• Only 40 of the worlds animal species have been successfully domesticated

Animal Domestication

First Agricultural Revolution

Relating to cultivated land or the cultivation of land.

Agrarian

Land used or suitable for growing crops.

Arable

A staple food is one that is eaten regularly and in such quantities as to constitute the dominant part of the diet and supply a major proportion of energy and nutrient needs.

Staple Grains

A crop that is a root vegetable or other root. Edible portion is grown underground.

Root Crops

Diffusion

To Southwest Asia

Agricultural Hearths and Diffusion

Hearth

Western India

Major Crops Wheat and Barley

Western India

Diffusion Route

To Europe

North Africa

And

Northwestern India

Agricultural Hearths and Diffusion

Hearth

Southwest Asia (Fertile Crescent)

Major Crops

Integrated domesticated animals and plants

Southwest Asia

Diffusion

To South Asia

and

Southeast Asia

Agricultural Hearths and Diffusion

Hearth

Northern China

Major Crops Millet

Northern China

Diffusion

Remained isolated in Ethiopia

Agricultural Hearths and Diffusion

Hearth

Ethiopia

Major Crops Teff

Ethiopia

Diffusion

Throughout Western Hemisphere

Agricultural Hearths and Diffusion

Hearth

Southern Mexico

Major Crops Squash and Corn

Southern Mexico

Diffusion

Throughout Western Hemisphere

Agricultural Hearths and Diffusion

Hearth

Northern Peru

Major Crops Squash, Cotton and Beans

Northern Peru

Agricultural Hearths

Subsistence Agriculture

• Farmer grows enough food to feed him/herself and family.

• Low-tech, labor intensive.

• Any excess sold in local markets – low profit.

THREE TYPES OF SUBSISTENCE FARMING

Shifting Cultivation

Farmers rotate the fields they cultivate to allow the soil to replenish its nutrients, rather than farming the same plot over and over again Not crop rotation – where farmer changes crop type on same plot of land Shifting cultivation most common in tropical zones with a thin layer of topsoil - Rainforest regions of Africa, the Amazon in South America and areas throughout Southeast Asia

Shifting Cultivation

Slash and Burn Agriculture: Land is cleared by cutting down the existing plants on the land and then burning the rest.

Common in tropical areas

Intertillage: Farmer mixes various seeds on the same plot of land. Reduces risk of crop failure and provides more balanced diet

Main type of Shifting Cultivation is Slash and Burn

Swidden: A cleared plot of new farm land

Temporary field: an agricultural field that is made by clearing forest and then farmed for only a few seasons before being abandoned, especially in Central America and Mexico

Milpa

Farmers cultivate a small plot of land, very efficiently, to produce food for their families. Found in regions that are highly populated – land is relatively scarce. Widespread through India, China and Southeast Asia Rice is the primary intensive subsistence agricultural crop

Intensive Subsistence Agriculture

The breeding and herding of animals to produce food, shelter, and clothing for survival May be sedentary or nomadic Practiced in areas without much arable (farmable) land. Arid regions such as: North, Central and Southern Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia

Pastoralism

Open Lot System: Before 500 CE farming took place in one large community plot that a village shared.

Enclosure Movement: After 500 CE individual farmers own their own plots.

Shift in Agriculture – After the fall of Rome (around 500 CE)

Agricultural Villages

A. Linear Village B. Cluster Village (nucleated) C. Round Village (rundling) D. Walled Village E. Grid Village

A settlement clustered around a central point, such as a village green or church.

nucleation is fostered by defense considerations

localized water supply, the incidence of flooding

farmers can easily get to their smaller, productive fields while continuing to live in the village.

.

Nucleated Village

Cadastral System or Land Survey System

System to determine the extent, value, and ownership of land within a district for taxation. The word comes from the Latin word cadastre referring to a registry of lands.

Major Cadastral (land survey) Systems used in US.

• Rectangular Survey System

• Metes and Bounds Survey

• Longlot Survey System

A land survey system using natural features (streams, rocks, trees, etc.) to trace and define boundaries between parcels of land.

Used in Eastern United States – primarily during the colonial era.

Metes and Bound System

A survey system that creates a long, narrow plot of land that extends back from a river or road. The lots are typically 10 times longer than they are wide.

Limited use in United States – Was used in areas colonized by the French and Spanish.

French – Mississippi Valley, Detroit, Louisiana

Spanish – Rio Grande valley of New Mexico and Texas.

Long Lot System

Also known as Township and Range System

A more systematic approach used after US becomes independent

Divided land into six mile squares called townships. The townships were than sub-divided into one mile squares.

Created the square block patterns seen in county road systems, city streets and layout of farms and fields

Used throughout the Midwest and Western States (everywhere except east coast)

Rectangular Survey System

Township and Range – The cultural landscape of Garden City, Iowa reflects the Township and Range system. Townships are 6x6 miles and section lines are every 1 mile.

The Second Agricultural Revolution • Coincided with the Industrial Revolution in the 17th

and 18th centuries.

• Massive migration to industrial cities caused huge jump in demand for food

• New farming technology was invented – new fertilizers, irrigation systems, storage systems

• More Food = More People

Commercial farmers produce crops to sell in the marketplace Types of commercial farming Mixed crop and Livestock farming Ranching Dairying Large-scale grain production Plantation

Commercial Farming

Growing both crops and raising animals Most of the crops are used to feed the livestock Most income comes from selling animal products Mixed farming exists widely in Europe and north America – usually near large urban areas where land is not available for more extensive farming

Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming

Commercial grazing – raising animals on a plot of land on which they graze Requires extensive land Practiced in Western US, Argentina, Southern Brazil, and Uruguay

Ranching

Production of milk- based products for the Marketplace Milkshed - Zone around a city center which milk can be produced and shipped to the marketplace without spoiling

Dairying

Grains are grown to be exported to other places for consumption Wheat is most common large scale crop Most common in US, Canada, Argentina, Australia, France, England and Ukraine Dominated by US and Canada – Growing more than half the world’s wheat

Large-Scale Grain Production

Plantation or estate that specializes in one or two high demand crops for export Common in tropical and subtropical zones Introduced by European colonizers Common crops – coffee, tea, pineapples, palms, coconuts, tobacco, sugarcane and cotton

Plantation Farming

A method of farming in which as much use is made of the land as possible by growing crops close together, growing several crops in a year or using large amounts of fertilizer. The goal is to get the most yield possible per acre.

Intensive Agriculture

Double cropping is a sustainable practice in which more than one crop is grown and harvested at the same time, on the same ground.

Double cropping helps to naturally control pests, weeds and diseases while encouraging healthy soil.

Double cropping

An agricultural production system that uses small inputs of labor, fertilizers, and capital, relative to the land area being farmed.

Extensive farming most commonly refers to sheep and cattle farming in areas with low agricultural productivity, but can also refer to large-scale growing of wheat, barley and other grain crops

Extensive Agriculture

Capital Intensive Farms: Uses a lot of machinery in the farming process

Labor-intensive Farms: Uses mainly human labor in the farming process.

Model explains and predicts where and why different agricultural activities would take place around a city’s market place

Von Thunen’s Agricultural Location Theory

Model Basics – A central marketplace is surrounded by agricultural activity zones that are in concentric rings. Each ring represents a different type of agricultural land use.

Von Thunen’s Agricultural Location Theory

Center = CBD (marketplace) Ring 1 = Horticulture and dairying Ring 2 = Forestry Rings 3 = Grains and Field Crops Ring 4 = Ranching and Livestock Outside of 4 = Wilderness

Von Thunen’s Agricultural Location Theory

Market Gardening: A relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants.

BIG IDEA - Moving outward from the center farming activities change from intensive to more extensive

Von Thunen’s Agricultural Location Theory

Bid-Rent Curve

• Predicts and explains real estate prices in an urban area

• Land in CBD has the highest accessibility and visibility and will have the highest rent prices

• Land decreases in value moving away from the CBD

Bid-Rent Curve

Von Thunen’s Agricultural Location Theory

•WHY? • Land closest to city’s marketplace is more expensive • The more extensive the farming the more land

needed the more expensive it would be to locate close to the market

• Dairy does not need as much land and needs to be closer so product can be delivered before spoilage

The Third Agricultural Revolution

• Began in the late 1800’s

• Was the globalization of industrialized farming

• Globalizes the use of • Mechanized Farming

• Chemical Pesticides

• Chemical Fertilizers

• Mechanical Irrigation

Industrialization of Farming

• Commercial farmers harvest crops and ship them to be processed, packaged, and distributed.

Agribusiness

A term used in agriculture for the various businesses involved in food production, including farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing and retail sales

.

A crop produced for its commercial value rather than for use by the grower.

Cash Crops

Specialized crops typically not essential to human survival. Historically grown on plantations by European colonial powers Examples: tea, coffee, tobacco and cocoa.

Luxury Crops

Factory Farm

a farm in which animals are bred and fattened

using modern industrial methods.

An area or building where livestock are fed and fattened up.

Feedlot

The Meatrix

• Watch the video – take note of the major issues/problems of factory farming.

• Choose 3 of those major issues.

• Go to themeatrix.com or similar source of information.

• In your notebook write a one page essay on the three major issues of factory farming.

The cultivation of a single crop in a given area.

MonoCulture

The process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture.

Deserttification

"

An urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food. Many poor people live in food deserts—where they have plenty of food but none of it healthy.

Food Desert

The application of scientific techniques to modify and improve plants and animals to enhance their value. Examples: GMO’s and Cloning

Biotechnology

The invention and rapid diffusion of new agricultural techniques during the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Began as agricultural experiments funded by US charities to improve Mexico’s wheat grain production and reduce hunger in developing countries

Introduced new higher yield seeds and expanded the use of fertilizers and pesticides.

The so called “miracle seeds” increased agricultural production faster than population growth.

Green Revolution

What are the problems and issues? http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=0xvyRd-uVqM

1. Heavy reliance on fossil fuels

2. Farmers in developing countries cannot afford seeds, fertilizers, pesticides

and machinery.

3. Modern farming techniques may destroy the environment – for example

increasing soil erosion.

4. Technology is controlled by Agribusiness – motive is profit not necessarily

to increase food production for those that need it the most.

Green Revolution

The Next Revolution?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6GimGZz6a8&feature=player_detailpage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6GimGZz6a8&feature=player_detailpage

Growing food naturally.

Avoids the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers and genetically modified organisms.

Organic Agriculture

Agricultural practice of growing one or more vegetable crops on a large scale for shipment to distant markets. At first this type of farming “trucked” produce to local or regional markets. Railroads, air transport and refrigerated carriers have greatly increased shipping to distant markets. Major truck-farming areas are in California, Texas, Florida. Most important truck crops are tomatoes, lettuce, melons, beets, broccoli, celery, radishes, onions, cabbage, and strawberries.

Truck Farm

A form of specialized agriculture that is known for producing grapes, olives, citrus and figs

Crops require a warm year-round climate

Mediterranean Agriculture