DONE- Exercise 6. Geographies of Agricultural Landscapes
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Apr 3, 2024
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Exercise 6. Geographies of Agricultural
Landscapes
The study of agriculture has a long tradition in geography. Research on the geography of agriculture
has been strongly influenced by viewing the physical and human systems as interactively linked. This approach combines an understanding of spatial differentiation, the importance of place, and the fact that practices such as agriculture affect and are affected by processes occurring at different
scales. Human geographers are interested in how different types of human-created phenomena (such as agricultural systems) are located on the landscape. The spatial or locational
tradition of geography places an emphasis on explaining and identifying where humans and products of human activity locate on the landscape. The last four decades have been characterized by major changes occurring in agriculture. One of the most dramatic changes has been the decline in the number of people employed in farming in both the core and periphery. The industrialization of agricultural systems has largely displaced older
practices, including shifting cultivation, subsistence, and pastoralism. Simultaneously, farming practices have been significantly intensified through the use of chemical, mechanical, and biotechnological innovations and applications. Furthermore, agriculture has become increasingly integrated into wider regional, national, and global economic systems at the same time that it has become more directly linked to other economic sectors, such as manufacturing and finance. Part 1. Geography and Agriculture
1. Define the following terms a.
Commercial agriculture •
Farming where the crops produced are for sale at a market, rather that for direct consumption.
b.
Subsistence agriculture •
Farming/ Growing is for direct consumption; food for oneself and family
c.
Shifting cultivation
A farming technique where a plot of agricultural land is used for a few years, until the soil is no longer able to support crops. At this point, a new field, with fertile soils is cleared and prepared and the exhausted land is allowed to recover for many years before being planted again. AKA land Rotation.
d. Which parts of the world practice shifting cultivation? Why?
Shifting cultivation is most common in tropical regions. Tropical soils quickly lose fertility once they are cleared of native vegetation and can only be planted for few seasons before the become infertile.
2. Look at Figure 8.1 below to answer the following questions. Figure 8.1 Global Distribution of Agriculture a.
Identify the types of agriculture that are mainly practiced in the U.S. and Canada. •
Livestock Ranching •
Grain •
Mixed crop and livestock •
Dairy •
Commercial Gardening
•
Plantation •
Intensive subsistence wet rice not dominant •
Little or no agriculture b.
Compare you answer from (a) to the situation in South America. -
In North America, it shows that it has little or no agriculture, but in the U.S, most agriculture practiced are Livestock Ranching, mixed crop and livestock, and grain. On the contrary, in South
America, agriculture practices are mainly livestock ranching, shifting cultivation, and intensive subsistence wet rice not dominant because the climate is predominantly wet and humid. 3. Look at Figure 8.2 below. Figure 8.2 Distribution of transhumance routes and seasonal herding practices a.
What can be inferred about the physical geography suitable to Pastoralism?
Int the areas around the Mediterranean Sea, pastoralism is practiced in areas with topographic relief (upland/ mountain) where crop- growing is less suitable. Herds are moved from cooler uplands in summer to warmer lowland in winter in search of available pastureland.
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4. Urban Agriculture Visit the webpage http://www.theurbanfarmer.ca/urba
n
-
agricultur
e
and the answer the following: a. What role can urban agriculture play in the global food challenge? The urban agriculture plays one of the important roles in global food challenge, it helps to be able to save a lot of money in a household or a country by growing plant for their own food. It also an increase access to affordable, healthy, and fresh produce food. Urban agriculture helps to decrease the chance of
food shortage. b. Discuss your own experience with urban agriculture. In my own experience with urban agriculture is very helpful to have access with fresh and healthy foods. By growing plants, it helps us to save up a lot of money by getting all the healthy fresh produce food in the backyard rather than buying organic foods. My grandmother used to plant tomatoes, garlic, onion, and other kinds of plant that can be use for cooking. In this practice we are very sure that the food were eating is healthy and no pesticides. Part 2. Activity: von Thünen’s Model and the Application of Economic Rent
This exercise examines the effects of various limitations, especially transportation costs and climate constraints, on the spatial organization of agricultural activities located around a central market. This demonstrates the applicability of von Thünen’s model to agricultural problems.
For this exercise, you will determine what is the most profitable crop to grow at various distances from a market and then create a map to display your findings. To produce your map showing the distribution of crops within an area, three assumptions must be considered: 1.
This is an isolated region within which all agricultural produce is sold at a central market town. 2.
The variety of crops is limited to dairy products, vegetables, corn, cotton, and wheat due to climate constraints and prevailing markets. 3.
The farmers are rational economic producers, i.e., they will cultivate those crops that yield the greatest profit on their land. They will do this by maximizing their economic rent
. Economic Rent: The difference between the total revenue received from the sale of a commodity and the total costs
of production and transport. As used in agricultural
geography
, economic rent
demonstrates the surplus return or profit resulting from using land for one type of production rather than another. The equation for calculating economic rent is: Economic Rent (R) = E(P-A) – (E F K)
, where
E = yield in units per acre P = market price per unit of output A = cost of production per unit F = transport cost per unit per mile K = distance from the market in miles Step 1:
Fill out the table following using the equation for economic rent given above. This table will determine the economic rent for each of the agricultural crops in distance zones of two-mile increments (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 miles) from a central market. Economic Rent Table E
P
A
F
R if K = 2
R if K = 4
R if K = 6
R if K = 8
R if K = 10
Cotton 100 0.60 0.25 .03 29 23 17 11 5 Wheat 125 0.65 0.45 .02 20 15 10 5 0 Dairy
200 0.55 0.25 .04 44 28 12 -4 -20
Corn
300 0.30 0.20 .01 24 18 12 6 0 Veggies 200 0.70 0.20 .10 60 20 -20 -60 -100 Step 2:
Look over the Environmental Constraints table (below) and become familiar with the temperature and precipitation requirements for each of the five agricultural products. Create a map symbol (or colour) for each of five agricultural products and enter it in the table. This will serve
as a legend for your map. *Note: A legend of symbols is provided on the map (next page), but you are free to choose different
symbols or use colour instead if you wish. Environmental Constraints Table CROP GROWN TEMPERATURE PRECIPITATION MAP SYMBOL/COLOUR Cotton Hot 30-55 inches Red Wheat Mild 15-55 inches Brown Dairy Cool-Mild 25-55 inches Blue Corn Mild-Hot 20-55 inches Yellow Veggies Mild-Hot 28-48 inches Green Step 3:
Look at the “ring map” on the following page and take note of the following: •
The point “M” in the centre of the rings is the location of the market. •
The smallest ring represents a distance of 2 miles from the market. Each larger ring represents a further 2 miles away from the market (4, 6, 8, 10 miles). Label
each ring with its distance from the market. •
There are three temperature zones which cut across the map (cool/cold, mild, hot). Only crops which meet the temperature requirements can be grown in a particular temperature zone. •
There are numbers that indicate inches of precipitation received along one edge of the map,
and lines that correspond to these precipitation values drawn across the map. Only crops which meet the precipitation requirements can be grown in a particular precipitation zone. Step 4: Complete your map by following the procedure below:
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•
For each
2-mile ring (2, 4, 6, 8, 10-mile), find the agricultural crop that yields the highest
economic rent for that ring, then check the environmental constraint table (below) to see if the temperature and precipitation permit the crop to exist in that 2-mile zone or any part of
it. •
If the crop can be grown, use the appropriate symbol/colour for the crop and draw on the map that area where the crop should be grown based upon its economic rent and climate
needs. In some cases, a particular agricultural product may only be grown in a portion of a ring due to the environmental constraints. •
If there is still unallocated space within each distance zone, go to the crop that yields the next highest
economic rent, check the environmental constraints for it and, if feasible, draw
its symbol/colour in the area where the first activity cannot be produced. Continue this process until the ring is filled or until there are no crops possible to grow. Then move to the next ring and repeat the process, starting with the highest economic rent crop. •
If two activities yield the same economic rent for a particular zone, and they will both grow given the climatic restraints, place both
crop symbols on the map in that zone. •
If no crop will grow in the zone leave it blank. Just like your personal budget, when any of your calculations produce a negative value for economic rent, treat it as though it is zero.