Chapter 10: Agriculture Introduction and Case Study (p. 326-328) 1. What is the typical human like? 2. Why does farming vary from place to place? 3. Case Study: Describe the difference between wheat farming in Pakistan and wheat farming in Kansas. Key Issue #1: Why Does Development Vary Among Countries? (p. 293-301) 4. How did humans obtain food prior to agriculture? Where is this still practiced today? 5. How was agriculture likely invented? What are the 2 types of plant cultivation? 6. Describe the hearths of vegetative planting and its diffusion. 7. Describe the hearths of seed agriculture in the Eastern Hemisphere. How did Southwest Asia improve seed agriculture? 8. Describe the diffusion of seed agriculture. 9. Describe the 2 hearths of seed agriculture in the Western Hemisphere. 10. Complete the chart: Type MDC or LDC? Purpose % of Population that Farm What They Use to Farm Farm Size Commercial Subsistence 11. Who buys most products of commercial farms? 12. What inventions and technology have facilitated commercial farming?
13. Why are farms usually large in MDCs? What has happened to the # of farms, # of farmers, and amount of farmland in the U.S. since 1900? 14. Why has U.S. farmland declined since 1960? 15. Describe agribusiness and its associated industries. 16. How does climate impact agricultural regions? 17. Contemporary Geographic Tools: How can GIS be used to protect farmland? Key Issue #2: Where Are Agricultural Regions in Less Developed Countries? (p. 335-342) ***Become familiar with Figure 10-5 on p. 336-337*** 18. Complete the chart using Key Issue #2: Type Climate(s) Regions and Countries # of Farmers Area Shifting Cultivation Pastoral Nomadism Intensive Subsistence (Wet Rice Dominant) Intensive Subsistence (Wet Rice Not Dominant) 19. Describe the process of shifting cultivation. Why must fields be left fallow (uncropped) for several years? 20. What types of crops are grown in shifting cultivation? 21. Why is shifting cultivation declining? Contrast critics of shifting cultivation from its defenders. 22. Describe how Bolivia and Brazil have differed recently with regards to the Amazon Rain Forest. 23. Describe the lives of pastoral nomads.
24. What animals are found in pastoral nomadism? What might affect the choice of animals? 25. Describe the migration patterns of nomads. 26. Why is pastoral nomadism on the decline? 27. How do families produce enough food in areas with high agricultural densities? 28. Describe the steps in growing and harvesting wet rice. 29. Describe terracing. Describe double cropping and where it can be practiced. 30. Why can wet rice not be grown in interior India and Northeast China? What crops are grown in these regions? 31. What is the purpose of crop rotation? 32. How have farms in China changed since 1949 (Communist Revolution)? Why were the communes eventually dismantled? 33. What is a plantation? What are typical crops that may be found on a plantation? 34. Where are plantations found today? Who are they usually owned by? Key Issue #3: Where Are Agricultural Regions in More Developed Countries? (p. 342-351) 35. Complete the chart using Key Issue #3: Type Regions Key Characteristics Mixed Crop & Livestock Dairy
Grain Livestock Ranching Mediterranean Commercial Gardening and Fruit 36. What are the advantages of mixed crop and livestock farming? 37. Describe the 2- field and 4- field crop rotation systems. 38. Describe the values and uses of corn and soybeans. Describe the location of the Corn Belt. 39. How has dairy farming worldwide changed in recent years? What countries are world leaders in dairy products? 40. What is the milkshed? What has allowed the milkshed to grow dramatically? 41. Describe the challenges faced by dairy farmers. Why has the number of dairy farms declined in the U.S.? 42. What is grain give examples. How is grain farming different from mixed crop and livestock farming? 43. What is the most important grain? Why is it so important? 44. Why are the Great Plains of U.S. & Canada considered the world s breadbasket? Name other major wheat- growing countries. 45. Complete the chart: Type States/Provinces Planting Season Harvest Season Winter Wheat Belt Spring Wheat Belt
46. How have reapers and combines revolutionized grain production? 47. Where is ranching practiced and why? 48. How were cattle transported to market? How did the expansion of the railroad affect ranching and frontier towns? 49. Why did conflict exist between farmers and ranchers? 50. How did barbed wire, irrigation, hardier crops, and new cattle breeds change ranching and the American West? 51. What other countries have significant ranching operations? 52. Describe the Mediterranean climate. What animals and crops are best suited in this climate? 53. Why is grain grown less in California than other Mediterranean agriculture areas? 54. What is truck farming? What allows them to increase efficiency and reduce costs? 55. What generally happens to the value of land as one moves further away from the city? What 2 values does von Thunen identify as critical to commercial farming? 56. Describe the rings of the von Thunen Model. Why are these products and activities found at each ring? 57. Describe the shortcomings of von Thunen s Model. Key Issue #4: Why Do Farmers Face Economic Difficulties? (p. 351-360) 58. Why do commercial farmers face challenges? Why is the supply of food greater than demand in MDCs?
59. Describe the 3 policies the U.S. Government uses to address overproduction of food. 60. Why does the EU offer farm subsidies? 61. What is sustainable agriculture? What are the 3 main practices that distinguish sustainable & organic farming from conventional farming? 62. How does ridge tillage conserve soil and lower farming costs? 63. What chemicals are often used in farming? Why do sustainable farms limit the use of these chemicals? 64. What 4 factors/complexities must be balanced for a sustainable integration of crops and livestock? 65. What 2 challenges do subsistence farmers face? 66. Describe the Boserup Thesis. How is this contrary to Malthus s theory (Ch. 2)? 67. In what 2 ways do subsistence farmers increase food supply? 68. Describe the 5 stages of intensification of farmland. 69. Global Forces, Local Impacts: What is genetically modified food (GM)? What are the positives and negatives? 70. Why do countries who rely on export crops face challenges?
71. Describe the main locations where opium, coca, and marijuana are grown. 72. What strategies can be used to increase food supply? 73. What is desertification and what are its causes? How can too much water and urbanization affect farmland? 74. Describe the main principles and technologies of the Green Revolution. What countries/regions have benefited most? 75. What new sources of food might be exploited to increase the food supply? 76. Where has overfishing become a problem? Why is it difficult to encourage people to eat new foods? 77. What countries/regions are net importers of food? Which are net exporters? 78. Where is famine (food shortage) particularly problematic in Africa? Why does much of sub- Saharan Africa face food shortages?