Agriculture

• How is population affected by climate?

  • tropical areas have high populations as they can easily produce food e.g. rice
  • few people live in deserts as there are few resources
  • high populations in moderate climates as not too hot or cold e.g. UK
• Zonal soil

  mature soils that have developed from interactions between mature soils that have developed from interactions between climate, vegetation and parent rock.
• Tropical Red Latosols

  • under tropical rainforests
  • 30-40m deep
  • poor for agriculture due to low nutrients
  • burning vegetations adds nutrients to them
  • slightly acidic
• Podzol soils


  • occur in cool temperate climates in northern hemisphere
  • in coniferous woodland or heather moorland
  • highly acidic and lack nutrients so crops can't grow
  • vulnerable to water logging
  • used for sheep grazing, breeding, shooting, feeding of grouse and logging
• reducing soil erosion

  • crop rotation
  • natural windbreaks from hedges or trees
  • terracing (steps in hillside)
  • contour ploughing across slope
  • mulching using a layer of plant material
• types of intensive farming:


  • capital - high input of capital, low input of labour, uses fertilisers, pesticides and labour saving machinery
  • labour - doesn't involve capital but uses lots of labour
• How polar climate affects development?

  • frozen ground makes it hard to build on
  • buildings and roads have to be designed so they don't melt permafrost
  • can only do seasonal work e.g. tourism, oil/gas reserves
  • melting ice opens up shipping routes and commercial fishing
• Why do polar climates make human occupation difficult?

  • low agricultural productivity so subistence farming is common
  • arable farming not possible as few plants can survive the low temperature
  • meat based diets from hunting, trapping and fishing
  • people migrate seasonally
  • have to adapt to climate through warm clothing and insulation
• Why do North America and Europe consume more food?

  • can afford to import food
  • high disposable incomes
  • demand seasonal food all year round
  • high demand for meat
• How soils affect populations?

  • areas with good soil fertility will have a higher population as more food can be grown
  • people migrate to volcanoes as soil fertility is good
  • areas near flood plains have good soil fertility
  • soil erosion leads to a low population as agriculture is difficult
• extensive farming


  has low capital and labour input so less food is produced. It has less environmental impact and provides better animal welfare.
• a farm as a system

  inputs - solar energy, precipitation, seeds, fertilisers

  outputs - food produced

  stores - energy and matter in soil, crops and animals
• normadic farming


  farmers move from place to place to grow crops or graze animals on different land
• subsistence farming


  just enough food is grown to feed the family so there is low agricultural productivity
• commercial farming


  produces crops/livestock to make a proffer so has high agricultural productivity and common in developed countries
• impacts of climate change on agriculture:

  • decreases agricultural productivity - decreased rainfall damages crops and grazing
  • increased productivity - more rainfall in some areas
  • changes to types of crops grown
  • pests and diseases increase
• What are the impacts of climate change on health?

  • Houses at risk of flooding
  • Mental health issues
  • Crops affected by rising sea levels
  • Increased anxiety due to saltwater contamination
  • Waterlogged crops leading to vector breeding
• What are the advantages of hydroponics?

  • Crops can be grown in any location
  • Higher yields with fewer resources
  • Reduces waste and preserves water
  • No need for soil
• What are the advantages of aeroponics?

  • Uses 95% less water than traditional farming
  • Allows growth in unusual places
  • Faster growth due to nutrient access
  • No need for fertilizers or pesticides
• What are the destructive actions on soil structure?

  Heavy rainfall, removing vegetation, farming machinery, and overgrazing
• What are the consequences of poor soil structure?

  Decreased aeration, hard and dry soil, and increased erosion
• What are the methods of soil management?

  • Contour farming
  • Windbreaks
  • Terracing
  • Drainage
  • Changing land use
• What are the main causes of soil problems?

  • Water erosion
  • Wind erosion
  • Soil compaction
  • Overgrazing
  • Poor land management
• What are the effects of soil erosion?

  • Loss of fertile land
  • Decreased agricultural productivity
  • Increased sedimentation in water bodies
  • Disruption of ecosystems
• What is the double burden of malnutrition with example?

  the number who have over nutrition and under nutrition

  e.g. Indonesia 12% are overweight and 12% undernourished
• Factors affecting food production and supply?


  • investment in fertilisers
  • GM crops
  • over abstraction
  • climate change
  • technology
  • war
  • extreme weather
  • irrigation systems
  • wealth for importing and exporting
• food production has tripled globally in the last 50 years
• agricultural productivity 


  the ratio of agricultural outputs to inputs
• subsistence farming


  farmer only grows enough to feed himself and his family so capital, labour and output is low
• Intensive farming


  small scale with high input if capital or labour with large outputs
• extensive farming


  large scale with low labour and high capital output
• pastoral farming 


  farming of only animals
• arable farming


  growing of crops
• commercial farming


  aims to make a profit
• organic farming 


  operates with environmental sustainability in mind
• Polar climate affects:

  • agricultural production is low so mainly subsistence farming
  • insulated clothes and building materials
  • native people migrate seasonally to be near food supply
  • buildings designed so they don't melt permafrost
  • seasonal work - tourism, oil and gas reserves
  • commercial fishing and shipping routes when ice melts
  • meat based diets
• Monsoon climate affects:

  • monsoon rain is essential for crop yields
  • rice is grown in paddy fields
  • dry season/ winter monsoon is needed to dry out rice
• How does climate change cause agriculture?

  • deforestation to make space for crops
  • methane released from livestock
  • livestock and fodder production releases 3 billion tonnes of co2
  • methane released from manure and waste
  • emissions from transporting and packaging yields
• Eutrophication 


  process where water becomes loaded with dissolved nutrients
• humus


  organic matter formed from the decay of leaves, plants and other life