Arable Land and Farming Practices

Intro to Agriculture

• Soil is found near the surface of the Earth
• Soil is a valuable resource

Arable Land Soil Characteristics

• Needs a crumbly texture
• Needs a rich base of organic matter
• Needs microorganisms for decomposition
• Microorganisms decompose surface organic matter to create topsoil
• Organic matter depends on microorganisms for decomposition

Soil Importance

• The last few inches of the planet is soil Farmers should prevent soil damage or erosion
• Soil supports plant growth with nutrients from organic materials and microorganisms
• Protecting the soil in the last inches of the Earth can support human/animal life

Farming and Land Shape

• Land shapes determine farming possibilities
• Topography is the APHG term for shape of the land
• Farmers in hilly areas raise animals vs plants because the land is too hilly, elevated and uneven to grow crops

Vocabulary

• Agriculture is planting, harvesting crops, and animal raising for food
• A domesticated plant is planted, protected, and genetically modified by humans
• A domesticated animal depends on humans for food and shelter and acts differently because of close contact with humans
• Farmers raise animals/crops to sell for profit vs consumption
• Physical geography studies the Earth's features and processes and their effect on humans
• Nutrients are topsoil components needed for plant growth, survival, and reproduction
• Topography is the arrangement of shapes on Earth

Topsoil Absorption

• Nutrients in topsoil are absorbed through plant roots
• Examples of these nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium

Topsoil

• Topsoil is 2-8 inches below ground
• It is the dark brown soil right under the grass

Topography and Land Formation (Figures)

• Steep slopes and hills are too steep for planting crops but can raise sheep and cattle
• Flat plains in the US and southern Canada have fertile soils for grain farming
• Mountainous setting in Colorado with shrubs, trees, grass, and low elevations for livestock

Climate vs. Weather

• Climate is a region's average weather over a longer period
• Weather is an atmospheric condition that changes daily
• Daily weather conditions cannot reflect overall climate change

Agricultural Climate Groups in the US

• The agricultural climate groups in the contiguous US are humid continental, humid subtropical, semiarid, and arid
• Humid continental climates are common in the Midwest, having four seasons full of temperature and weather variation
• Humid subtropical climates are common in the south, with long, hot summers and short, mild winters
• Semiarid climates are common in the southwest, receiving 10-20 inches of rainfall supporting farming
• Arid climates are common generally along the west, receiving less than 10 inches of rainfall

Tropical Climates and Farming

• Tropical jungle regions contain small farms owned by migrant, family operated
• Too much rain for farming can stop crop growth because it prevents air from reaching plant roots and washes away nutrients in the topsoil

African Grasslands and Monsoons

• African grasslands(savannahs) dry up each year but replenish by monsoons.
• Life may suffer from smaller monsoons in the plains, including crops, plants, zebras, lions and animal life because all life relies on rainfall for survival

Semiarid Regions, Climate Change, and Starvation

• People living in dry regions are at risk of starvation if Earth's climate warms because it reduces average rainfall, resulting in less plant and crop farming
• These areas already experience long droughts due to being surrounded by deserts, which is damaging to crop production

Hot/Humid Summers on Coastlines

• Hot, humid summers are found on the EAST coast of continents
• Cities that experience these conditions include: Raleigh, North Carolina, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Beijing, China, and Sydney, Australia

Mildest Tolerable Climate for Humans

• Mediterranean climate occurs a lot in Southern California
• There is lots of sunshine
• The air feels good

Vocabulary List: Climate

• Climate is a region's average pattern of weather over an extended period
• Weather consists of day-to-day atmospheric conditions that are less consistent/change with each day
• Tropical wet climates are located along the equator and experience rainfall everyday which supports tropical rainforests
• Tropical wet and dry climates are located along the equator and have a dry season, often in winter, and are subject to monsoons
• A monsoon is a seasonal shift in winds that causes moist weather and rainfall in the summer and dry conditions in the winter
• Monsoon rain consists of long periods of heavy rainfall at the end of a short dry season, everyday
• Arid climates receive less than 10 inches of rainfall annually
• Semiarid/steppe climates receive 10-20 inches of rainfall annually supporting farming
• Moderate climates have an average temperature of 75F and are found north and south of the equator on the edges of tropical climates
• Humid subtropical climates have long, hot summers and short, mild winters with varying precipitation and are found on east coasts
• Marine West Coast climates are found on west coasts, closer to the poles with long summers and winters because of ocean breeze and polar winds
• Mediterranean climates have winter precipitation, mild winters, and clear sunny skies along the sea and in coastal areas
• Continental climates have a large range of temperatures and moderate precipitation, found in interior continents of the northern hemisphere like North America and Eurasia
• Humid continental climates have a wide range of temperatures, moderate precipitation, four seasons, warm to hot summers, and cold snowy winters.
• Humid cold climates have very cold temperatures, found in the northern continental climate zone and are sometimes called subarctic

Climate Groups

• Tropical, moderate, and continental climate groups are primarily defined by temperature
• Dry climate groups are defined by precipitation

Climate and Agriculture

• Climate affects success of agriculture because it helps farmers determine what crops to grow/animals to raise

Types of Climate

• Tropical: tropical wet, tropical wet and dry
• Dry: Semiarid, arid
• Moderate: Humid subtropical, Marine west coast, mediterranean
• Continental: humid continental, humid cold (subarctic)

Tropical Climate Conditions

• Tropical climates are located along the equator
• Average temperature of 80F
• Tropical wet climates support tropical rainforests like the Amazon River and Congo River Basins

Rainforest Conditions and Agriculture

• Agriculture is limited in rainforests and takes place on small scales such as in family-run villages or small farms

Monsoons

• Examples of monsoon rains includes grasslands in the African savanna that begin to turn brown and water sources begin to dry up until the rainy season

Conditions in Dry Climates

• In dry climates, rainfall is scarce
• Temperatures can be especially hot in subtropical deserts like the Sahara, or they can range from very hot in summer to extremely cold in winter

Semiarid Climates

• Semiarid climates surround deserts and have year-long periods of severe drought.
• Moderate climates have seasonal temperature change

Climate Locations

• Sydney, Australia, Beijing, China, and Raleigh, North Carolina have humid subtropical climates
• The most extensive West coast climate is in western and central Europe because mountains block wind currents
• Seattle, Washington and Dunedin, New Zealand are typical marine west coast climates
• Humid Continental climates include Chicago, Illinois and Shengyang, China

Mediterranean Climates

• Three climate features include:
  • Winter precipitation
  • Mild winter temperatures
  • Clear sunny skies in the summer

Explore key considerations for farmers regarding soil texture, topsoil importance, and organic matter. Understand the impact of land shape on agriculture and the distinction between farming and personal cultivation. Learn about practices to improve soil fertility and adapt to land limitations.