Agriculture Reading Guide
Look at page 302. What's the photo showing? What stereotypes do you have of this activity? - correct
answers This page shows some farmers herding cattle in a field, stereotypes: done in the S of the US, old
practice we don't do anymore, for less developed countries
List some problems resulting from present-day farming practices - correct answers -plating same crops=
high soil loss through erosion, require lots of fertilizers/pesticides to maintain them, "Farmers have
thinnest/ most nutrient depleted soil in history", - best farmlands are unequally distributed, - barriers to
improving crop yields my arise from social/economic concerns as well as geographic challenges, -current
practices harm soil for future
Explain the long-term environmental and societal effects Glover's work might have on communities and
regions - correct answers -usage of perennial plants (survive year to year instead of replanting), use of
these plants can provide nutrients and increase yield of crops, working on perennial food crops but none
in large-scale cultivation yet, wants to adapt agri solutions to variety of local needs (may mean breeding
perennial crops meant for specific soil/climate conditions, means working w/farming communities and
forming an understanding of their social structure), envisions future generations feeding selves w/food
sources that are developed in limited ways now (i.e seaweed/insects raise for protein), use advanced
tech to more directly manipulate GMOs to better adapt them to local growing conditions, work with
women to better agri practices and change their place in society (bottom right now in places like
Malawi)
Using the Global Cropland map, compare the US to India and China. What's agri used for, other than
food for humans? - correct answers US has about same % world's cropland as China (8.9 v 8.8) and in
both countries cropland covers 18% entire country, India has highest % world's cropland: 9.6% (%
country's land not mentioned), Feeding livestock (i.e oats/alfalfa), fiber crops like cotton used for
textile/paper products, oil crops used for consumption/industrial purposes (i.e. olives/corn/ soybeans
can be processed into oil for cooing/machinery lubrication/ or as biofuel)
Agri is bound to the ____ environment, and 4 factos have a profound effect on what can be grown:
_____, which includes ____ and _____, ____, ______, and _____. How does latitude play a role in agri? -
correct answers Physical, climate, temperature, precipitation, elevation, soil, topography, Generally
greater distance from Equator= shorter growing season, at Equator/in tropics growing season can be
year round, in temperate/subarctic temps of winter prevent plant growth for varying # weeks or
months, in these regions growing season measured in # of frost free days (frost can kill plants)
Look at the altitudinal zonation graphic. How does elevation affect what's grown? - correct answers
Text: each increase 1k ft above sea level= decrease 3.6˚ F in average temp, higher elevation= shorter
growing season, elevation can create different cultivation opportunities in all mountainous regions (i.e
tropical regions C/S Amer), image (C/S Amer tropical): bottom -> top: Tierra Caliente (Tropical
rainforest): bananas/sugarcane/ rice/ other tropical crops/ some livestock, Tierra Templada (zone
Look at page 302. What's the photo showing? What stereotypes do you have of this activity? - correct
answers This page shows some farmers herding cattle in a field, stereotypes: done in the S of the US, old
practice we don't do anymore, for less developed countries
List some problems resulting from present-day farming practices - correct answers -plating same crops=
high soil loss through erosion, require lots of fertilizers/pesticides to maintain them, "Farmers have
thinnest/ most nutrient depleted soil in history", - best farmlands are unequally distributed, - barriers to
improving crop yields my arise from social/economic concerns as well as geographic challenges, -current
practices harm soil for future
Explain the long-term environmental and societal effects Glover's work might have on communities and
regions - correct answers -usage of perennial plants (survive year to year instead of replanting), use of
these plants can provide nutrients and increase yield of crops, working on perennial food crops but none
in large-scale cultivation yet, wants to adapt agri solutions to variety of local needs (may mean breeding
perennial crops meant for specific soil/climate conditions, means working w/farming communities and
forming an understanding of their social structure), envisions future generations feeding selves w/food
sources that are developed in limited ways now (i.e seaweed/insects raise for protein), use advanced
tech to more directly manipulate GMOs to better adapt them to local growing conditions, work with
women to better agri practices and change their place in society (bottom right now in places like
Malawi)
Using the Global Cropland map, compare the US to India and China. What's agri used for, other than
food for humans? - correct answers US has about same % world's cropland as China (8.9 v 8.8) and in
both countries cropland covers 18% entire country, India has highest % world's cropland: 9.6% (%
country's land not mentioned), Feeding livestock (i.e oats/alfalfa), fiber crops like cotton used for
textile/paper products, oil crops used for consumption/industrial purposes (i.e. olives/corn/ soybeans
can be processed into oil for cooing/machinery lubrication/ or as biofuel)
Agri is bound to the ____ environment, and 4 factos have a profound effect on what can be grown:
_____, which includes ____ and _____, ____, ______, and _____. How does latitude play a role in agri? -
correct answers Physical, climate, temperature, precipitation, elevation, soil, topography, Generally
greater distance from Equator= shorter growing season, at Equator/in tropics growing season can be
year round, in temperate/subarctic temps of winter prevent plant growth for varying # weeks or
months, in these regions growing season measured in # of frost free days (frost can kill plants)
Look at the altitudinal zonation graphic. How does elevation affect what's grown? - correct answers
Text: each increase 1k ft above sea level= decrease 3.6˚ F in average temp, higher elevation= shorter
growing season, elevation can create different cultivation opportunities in all mountainous regions (i.e
tropical regions C/S Amer), image (C/S Amer tropical): bottom -> top: Tierra Caliente (Tropical
rainforest): bananas/sugarcane/ rice/ other tropical crops/ some livestock, Tierra Templada (zone
