Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
HO Pui-sing
Contents
Introduction
Agricultural Systems
Impacts of Urbanization and Industrialization
on Agricultural Landscapes
Introduction
Importance of Agriculture
The Landscapes of Medium Human Impact
Film 1 Film 2
Importance of Agriculture
Agriculture refers to the raising of crops and
livestock by man to produce useful commodities.
It is a economic activity and the most basic of all.
Food supply, raw materials for industry
2/3 people are engaged in various forms of
agriculture all over the world.
It is a way of life.
Agricultural land occupies 33% of the earth’s land
surface. (11% cropland, 22% pasture)
Farms products are very important elements in
world trade. (many countries cannot produce
enough food for their own needs)
Influence of the Environment
Physical factors set outer limits to farming
(temperature, rainfall, landforms, soil
types,growing season….)
Physical factors determine the outer
boundaries for the production of particular
crops or animals and the areas of optimum
yields. (rice, wheat, sugar cane, dairying,
…….)
Impacts on the Environment
Farmer is constantly modifying the natural
environment.
Clear the forest, planting, plough land, sow crops, adding
fertilizers….. New landscape
Use a unsuitable farming method in the environment
and causes serious consequences
Over-cropping and over-grazing cause soil erosion
Using chemical fertilizers and pesticides gain
enormous benefits and environment pollution
(Eutrophication)
Impacts on the Environment cont’d
Man is increasingly trying various methods of
overcoming the physical environment
Modified soil: terrace, wet lowlands drained,
coastlands reclaimed, adding chemicals
(fertilizers, pesticides, weedicides)
New varieties of plants and animals
Requirement: large input of capital and
labour (extremely high cost)
Developed countries can lessen to some
extent the influence of physical environment.
Agricultural systems
Human organized system
Ecological system
Economic system
Classification of World Agriculture
Physical components affecting
agriculture
Cultural components affecting
agriculture
Human organized system
Agriculture is a organized system is which
man applies his skills to the natural
environment for economic gain.
Inputs (organized natural and human inputs)
Natural elements
• Landforms, climate, soil, ….
Human elements
• Level of civilization, social organization, technological
and management skills, political organization
Human organized system - cont’d
Outputs
Crops and animal products
Arable farming
Plant crops: rice, wheat, rubber,…..
Livestock farming
Animal products: meat, wool, milk,…..
(Herding, grazing, ranching, pastoralism)
Mixed farming
Both plant and animal products
Eg. Australia’s wheat-sheep farming
Human organized system – cont’d
Man-land combinations vary considerably
from place to place and forms various
agricultural systems
Commercial agricultural system
Human inputs > natural inputs
For food, manufacturing and urban
Developed countries
Subsistence agricultural system
Natural inputs > human inputs
For local tribal or village communities
Developing countries
Human organized system – cont’d
Dynamics
Man can alter the human inputs and natural
inputs.
Human inputs:
• cultural inputs, fertilizers, pesticides
His activities will modify the natural
environment (natural inputs)
• Conscious:irrigation, greenhouse,….
• Unconscious: climate changes
Ecological system
Farm is a manipulated ecosystem
For yields (desired products)
Provide the most favourable conditions for
the plants and animals he wishes to produce.
Ecological system – cont’d
Ecological system – Energy Flow
Natural ecosystem
Only source of energy from the sun
Living plant tissues use up about 0.02% of the total
energy input
Energy transfer:
• Start from photosynthesis and passed along food chains,
released in the form of heat to environment
Agricultural ecosystem
Energy sources: sun + various energy inputs
Subsistence farming system: animate energy
Commercial farming system: fossil fuel energy
Ecological system - Energy Flow
Energy from human environment greatly
depend on the culture of societies
Developing countries
Simple hand tools (shifting cultivators)
Developed countries
Petrol oil for vehicles, tractors, combined-
harvesters and chemicals
Ecological system – Energy Flow
Energy efficiency
Energy Yield Ratio=energy output / energy input