Settlement Patterns of Major Agriculture - AP Human Geography

“Pastoralism” is used to describe a certain type of animal husbandry. It generally involves a nomadic lifestyle, where the people move with their flocks to take advantage of seasonal changes, favorable climates, and so on. It has been practiced extensively throughout human history, but in the modern age is primarily practiced in sparsely populated parts of the world where more common agriculture is unsustainable.

“Pastoralism” is the name given to _nomadic animal husbandr_y. A pastoral society is one that wanders in search of food or to follow its flock. Pastoralism is most commonly practiced in barren mountainous or arid terrains, particularly in Africa, Asia, and some parts of South America.

The practice of “pastoralism,” or nomadic animal husbandry, is decreasing worldwide. It was once a widely practiced means of sustaining human populations, but has been replaced throughout most of the world by more refined and sustainable agricultural practices. It is still practiced in parts of Africa, Asia, and South America, but its influence continues to wane as agricultural technology continues to advance.

“Transhumance” refers to the movement of livestock from one region to another to take advantage of different seasons. It is distinct from “pastoralism” because “pastoralism” involves following the herd, rather than directing it. The movement of livestock from valleys in the winter to mountainous regions in the summer is the classic example of “transhumance.”

Plantation agriculture is defined by the production of one or more usually cash crops on a large swathe of land. It is most common in tropical climates where cash crops generally grow more naturally.

The term “ranching,” particularly in reference to American agriculture refers to a type of commercial farming in which the livestock (usually cattle) is allowed to roam over an established area. The fact that the animals roam, but the farmers remain settled, separates this term from “pastoralism.”

“The Chisholm Trail” was a path taken by cowboys and ranchers in Texas during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It involved the transportation of cattle from the ranches of Texas up to the rail yards of Kansas from where the cattle could be shipped to the urban centers of the East Coast.

"Swidden" or "slash-and-burn" agriculture is a form of subsistence farming practiced all over the world, although it is most widely found in tropical regions such as Amazonia. One of the oldest forms of agriculture, swidden involves clearing the forestation and growth in a desired field with axes, then burning the stumps to eliminate obstructions and enhance the soil. This practice has harmful effects of rainforests in which it is practiced and does not produce high yield for its farmers, causing ecological and economic problems.

Corn is the only subsistence crop of the presented options. Tobacco, cotton, and rice are all high intensive plantation crops. Tobacco, cotton, rubber, and papyrus are also not edible, therefore disqualifying them from being considered subsistence crops.

Subsistence agriculture involves food production mainly for the family. A farmer will grow most everything that the family would consume, and anything leftover will go to the local community rather than to a big market.

By definition, a subsistence crop is a crop that is grown primarily for the purpose of feeding/sustaining farmers and their families, with any surplus going towards trade. Of the following answer choices, rice is the only one that can be characterized as a subsistence crop, as rice is a staple food in many agricultural regions.

In the developed world, particularly in Western Europe, the majority of commercial grain farming is used to feed livestock. This is because it is more profitable to raise meat products than it is to grow grain; so grain is grown and fed to livestock, which is in turn culled and sold on the market.

Monoculture refers to the practice of growing one species or variety of plant within a given area. The prefix "mono" means "one."

Eliminate options about the orchard, the redwood, and the organic farm. All you have left is Monsanto.

The term “monoculture” is used to describe the deliberate cultivation of only one single crop in a large land area. Monoculture has increased in practice in recent years as it allows for easier mechanized harvesting and more efficient large-scale farming.

A "cash crop" is an agricultural crop that is purposely made strictly to be sold in a market environment for as much money as possible. Most cash crops, which include cotton, opium, grains, and many other products, are grown in a monoculture environment, where they are the only product grown on a piece of land. By their nature, cash crops are not a form of subsistence farming, as they are always produced to be used beyond a grower's own home and family.

When farmers grow a few lucrative crops, they cash cropping. Cash cropping involves growing one or a few crops that can be sold for a relatively high price.

A cash crop is a crop like coffee or tobacco; something that is grown for profit and to meet some luxury rather than to sustain the population. Cash crops are primarily grown on plantations in the developing world. Cash crops, while generally grown in the developing world, are most often exported to the developed world.

Due to rising concerns about overfishing and the ability to control the supply of fish, aquaculture has become the main source of fish and shellfish in the world. Aquaculture typically happens in manmade ponds or sections of rivers and seas that are bracketed off to keep the fish under control. Aquaculture is now one of the largest sectors of agriculture in most advanced nations.

A salmon farm in Scotland and a kelp farm in southern California are two examples of the raising of fish and marine plants in controlled environments. This is called “aquaculture.”