GEOG 1HB3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 10: Economic Rent, Fruit Preserves, Soil Health
12 Dec 2018
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Document Summary
Physical factors are important influences in agricultural decisions and hence in the creation of agricultural landscapes. Animals and plants are living things and require appropriate physical environments to function efficiently. Farmers have two options: ensure that there is a match between animal and plant requirements and the physical environment or create artificial physical environments via irrigation or building green houses. Climatic factors are the main physical variables affecting agriculture. Optimum temperature for the plant cycle is 18-25 celsius. Two other important physical variables are soils and topographical relief. Solid depth, texture, acidity, and nutrient composition all need to be considered. Advances in plant and animal breeding and, most recently, in biotechnology have improved agricultural productivity. Spatial patterns of agricultural activities are affected by physical, cultural, and political variables. The most important variables generally- not necessarily in a specific location- are economic.
