Unit 5: Agriculture and Rural Land-Use Patterns and Processes Chapter 13: Topic 5.8

Question 1

A key component of economic geography, deals with why people choose certain locations for various types of economic activity-factories, stores, restaurants or agriculture.

Answer 1

Location Theory

Question 2

An economic model that suggested a pattern for the types of products that farmers would product at different positions relative to the market (community). Need to know how to draw the model and the categories within the model)

Answer 2

Von Thunen Model (draw and label)

Question 3

This zone is the closest to the market, Thunen suggested that horticulture (a type of agriculture that includes market gardening/truck farming and dairy farming, would occur). Horticulture produces perishable items, and farmers need to get them to market quickly, especially important before truck and refrigeration. Growing highly perishable crops, such as tomatoes and strawberries, and dairy farming are considered to be intensive forms of agriculture.

Answer 3

VT zone 1

Question 4

This zone includes forests, wood was an extremely important resource in 1826, Von Thunen thought that wood products would be close to the market because they were not only important but heavy, costly, and difficult to transport.

Answer 4

VT zone 2

Question 5

Farther from the market, crops such as wheat and corn were grown. Though valuable, they did not perish as quickly as vegetables and milk and were not as difficult to transport as wood. In addition, corn can be used to feed live stock located in the second and fourth rings

Answer 5

VT zone 3

Question 6

Final ring, used for grazing of livestock, such as beef cattle. Livestock could be located farther from the market since they have lower transportation costs because farmers can walk them to the market.

Answer 6

VT zone 4

Question 7

Graph that can be used to determine the starting position for each land use relative to the market, as well as where each land use would end

Answer 7

Bid-rent Curve

Question 8

Naturally occurring beneficial conditions that would prompt farmers to plant crops differently from those predicted by Von Thunen’s model

Answer 8

Comparative Advantage

Question 9

Supply and demand, not government policy, determine the outcome of competition for land-the farmer who will have the greatest profit will pay the most at each location to occupy the land.

Answer 9

Free Market Economy

Question 10

• Farming was an economic activity
• Farmers were in business to make a profit
• There was one market where farmers sold their products
• There was one transportation system
• Famers paid transportation costs, which varies with distance
• The market was situated in the center of an isotropic plain, which means flat and featureless with similar fertility and climate throughout
• The area beyond the market and farmland (the Isolated State) was wilderness.

Answer 10

Von Thunen Model Assumptions

Question 11

Assumption: Farming was an economic activity, Limitation: Government policies can interfere with a free market economy and effect farmers’ decisions.
Assumption: Farmers were in business to make a profit, Limitation: Simply to provide enough food for his or her family, not profit is the goal for many farmers, especially in less-developed areas.
Assumption: There was one market where farmers sold their products, Limitation: Modern agriculture systems have multiple markets; rarely is just one market available
Assumption: There was one transportation system, Limitation: Planes, trains, and trucks (especially modern refrigerated transportation) have changed distance considerations for farmers.
Assumptions: The marker was situated in the center of an isotropic plain, Limitation: Differences in land formation, soil fertility, and climate exist in agricultural regions, making isotropic plains uncommon.

Answer 11

5 Criticisms of Von Thunen Model