This document defines rural areas and agricultural landscapes. It discusses how agricultural activities transform landscapes through various elements like habitat types, plot characteristics, and factors that influence agricultural landscapes. It identifies physical factors like climate, relief and water as well as human factors like historical, demographic, economic and technical influences. It categorizes agricultural landscapes into subsistence and developed types and provides examples for each, discussing characteristics like traditional techniques, commercialization, technology and productivity.

1. RURAL AREAS
DEFINITIONS OF UNIT S CONCEPTS:
-Rural areas: place in the countryside, a non-
urban space.
-Agricultural landscape: natural landscape
transformed by agricultural activities.
-PROBLEMS:
How do agricultural activities transform the
landscape?
PLANNING:
1.- Elements of the agricultural landscape.
2.-Factors
3.- Types of landscapes

2. Introductions: rural areas
tertiary
habitats
RURAL
PRIMARY
livestock
forestry
AGRICULTURAL
agriculture
secondary
fishing

3. 1.-Elements of agrarian areas
1.1 Rural habitats:
– concentrated
– scattered
1.2. The plots:
–Monocultures/polycultures
–Enclosed/openfields
–Dry farming/ Irrigated
farming

4. The rural habitat
A. Concentrated
B. Scattered

5. The plots (1)
• Enclosed • Openfield
Privately owned plots with no fences or
separation.
Plots diveded by fences, hedges. Also
called bocage.

6. The plots (2):polycultures
• Dry farming • Irrigated farming

7. The plots (3):monocultures
• Dry farming • Irrigated farming

8. Now your turn!
Q1:Write down the
characteristics of the following
landscapes:

9. Nº 1
• A)
monocultures, irrigate
d farming
• B)
polyculture, dryfarmin
g
• C) polyculture, dry
and irrigated farming

10. Nº 2
• A)
polyculture, bocage, dr
y farming
• B)
polyculture, openfield,
irrigated farming
• C)
monoculture, bocage, i
rrigated farming

11. Nº 3
• A) bocage, dry
farming
• B) openfield, dry
farming
• C)
openfield, extensive
livestock

12. Nº 4

13. Nº 5

14. Nº 6

15. 2.- The factors
• PHYSICAL:
– Climate
– Relief
– Water
– Sun
– Vegetation
• HUUMANS:
– Historical
– Demographic
– Economic
– Political
– Technical

16. Physical factors: the climate

17. Physical factors: the relief

18. Physical factors : the water
Greenhouses in Almeria.
Q2: Where do you think
the water for irrigation
comes from?

19. Human factors
Ex 1 : Rice cultivation in
Asia
-Demographic pressure
-Increase of demand
-Historically important
-Low technology

20. Human factors
• Ex. 2 : Great Plains
in North America:
-Commercial
agriculture
-High technology
-Government policies:
aid with subsidies
…

21. Now your turn!
Q3: What factors influence
the following landscapes?

23. 3.- Types of landscapes
3.1. Subsistance
landscapes:
-Traditional agiculture
-Rice cultivation in Asia
3.2. Developed
landscapes:
-Plantations
-Agriculture in Europe
-The Great Plains in
North America

24. Subsistance agriculture: Traditional
• Subsistance
agriculture
• Old techniques
• Low productivity
• Intensive methods

25. Now your turn!
Q4:Why does traditional
agriculture use intensive
methods?

26. Traditional landscapes : Rice cultivation in
Asia
• Highest rural
population of the
world.
• Old technicques
• Intensive
monoculture: high
yield, abundant labour.
• Several harvests a year

27. Now your turn!
• Q5: What three physical factors
are necessary for the cultivation
of rice?

28. Commercial Agriculture: Plantations
• Coastal tropical
countries
• Products:
coffee, tea, cocoa.
• Commerical
agriculture
• High technology
• Strong investments
• Abundant labour, low
wages

29. Now your turn!
• Coffee plantations in Mexico:
• Q 6: Why are
plantations located in
coastal areas?

30. Developed countries: Commercial
agriculture in Europe
• High yield
• Mechanization, seeds
selection, fertilizers
and pesticides
• Specialization
• Market gardening
• CAP

31. Now your turn!
• Q 7: Think over:
How has european agriculture been
able to increase production in spite
of reducing the number of farmers
working in the primary sector?

32. 3.2. Developed countries: Great
Plains in North Amercia
• Market oriented
• Big plots of land.
Geometrical shape.
• Extensive method:
high yield and
scarce labour.

33. Now your turn!
• Q8: Each american farmer can produce
enough food to feed one hundred USA
citizens,
How do you think he accomplishes this
result?

34. Q9: Which of these agricultural practices is the most
intensive? And the least intensive?
USA France Netherlands
Active surface
(in ha)
153 22,4 8,5
Production per
ha ($)
198 984 4 203
Production per
active farmer
($)
30 250 22 042 35 725