1. Agricultural resources and limitations

2. Agriculture depends on the interactions of 4 natural systems
Climate
Soil
Topography
Biology

3. 1) Climate 1) Climate  Two variables:
a) Amount of Solar Energy (or heat)
Amount of heat is described by measures such as the length of the growing season, hours of sunlight in a day and intensity or strength of the solar radiation
This demonstrates why bananas can be grown in the Caribbean but not in Brandon

4. b) Amount of Moisture
Measured in terms of precipitation levels
More accurate to consider the relationship between the amount of precipitation and the amount of evapotranspiration (the movement of water from the soil to the atmosphere by evaporation from the soil and transpiration from plants)

5. Since evapotranspiration increases with higher temperatures, cooler locations require smaller amounts of precipitation for more plant growth.
Farmers also look into the distribution of precipitation (sporadic downpours or constant drizzle)

6. Different climatic conditions encourage farmers to produce different products
In B.C. and eastern Canada, the climate is mild and wet, which means farmers can grow crops that require more water and longer growing seasons
In central Canada, the climate is hotter and drier, meaning that farmers can grow crops that do not require a lot of precipitation or long growing seasons, such as wheat

7. The length of growing season is important for crop farmers, because it dictates which crops they can grow. Growing season is defined by how many days in a year in which the average temperature is above 5.6ºC

8. Different types of crops require different growing season lengths.
Cotton requires over 200 frost-free days a year to reach maturity, and thus would be unsuited to conditions in Canada
Wheat only requires 90 frost-free days a year to reach maturity, making them better suited to our climate

9. 2. Soil Soils contain the nutrients essential for plant growth.
Potassium
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Also includes living organic materials such as earthworms and bacteria, and decaying materials such as rotting plants, water and air.
The amount of decayed organic material is the most critical factor in determining its fertility.

10. Good quality soil consists of about one half weathered rock and organic material (decomposed plant and animal material) called humus
The richness of decayed organic material, or humus, is determined by the amount of plant growth supported by the soil and the availability of moisture.
Plants also require the correct PH level for nutrient absorption

11. Soils are affected by levels of precipitation
Too much rain, the soils become saturated and leach nutrients (lose nutrients.)
Too little moisture, soils cannot support most plant life so they will wither and die without water.

12. 3. Topography The topography refers to “the lay of the land”
The steepness or inclination of land affects the plant life that it can support.
The amount of solar
radiation and wind strength
are affected by the
topography of the land.

13. Level land is best for farming
On the other hand, land that is very flat, especially if it has fine soil material and a high water table, may be too wet for farming
Hilly regions are prone to soil erosion
If an area is too hilly, there is the potential for the loss of vital topsoil through erosion
Sometimes, the farmers cannot grow crops; they’ll choose to use this land for raising livestock

14. 4. Biology Some organisms are highly beneficial to farming
Earthworms improve the movement of air through the soil, while bees are vital for plant pollination

15. Other organisms are highly destructive
Weeds can interfere the productivity of agriculture
Overpopulation of grasshoppers
Animal diseases such as the foot-and-mouth epidemic that affected the UK in 2000 and 2001
BSE in a single cow reared in AB affected the US to close its borders to imports of live Canadian cattle, sending the Canadian beef industry into crisis