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Von Thunen
This document discusses Johann von Thunen's model of agricultural land use. The model predicts concentric rings of agricultural activity radiating out from a central market city, with the most intensive, perishable crops closest to market and more extensive livestock grazing further out. Factors like transportation costs, land costs, and climate determine which crops are grown in each ring. The document applies the model to different geographic contexts and discusses how transportation changes like rivers and railroads would impact the model's predictions. It also compares the model to real-world agricultural land use patterns.
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Von Thunen
- 1. Rootin’ Tootin’Rootin’ Tootin’ VonThunenVon Thunen
- 2. What factors matterwhenWhat factors matter when you choose to farm? Whereyou choose to farm? Where farm? Why?farm? Why? Physical Factors: Soil quality Topography: Sloped or flat lands- easy to irrigate Climate: (most important) LET’S LOOK AT GREECE
- 3. What do youknow aboutWhat do you know about Greece (P/C)?Greece (P/C)? Islands Hills/Mts. Mediterranean
- 4. What are theother factorsWhat are the other factors besides Physical/climate?besides Physical/climate?
- 5. Cultural FactorsCultural Factors Culture Horsemeat: nutritious (taboo in U.S.) Pig/Cow Algerians and wine
- 6. AlgeriaAlgeria Where is it?Physical/Climate?
- 7. Political FactorsPolitical Factors Colonizationand plantations Gov finance of types of ag: new tech, certain product Government and culture (French and wine!) EU/US and farm subsidies An agricultural subsidy is money paid to farmers and agribusinesses to supplement their income, manage the supply of agricultural commodities, and influence the cost and supply of such commodities.
- 10. Economic factorsEconomic factors Costof land/taxes Cost of machines Cost of fertilizer/etc Distance from market (shipping costs)
- 11. Johann Heinrich vonJohannHeinrich von ThunenThunen German alive during 2nd Agricultural Rev. Saw geographic pattern that seemed to emerge from market outward creates model that explains and predicts agriculture land use patterns
- 12. Von Thunen’s ModelVonThunen’s Model The Isolated State (1826) Isolate certain variables: All soil, terrain and climate is the same (Isotropic) Only one market/city State (country is isolated- no trade) What mattered then to farmers?
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- 14. Factors that matterto VT...Factors that matter to VT... Land CostLand Cost Transportation CostTransportation Cost
- 15. What was histheory?What was his theory? Concentric Rings of ag. activity surround a city Each ring is different type of ag. Pattern is intensive to extensive
- 16. Ring 1: MarketgardeningRing 1: Market gardening and Dairyand Dairy Why near city? Perishable Profitable/demand high $ Can afford high rent
- 17. Ring 2: ForestRing2: Forest (run Forest run)(run Forest run) Why? Need for Construction Need for fuel Heavy/hard/costly to transport
- 18. Ring 3: VariousCropsRing 3: Various Crops and Grainsand Grains What crops grown closest to Market (within 3)? furthest? Crops with the highest market price and the highest transportation costs closest (perishable also)
- 19. Ring 4: LivestockRanchingRing 4: Livestock Ranching Why? Extensive...need lots of land...land is cheaper in Ring 4 After Ring 4: “4’get’aboutit...”
- 20. Notice the sharpor flat curves
- 21. Let’s mess withVonLet’s mess with Von ThunenThunen What if a River moved thru the middle of his model? What does a river do?
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- 23. A Railroad fromthe SEA Railroad from the SE Cool Thunen!
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- 25. Another Small MarketAnotherSmall Market Suburban Thunen!
- 26. Von Thunen today:noVon Thunen today: no more forest, But...more forest, But...
- 27. VT TodayVT Today -moreintensive; closer to market -near market: minimal transport costs, but land costs and taxes high -near market: perishable...milk, fruits
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- 29. Von Thunen inRealityVon Thunen in Reality
- 30. VT TodayVT Today 1)Market gardening (truck farming): specialize in non-tropical fruits, veg. and vines 2) Dairy: we know 3) Livestock fattening/grain: grain for livestock...cattle/pigs -3/4 of cropland in W. Europe devoted to animals -90% in Denmark Although livestock-grain farms work land intensively, the value per unit is less than a truck farm...hence further from city 4) grain: Wheat -Capital needed: planting and harvesting machinery
- 31. UruguayUruguay One City Here’s howVT would predict Reality?
- 32. Pretty darn close!Prettydarn close!
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- 35. megalopolis Avg sized farmin ND is 1300 acres. intensive commercial ag. close to the market... farms may average 40 acres or less.
- 36. VT in USAVTin USA # Figure A represents what the agricultural land use would be if the most basic assumptions were applied, namely the market located at New York (or Bosnywash), crops being ranked by comparative rent paying abilities and considering ubiquitous geographical characteristics. Although this representation has some level of concordance with reality, it inaccurately portrays agricultural land use in the United States.
- 37. VT in USAVTin USA # Figure B includes one supplementary assumption that considers climate variations, where the north is colder than the south. This constraint has a significant impact on agricultural land use as even if for a location a crop would have a higher rent paying ability, another crop would be grown because climatic conditions forbids it. The resulting agricultural land use has a much higher level of correspondence with reality