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Centers of Food Production. This control of the selection process allows us to domesticate species - the basis of agriculture Agriculture includes not only production of crops or livestock, but also the manipulation of the land
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This control of the selection process allows us to domesticate species - the basis of agriculture • Agriculture includes not only production of crops or livestock, but also the manipulation of the land • The more selectively breed, the more we must manipulate the environment to suit the needs of our domesticated species i.e. provide resources, provide protection, assist in reproduction, etc. • Why go through all the effort?
We know that in order for societies to become complex and technologically advanced they must develop agriculture. • Agriculture - the cultivation of crops and livestock to meet the needs of humans • “surplus leads to specialization” • Describe this phrase in your own words in your notes
Food Production • areas of independent food production: areas across the globe where species were domesticated independently. • There are many such areas - provide good climate, freshwater, and all with different native domesticable plants and animal species • Other areas developed agriculture as it spread from other places.
Dates - Food Production • Fertile Crescent - 8500 B.C. • China - 7500 B.C. • Mesoamerica - 3500 B.C. • Andes & Amazonia - 3500 B.C. • Eastern U.S. - 2500 B.C.
Independent ag? • Sahel Region - 5000 B.C. • Tropical West Africa - 3000 B.C. • Ethiopia - 3000 B.C. • New Guinea - 7000 B.C.
Domestication • To find areas where food production began, we look for the oldest known domesticated species. • Domestication is the process of modifying a wild plant or animal (whether we know it or not) to suit humans needs. • This process eventually leads to conscious, planned farming of the domesticated species.
Areas of independent food production • Both areas began domesticating local plants and animals • each location had moderate climate and precipitation and available freshwater resources
Centers of food production • The Fertile Crescent had more wild plant and animal species that were suitable to domestication • What might make one plant more suitable for domestication than another plant?
Wild Plants • As you know, plant domestication begins as an unconscious offshoot of gathering. • Plants that are more suitable for domestication are those which are useful to humans and can easily be cultivated in their wild form.
Plants that are more suitable for domestication are those which are useful to humans and can easily be cultivated in their wild form. • The less modification needed the better
Fertile Crescent Plants • By the Numbers: • Of thousands of wild grass species, there are 56 with seeds (grains) that are large. • 33 of those are found in Eurasia. • 5 are found in Mesoamerica.
F.C. Plants • Advantage #1: Many available wild plants that are adapted to the Mediterranean climate and are Annuals. • Annuals have a one-year life. They put their energy into large seeds. • Seeds are adapted to remain dormant during dry season - easy to store. • Mesoamerica has far fewer
F.C. Plants • Advantage #2: Wild plants were already abundant and highly productive. • Few additional changes needed to be made under cultivation • Mesoamerica - Staple crop = corn. Corn’s wild ancestor, Teosinte, had to undergo a number of changes to be productive and useful.
F.C. Plants • Advantage #3: Self-pollinating Crops • Prevents the loss of mutations/inherited advantages • The first 8 crops domesticated in the fertile crescent were all “selfers”
Wheat • The most significant cereal crop from the F.C.
Corn • The most significant cereal crop in Mesoamerica
F.C. Food Package • 3 major cereal grains, four pulses (edible seeds from pod-bearing plants), numerous large domestic animals (used first as a meat source, but later used for transport, fiber, work, and milk), and flax as a fiber and oil source.
Mesoamerica • Staple crop is difficult to domesticate and slow to develop. Domestication doesn’t occur until approximately 3500 bce, compared with 8500 bce in the Fertile Crescent.
Domesticated animals • Used for their: • Meat • Milk • Fiber • Work
Domesticated Animals • Humans select for traits that benefit us • We control their breeding and feeding
The Ancient Fourteen • 14 species of ancient large, herbivorous, domesticated animals • Nine are only used in certain parts of the world • Five are widespread and called the “Major Five”
Fertile crescent • The fertile crescent had more suitable candidates for domestication • Mesoamerica lacked species that were suitable for domestication. • What qualities might make an animal an unsuitable candidate for domestication?
Why not domesticate the others? • “Domesticable animals are all alike; every undomesticable animal is undomesticable in its own way.” • Diamond shows that animals must have the following 6 qualities to be domesticable. • Lacking any one make them undomesticable.
Diet • Primarily Herbivorous • Trophic level matters! • Otherwise, too much energy is put into gain • Ex. 10,000 lbs. of corn to grow 1,000 lbs. of cow vs. 100,000 lbs of corn used to grow 10,000 lbs of cow to feed and grow 1,000 lbs of carnivore.
Growth Rate • Must be fast growing and reach maturity quickly. • Ex. Gorillas and elephants slow growth make them undomesticable
Captive Breeding • The animals MUST be able to breed in captivity. • Animals that need huge amounts of time or space or privacy to breed will not be suitable for domestication.
Nasty Disposition • Tendency of certain species to kill humans excludes them from domestication. • Example: Grizzly bears, Zebras, hippos, a number of Equids.
Tendency to panic • Animals must be calm enough to be around humans and large groups of their own species. • Panicky animals will kill themselves or others trying to escape or run away.
Social Structure • They must have a social structure that allows them to live with other animals and Ideally, a social structure that humans can put themselves at the top of.
