Human-Environmental Interaction

1. Human-Environmental Interaction Chapter 9 Section 3

2. Agriculture Reshapes the Environment • Native peoples • Changed environment to grow food • Burned forests for planting • Diverted streams to irrigate crops • Raised fields in swampy areas • Carved terraces out of hillsides

3. Slash-and-Burn • Technique to clear fields • Cut trees, brush and grasses • Burned to clear field • Effective in humid and tropical areas • Brazil- still use technique in the rain forest • Soil becomes exhausted after a few years • Farmers move on • Shrinking rain forests

4. Terraced Farming • Ancient technique • Grow crops on hillsides or mountain slopes • Farmers cut step-like horizontal fields • Reduces soil erosion • Inca and Aztecs used this technique

5. Urbanization: The Move to the Cities • Argentina, Chile and Uruguay • Most highly urbanized in S. America • Want to improve lives • Push factors- “push” people to leave rural areas • Poor medical care, education, low paying jobs and ownership of land • Pull factors- “pull” people toward cities • Better paying jobs, schools and medical care

6. Rapidly Growing Cities • Mexico City- most populous city in L. America • Problems • Unemployment and crime increase • Environmental problems • Air pollution • Shortage of drinking water

7. Advantages of Tourism • Creates jobs • Hotels, restaurants, boutiques and other businesses • Tour and rafting guides, sailing, snorkeling • Employ local people • Reduced income gap • Raise incomes

8. Disadvantages of Tourism • As resorts are built… • Congestion and pollution • Rich tourists…less well off local residents • Creates resentment • Governments run up large debts • Airports, harbors, hotels, resorts… • Owners of hotels don’t live in country • Money is sent back home