At what elevation is rice grown?
What features indicate irrigation?
What is growing on the higher elevations?

Rice Fields in Sri Lanka

A cross section of this 1:10,000 topographic map is shown below. Compare the topo colors and symbols with the land use labels on the cross section. The elevation in the Lowlands vary from 32 to 6.6 meters or 105 to 22 feet. In contrast, in the Highlands the elevations vary from 700 to below 600 meters, or 2,297 to 1,969 feet.

 

 In Asia, rice is life. Over 90 percent of the world's rice is produced in this region. Rice accounts for up to half of Asia's farm incomes and makes up nearly 80 percent of people's daily calories. Over 140,000 different varieties of rice -- almost all of which are farmer-saved seeds, not store bought -- are grown by small-scale farmers.
Look at a moving relief model of the valley in which rice is cultivated.

Answers:
  rice cultivation occurs in low-lying areas that can be irrigated.
  irrigation: rice terraces are used to control water flow and the edge of the fields are used as paths.
  higher ground: coconut palms for food, drink (including alcohol), medicine, firewood, building materials (roof thatching, lumber), animal fodder.

UW-Eau Claire Seal

 

Created by Ingolf Vogeler on 1 February 1996; last revised on 07 March 2005.