AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Slash and burn is a method of farming that involves clearing land by destroying and burning all the trees and plants on it, farming there for a short time, and then moving on to clear a new piece of land. Traditional slash and burn farming methods have exhausted the soil.

Detailed explanation-2: -Slash and burn agriculture is a widely used method of growing food in which wild or forested land is clear cut and any remaining vegetation burned. The resulting layer of ash provides the newly-cleared land with a nutrient-rich layer to help fertilize crops.

Detailed explanation-3: -In slash and burn agriculture, the farmers cut down the trees of the forest and burn the plant remains and the land is used for farming. After cultivation, the area is left alone for several years so as to allow its recovery. The farmers then move on to other areas and repeat this process.

Detailed explanation-4: -Some American civilizations, like the Maya, have used slash-and-burn cultivation since ancient times. Native Americans in the United States also used fire in agriculture and hunting. In the Amazon, many peoples such as the Yanomami also live off the slash and burn method due to the Amazon’s poor soil quality.

Detailed explanation-5: -Slash and burn agriculture is most often practiced in places where open land for farming is not readily available because of dense vegetation. These regions include central Africa, northern South America, and Southeast Asia. Such farming is typically done within grasslands and rainforests.