5.2 Settlement Patterns and Survey Methods

What is a Land-Use Pattern?

A land-use pattern refers to the way in which land is used within a given area. It includes the types of land uses that are present, such as residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and natural, as well as the spatial arrangement of these land uses. Land-use patterns can vary significantly from one place to another, depending on a variety of factors, including economic, political, social, and environmental considerations.

Land-use patterns are important because they can have significant impacts on the quality of life of people and communities, as well as on the natural environment. For example, land-use patterns can influence the availability of housing, employment opportunities, and access to amenities such as parks and schools. They can also affect the health of the natural environment by determining the extent to which land is developed or preserved, and by shaping the way in which natural resources are used. Understanding and analyzing land-use patterns can therefore be important for planners and policymakers as they seek to create sustainable and livable communities.

What Affects Land-Use Patterns?

Land-use patterns are largely dependent on cultural traditions, the accessibility of resources, and the environment. This explains why certain crops are present in one region, but not in others- it all depends on the agricultural land use! The real question is, how do we differentiate between various rural settlement patterns and what rural survey methods are out there? 

There are many factors that can affect land-use patterns, including economic, political, social, and environmental considerations. Some of the key factors that can influence land-use patterns include:

1. Market demand: The demand for certain goods or services can drive the use of certain types of land. For example, an increase in demand for housing may lead to an increase in the development of residential areas.
2. Natural resources: The availability of natural resources such as water, fertile soil, and timber can affect the use of land. For example, areas with abundant water may be more suitable for agriculture.
3. Transportation: The availability and cost of transportation can influence land-use patterns by determining the feasibility of using land for certain purposes. For example, land that is far from transportation infrastructure may be less attractive for development.
4. Government policies: Governments can influence land-use patterns through policies such as zoning regulations, tax incentives, and infrastructure development.
5. Environmental factors: Environmental considerations, such as climate, topography, and the presence of natural hazards, can affect the use of land. For example, land that is prone to flooding may be less suitable for development.

Rural Settlement Patterns

What is a Rural Settlement Pattern?

Rural settlement patterns refer to the way in which people live and build communities in rural areas, or areas outside of urban centers. Rural settlement patterns can vary significantly from one region to another, depending on a variety of factors, including natural resources, climate, cultural traditions, and economic opportunities.

Some common types of rural settlement patterns include dispersed settlements, which are characterized by a low population density and a scattered distribution of homes and other structures; nucleated settlements, which are characterized by a higher population density and a more concentrated grouping of structures; and linear settlements, which are characterized by a long, narrow arrangement of structures along a transportation corridor such as a river or a road.

Rural settlement patterns can be influenced by a variety of factors, including the availability of natural resources, such as water and fertile soil; the presence of transportation infrastructure, such as roads and railroads; and economic opportunities, such as agriculture and resource extraction. Rural settlement patterns can also be influenced by cultural and social factors, such as traditions and values related to land use and community organization.

Why are Rural Settlement Patterns Important?

Rural settlement patterns are important because they can have significant impacts on the quality of life of people who live in rural areas, as well as on the natural environment. Some of the ways in which rural settlement patterns can be important include:

1. Access to resources and services: Rural settlement patterns can influence the availability of resources and services such as healthcare, education, and transportation. For example, dispersed settlements may make it more difficult for residents to access these resources and services due to the distance between homes and facilities.
2. Economic development: Rural settlement patterns can affect the economic development of a region by determining the extent to which land is used for agriculture, resource extraction, and other economic activities.
3. Environmental impacts: Rural settlement patterns can influence the health of the natural environment by shaping the way in which land is used and managed. For example, nucleated settlements may be more sustainable in terms of resource use and waste management compared to dispersed settlements.
4. Cultural and social factors: Rural settlement patterns can reflect and shape cultural and social traditions and values related to land use and community organization. Understanding these patterns can therefore be important for preserving cultural heritage and promoting social cohesion.

These settlement patterns are special to the region that they originated from, but they have also influenced other regions around the world through diffusion and colonization. You should know the following rural settlement patterns for the AP Exam: 

Clustered

• Families live in close proximity to each other
• Agriculture based community- composed of houses and farm buildings
• Fields surround the community

A clustered settlement pattern is a type of rural settlement in which homes and other structures are concentrated in a specific area, rather than being scattered or distributed evenly across the landscape. Clustered settlements can take many different forms, such as villages, hamlets, or small towns, and they can be found in a variety of settings, including agricultural areas, resource-based economies, and tourist destinations.

There are a number of factors that can contribute to the development of clustered settlement patterns. For example, clustered settlements may emerge around natural resources, such as water sources or fertile land, or around economic opportunities, such as transportation corridors or natural resource extraction. Clustered settlements may also develop around social and cultural amenities, such as schools, churches, and community centers.

Clustered settlement patterns can have a number of advantages, including more efficient use of resources and infrastructure, and a sense of community and social cohesion. However, they can also present challenges, such as the potential for overcrowding and the concentration of environmental impacts in a specific area.

Dispersed

• Farmers live in their own, individual farms - isolated from other farmers
• Separated, spread out community (unlike clustered)

A dispersed settlement pattern has homes and other structures evenly distributed across the landscape as opposed to being concentrated in one place. There are dispersed settlements in a variety of settings, including agricultural areas, resource-based economies, and tourist destinations. 

A variety of factors can contribute to the development of dispersed settlement patterns. Dispersed settlements may emerge, for example, in areas with low population density or where natural resources or economic opportunities are dispersed over a large area. Dispersed settlements can also emerge as a result of cultural or social factors such as a desire for privacy or a tradition of individual land ownership.

The ability to take advantage of natural resources and economic opportunities over a large area, as well as a sense of independence and privacy, can all be advantages of dispersed settlement patterns. They can, however, present challenges, such as the need to provide infrastructure and services across a large, dispersed area, as well as the risk of isolation and lack of social cohesion.

Linear

• Buildings run along a fixed landscape (i.e. a road, river, canal) - Buildings form a straight line
• Clustered settlement - small to medium-sized

A linear settlement pattern is a type of rural settlement in which homes and other structures are arranged in a long, narrow configuration along a transportation corridor, such as a river, a road, or a rail line. Linear settlements can be found in a variety of settings, including agricultural areas, resource-based economies, and tourist destinations.

There are a number of factors that can contribute to the development of linear settlement patterns. For example, linear settlements may emerge in areas with limited land for development, or in places where transportation infrastructure is the main economic driver. Linear settlements may also develop in response to cultural or social factors, such as a tradition of land ownership along transportation corridors.

Linear settlement patterns can have a number of advantages, including the ability to take advantage of transportation infrastructure and economic opportunities, and a sense of community and social cohesion. However, they can also present challenges, such as the potential for environmental impacts along the transportation corridor, and the need to provide infrastructure and services over a long, narrow area.

Rural Survey Methods

Long Lot

• Land is divided into narrow lots perpendicular to a river, road, or canal
• These lots stretch from buildings or houses to the river, road, etc.
• Gives everyone equal access to the “resource” (i.e. the river, road, or whatever else the lot connects to)

Metes and Bounds

• Defines the boundaries of a piece of land based on the physical landscape, directions, and distances
• Metes = a specific, measured boundary
• Bounds = a general boundary (waterways, walls, existing buildings, etc)

Township and Range

• Land is divided into six-mile square blocks (townships) and divided again into one-mile square blocks (range)
• Ranges are broken further into smaller parcels for people to develop

🎥 Watch: AP HUG - Rural Land Use