What is a key limitation of the Von Thünen model when applied to real-world agricultural land use?

• A. It assumes a single market and uniform land cost, ignores transportation networks, multiple markets, and land quality variations
• B. It accounts for multiple markets and varied land quality
• C. It accurately predicts modern global food networks
• D. It ignores climate factors but includes land quality

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that the Von Thünen model simplifies land-use by tying what’s grown or raised to how far land is from a single market, assuming everyone faces the same transport costs and land is equally productive. The key limitation is that it relies on a single market and uniform land costs, and it ignores transportation networks, multiple markets, and variations in land quality. In the real world, farmers access several markets, roads, rails, and shipping routes exist, and soil quality, climate, and terrain vary across locations. These factors disrupt the neat concentric-ring pattern the model predicts, so it doesn’t accurately describe actual agricultural land use.

Other statements overstate what the model can do or misstate its assumptions. It does not account for multiple markets or complex transport networks, and it doesn’t reliably predict modern global food networks. It also treats land as uniform in quality, so it doesn’t “include” land quality while ignoring climate factors—the model assumes uniform land and ignores climate differences.