Agricultural and Urbanization Concepts (Set 4 15-20)

A collection of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to agriculture and urbanization based on lecture notes.

Failed State

A government that has lost the ability to provide basic services, maintain order, enforce laws, and control its territory.

Ethnic Nationalist Movement

Political movement where an ethnic group seeks greater autonomy or independence based on shared culture.

Centripetal Force

A force that unites a country's population.

Ethnonationalism

Support for the political interests of a particular ethnic group within a state.

Cultural Cohesion

Sense of unity/shared identity/social solidarity that develops when a society shares cultural traits.

Mediterranean Climate

Warm, dry-summer climate with mild, wet winters that support high-value crops like olives, grapes, and citrus.

Tropical Climate

Warm, humid climate found around the equator with high temperature and consistent rainfall, supporting intensive agriculture.

Intensive Agriculture

Farming that uses large amounts of inputs, such as capital, to maximize yields.

Market Gardening

Commercial farming that produces high-value, perishable fruits and vegetables for local markets.

Plantation Agriculture

Large commercial farm that specializes in one cash crop.

Mixed Crop/Livestock System

Farmers grow crops to feed livestock, and the livestock produces manure for the crops.

Extensive Agriculture

Agriculture that does not use as much input as intensive agriculture.

Shifting Cultivation

Farmers clear land by slash and burning vegetation, grow the crops, and then move to a new plot when fertility declines.

Rural Settlement Pattern

Arrangement of buildings and homes along the countryside.

Clustered Settlement Pattern

Groups of homes located near each other in a village.

Dispersed Settlement Pattern

Groups of homes that are spread throughout the countryside.

Linear Settlement Pattern

Buildings organized close to a body of water or along a transportation route.

Rural Survey Pattern

Method used to divide land into parcels for farming.

Metes and Bounds

Land survey system where metes are short distances and bounds are larger features.

Fertile Crescent

The first major agricultural hearth in Southwest Asia.

Domestication

Humans selectively breed and control plants and animals for agricultural use.

Second Agricultural Revolution

Began in the 1700s, using Industrial Revolution advances to increase food and population.

Green Revolution

Advances in plant biology in the 20th century that developed disease-resistant plants.

High-Yield Seed

Genetically improved crops designed to produce more food.

Mechanized Farming

Agriculture that relies on machines, reducing labor and increasing efficiency.

Commodity Chain

Process used by corporations to gather resources, turn them into goods, and transport them.

Economies of Scale

Increase efficiency to lower the per-unit cost of production.

Von Thunen Model

Model that predicts the type of goods produced based on distance from the market.

Global Supply Chain

Worldwide network that produces, transports, and distributes goods across multiple countries.

Pollution

Introduction of harmful substances into the environment that damages ecosystems and health.

Land Cover Change

Impact of changing land use on the environment.

Desertification

Fertile land becoming infertile in arid areas.

Sustainability

Using Earth's resources without causing permanent environmental damage.

Food Insecurity

The disruption of food intake due to poor access to food.

Urbanization

Urban growth or development.

Megacities

Cities with populations of more than 10 million people.

Suburbanization

The process of moving people from cities to residential areas on the outskirts.

Urban Sprawl

Rapid development outward from the center of the city.

Food Desert

Area where residents lack access to healthy, nutritious foods due to distance.