APHG 12

Agriculture

The purposeful cultivation of plants or raising of animals to produce goods for survival.

Subsistence Agriculture

Farming for family consumption or to sell to local markets if they meet more than end needs.

Commercial Agriculture

Farming that involves growing crops to sell to customers.

Intensive Agriculture

A farming method that uses technology and resources to maximize crop and animal yields per unit of land.

Extensive Agriculture

A farming system that uses large amounts of land and small amounts of labor and capital.

Bid-rent Theory

Explains how land value determines how a farmer will use the land—either intensively or extensively.

Monoculture

The agricultural system of planting one crop or raising one type of animal annually.

Crop Rotation

The varying of crops from year to year to allow for the restoration of valuable nutrients in the soil.

Plantation Agriculture

Large-scale commercial farming of one particular crop grown for markets often distant from the plantation.

Market Gardening

Farming that produces fruits, vegetables, and flowers typically for local urban markets.

Shifting Cultivation

Growing crops or grazing animals on a piece of land for a few years before abandoning it.

Slash and Burn

A traditional farming technique involving cutting and burning vegetation to clear land and use it for agriculture.

Elevation

The height above sea level, which affects temperature and the growing season.

Soil Fertility

The ability of soil to provide essential nutrients to plants.

Topography

The arrangement of the natural and artificial physical features of an area.

Climate Regions

Areas with similar climate patterns influenced by latitude and location on coasts or continental interiors.

Tropical Climate

Areas with warm temperatures year-round but varying amounts of precipitation.

Temperate Climate

Climates with moderate temperatures and adequate precipitation amounts.

Polar Climate

Very cold climate found at the North and South Poles, with mild summers and long, cold winters.

Continental Climate

Climates found in the interior of continents, characterized by distinct seasons.

Fiber Crops

Crops such as cotton that are used for textile and paper products.

Oil Crops

Crops like olives and soybeans that can be harvested for oil used in cooking and industrial purposes.

Nucleated Settlement

A clustered settlement where residents live in close proximity to one another.

Dispersed Settlement

A settlement pattern where houses are isolated and distributed over a large area.

Linear Settlement

A settlement pattern where buildings extend in a long line, often along transportation routes.

Intensive Subsistence Agriculture

Farming that uses a large amount of human labor to generate high crop yields on small plots of land.

Monocropping

The cultivation of one or two crops that are rotated seasonally.

Mixed Crop and Livestock Systems

Farming systems in which both crops and livestock are raised for profit.

Terrace Farming

A method of farming on sloped land by building terraces to prevent soil erosion.

Irrigation

The artificial application of water to land for agricultural purposes.

Climate Factors

Elements like distance from the equator, wind currents, proximity to water, and topography that affect climate.

Tropical Rainforest

A dense forest found in tropical regions with high rainfall and diverse ecosystems.

Temporate Rainforest

A forest in temperate regions with high rainfall that supports a variety of plant and animal life.

Perishability

The likelihood of agricultural products to spoil or deteriorate.

Community Nutrition

The availability and quality of food within a community that affects its health.

Farm-to-Table Movement

A movement emphasizing fresh, locally grown food and supporting local farmers.

Organic Farming

Farming that uses natural methods for fertilization and pest control.

Wind Patterns

Air movements that impact temperature and precipitation in different regions.

Nutrient-Rich Ash Fertilizer

Fertilizer created from burnt vegetation which adds nutrients to the soil.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population size an environment can sustain.

Cereal Crops

Crops like wheat and corn that are crucial for global food supply.

Livestock Raising

The practice of breeding and rearing animals for consumption or produce.

Fertilizers

Substances added to soil to enhance its fertility and crop yield.

Crop Yields

The amount of crop produced per unit of land.

Varying Inputs

The resources or efforts put into agriculture, which can include labor, technology, and materials.

Environmental Modifications

Alterations made to the natural landscape to improve agricultural productivity.

Rain Shadow Effect

The phenomenon where one side of a mountain range receives heavy precipitation while the other side remains dry.