Agriculture and Rural Settlement Patterns

These flashcards cover key terms and definitions related to agriculture, rural settlement patterns, and agricultural revolutions, assisting in exam preparation.

Agriculture

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

Environmental Factors

Elements such as climate, elevation, soil, topography, sunlight, water, and nutrients that affect plant growth.

Climate Regions

Areas that have similar climate patterns generally based on their latitude and their location on coasts or continental interiors.

Koppen Climate Classifications

Five broad climate types that include Tropical, dry, temperate, continental, and polar.

Mediterranean Agriculture

Growing hardy trees and shrubs and raising sheep and goats in specific climates.

Subsistence Agriculture

Farming only enough to feed your own family and a few others, with more hand labor and fewer mechanical resources.

Commercial Agriculture

Farming that focuses on growing crops and raising livestock for profit.

Bid-rent Theory

A theory explaining how land value affects farming practices, determining intensive or extensive land use.

Intensive Agriculture

Agricultural practices that involve high levels of inputs and energy to maximize yield.

Intensive Subsistence Agriculture

High labor, small scale farming system focused on maximizing food production for local consumption.

Intensive Commercial Agriculture

Industrial farming focused on maximizing crop or livestock output using high inputs of capital and technology.

Rural Settlement Patterns

The arrangement of communities in rural areas, including clustered, dispersed, and linear settlements.

Monocropping

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

Monoculture

Planting or raising one type of crop or animal annually.

Crop Rotation

Varying crops from year to year to restore nutrients and maintain soil productivity.

Plantation Agriculture

Large-scale farming of a single crop for distant markets.

Market Gardening

Farming that produces fruits and vegetables for local markets.

Mixed Crop and Livestock Systems

Simultaneously raising crops and livestock for profit.

Extensive Agriculture

Low-input farming with relatively few resources, resulting in lower outputs.

Extensive Subsistence Agriculture

Large scale farming with minimal labor and machinery to produce just enough food for survival.

Shifting Cultivation

Growing crops or grazing animals on a land for limited time then moving after soil depletion.

Slash and Burn

Clearing land by cutting and burning vegetation to enrich the soil.

Nomadic Herding

Seasonal movement of herders and their livestock to find best grazing.

Transhumance

Seasonal movement of herds between higher and lower pastures.

Extensive Commercial Agriculture

Large scale farming using low inputs of resources for profit.

Domestication

Efforts to grow and raise plants and animals to satisfy human demand through selective breeding.

Foragers

Small, nomadic groups primarily relying on plant-based diets.

Agricultural Hearth

Regions where different groups began to domesticate plants and animals.

Fertile Crescent

Historic region known for early agriculture spanning parts of modern-day Turkey, Syria, and Iraq.

Diffusion of Agriculture

The spread of farming practices and domesticated animals from their original locations.

Columbian Exchange

The exchange of goods and ideas between the Americas, Europe, and Africa starting in 1492.

First Agricultural Revolution

The transition from foraging to farming about 11,000 years ago.

Second Agricultural Revolution

Improvement in crop yields and farming practices during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Dual Agricultural Economy

Presence of two agricultural sectors with different technology levels in a region.

Norfolk four-fold system

A crop rotation system involving four different crops grown annually.

Third Agricultural Revolution

Agricultural advances in technology and practices during the late 20th century.

Genetically-modified Organisms (GMOs)

Organisms modified to enhance desirable traits such as disease resistance.

Green Revolution

A period of rapid agricultural industrialization characterized by technological advancements.

Infrastructure

Modern equipment and technology used in commercial agriculture.

Agribusiness

The system involving the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural products.

Hybrid Grains, Fruits, Vegetables

Varieties bred for improved characteristics and resilience.

Vertical Integration

When a company controls multiple stages of production.

Commodity Chains

Networks that connect production sites with distribution to consumers.

Farm Subsidies

Government support for farmers to alleviate production costs.

Tariffs

Taxes applied to imports or exports.

Von Thunen Model

Model hypothesizing that perishability affects farming decisions based on transportation costs.

Global Supply Chains

Networks that connect production and consumption globally.

Cash Crops

Crops grown for direct commercial profit.

Fair Trade

A movement aimed at providing farmers with equitable trading conditions.