Studied by 1 person
agriculture
the process by which humans alter the landscape in order to raise crops and livestock for consumption and trade
climate
the long-term weather patterns in a region
subsistence agriculture
used to grow enough food or raise enough livestock to meet the immediate needs of the farmer and his or her family and for income (selling foods)
Commercial agriculture
used to grow enough crops or raise enough livestock to sell for profit
mostly in developed countries
intensive agriculture
practices in which farmers and ranchers use large amounts of inputs, such as energy, fertilizers, labor, or machines, to maximize yields
Extensive agriculture
practices use fewer amounts of the inputs and typically result in less yields
Intensive commercial agriculture
uses high investments in labor and capital are used which often results in high yields and profits
capital
the money invested in land, equipment, and machines
intensive subsistent agriculture
often labor and animal intensive
ex: rice paddies in SE asia
extensive commercial agriculture
uses low inputs of resources but has the goal of selling the product for profit
Extensive Subsistent agriculture
Few inputs are used in this type of agricultural activity and often practiced in extreme climates
ex: nomadic herding
Pastoral Nomadism
Drylands
Type of subsistent extensive agriculture that is the act of moving large herds of domesticated livestock
Shifting cultivation
Tropical
Type of subsistent extensive farming, farmers grow crops on a piece of land for a year or two
Plantation
a large commercial farm that specializes in one crop
Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming
Cold and warm mid-latitude
an intensive commercial integrated system that demonstrates an interdependence between crops and animals
Grain farming
cold mid-latitude
in regions too dry for mixed crop agriculture, farmers often raise wheat
Commercial Gardening
warm mid-latitude
intensive farming/truck farming where products are traditionally driven local urban markets and sold
Dairy farming
Cold and warm Mid-latitude
Usually local farms that supplied products to customers in a small geographic area
milk shed
the geographic distance that milk is delivered
Mediterranean Agriculture
practiced in regions with hot, dry summers, mild winters, narrow valleys, and often some irrigation
herders in the region practice transhumance
transhumance
the seasonal herding of animals from higher elevations in the summer to lower elevations and valleys in the winter
Livestock ranching
the commercial grazing of animals confined to a specific area
drylands
clustered/nucleated settlements
settlements with groups of homes located near a village and fostered a strong sense of place and often shared of services like schools
dispersed settlements
patterns in which farmers lived in homes spread throughout the countryside
linear settlement
buildings and human activities are organized close to a body of water or along a transportation route
metes and bounds
describe the boundaries of a parcel of land
Public land survey system/township and range system
created rectangular plots of consistent size
townships
areas six miles long and six miles wide
section
consisted of 640 acres, and can be divided into smaller lots such as half sections or quarter sections
French long-lot system
farms are long and include thin sections of land that ran perpendicular to a river
First (neolithic) Agricultural Revolution
the origin of farming
marked by the domestication of plants and animals
mostly subsistence farming
Animal domestication
animals first domesticated by people in central asia for protection, transportation, or as food
it later spread to southwest asia and the rest of the world
Plant domestication
began after the domestication of animals
first used vegetable planting, or using parts of stems or roots of existing plants to grow others (slivers)
Fertile Crescent
the first major hearth of agriculture
in southwest asia
independent innovation
when crops and animals are domesticated in multiple regions with seemingly no interaction among people
Columbian exchange
the global movement of plants and animals between Afro-Eurasia and the americas
Second agricultural revolution
began in the 1700s and was used to advancements of the industrial revolution to increase food supplies and support population growth
Enclosure acts
a series of laws enacted by the british government that enabled landowners to purchase and enclose land for their own use
Crop rotation
the technique of planting different crops in a specific sequence on the same plot of land in order to restore nutrients back into the soul
irrigation
the process of applying controlled amounts of water to crops using canals, pipes, sprinkler systems, or other human-made devices, rather than just relying on just rainfall
Third agricultural revolution
mid 20th century
was born out of science, research, and technology, and it continues today
expanded mechanization of farming, developed new global agricultural systems, and knowledge to further agricultural production
Green revolution
the advances in plant biology of the mid-20th century
hybridization
the process of breeding two plants that have desirable characteristics to produce a single seed with both characteristics
Genetically modified organism (GMO)
a process by which humans use engineering techniques to change the DNA of a seed
bid-rent theory
used when discussing the land costs for different types of agricultural activities
the closer the land is to an urban center the higher the cost of the land/more valuable
capital intensive
uses expensive machinery and other inputs
EX: truck farming
labor intensive
often relies on many low-paid migrant workings to tend and harvest crops
Factory farming
a capital-intensive livestock operation in which many animals are kept in close quarters and bred and fed in a controlled environment
Aquaculture (aquafarming)
a type of intensive farming where fish, shellfish, and water plants are raised in netted areas in the sea, tanks, or other bodies of water
Double/triple cropping
planting and harvesting a crop two or three times a year on the same piece of land
intercropping/multicropping
when farmers grow two or more crops simultaneously on the same field
monoculture
when only one crop is grown or one type of animal is raised per season on a piece of land
monocropping/continuous monoculture
when you only grow one type of crop or raise one type of animal year after year
feedlots
confined spaces in which cattle and hogs have limited movement
Agribusiness
Farms run as corporations and the globalization of agriculture
Transnational corporations.
Those that operate in many countries, and usually own the largest agribusinesses
Vertical integration
The ownership of other businesses involved in the steps of producing a particular good
Economies of scale
An increase in efficiency to lower the per unit production cost which result in greater profits
Commodity chain
A process used by corporations to gather resources, transfer them into goods, and then transport them to consumers
Carrying capacity
The number of people that US farmers can support given the available resources
Has risen over the past half century
Cool chains
Transportation networks, I keep food cool throughout a trip
Location theory
deals with why people choose certain locations for various types of economy, activity, such as factory, stores, restaurants, or agriculture
Von Thunen model
An economic model that suggested a pattern for the types of products that farmers would produce at different positions relative to the market/community, where they sold their goods
Horticulture
Suggested by Von Thunen as the zone closest to the market
A type of agriculture that includes market, gardening/truck farming, and dairy farming
bid price curve/Bid rent curve
Can be used to determine the starting position for each land use relative to the market , as well as where each land use would end
Free market economy
We’re supplying demand, not government policy determine the outcome of competition for land:
The farmer who have the greatest prophet will pay the most at each location to occupy the land
Comparative advantage
Naturally occurring beneficial conditions
This caused farmers to plant crops differently from those predicted by following Thunen model
Supply chains
All the steps are required to get a product or service to customs
Luxury crops
Crops, not essential to human survival, but every high profit margin
Neocolonialism
The use of economic, political, and social pressures to control former colonies
Fair trade movement
Started with the fair trades, certifications for coffee in 1988
Use as an effort to promote higher income for producers and more sustainable farming practices
Subsidies
Public financial support
In this case, it’s given to farmers to safeguard food protection
Infrastructure
Includes the roads, bridges tunnel, sports, electrical grid, sewers, telecommunications, etc. of a country
Land cover change
The study of how land is used in the impact of changing land use
Desertification
The idea that Alteration of natural vegetation, and arid land areas causes fertilized land to become infertile
Salinization
Occurs when salts from water used by plants remain in the soil
Terrace farming
Farmers build a series of steps into the side of a hill, which creates flat services with benefits
Irrigation
The process of applying controlled amounts of water to crops using dams, canals pipes, sprinkler systems, or other manufactured devices, rather than relying on just rainfall
Center pivot irrigation
Watering equipment rotates around a pivot and delivers specific amounts of water, fertilization or pesticides to the field
Wetlands
Lowly areas that contain a specific amount of water at or near the surface
Deforestation
The removal of large tracks of force
Slash And burn agriculture
An early agricultural practice and type of shifting cultivation that takes place when all vegetation in an area of forest is cut down and burned in place
Blue revolution
The practice of people in China and Southeast Asia that use aquaculture
now the fastest growing form of food production on the planet and responsible for approximately 50% of the world seafood
Overgraze
This occurs when the density of animals is greater than expansive grasslands can support so they over eat
Can cause the vegetation to not refresh itself (grow again) even after the animals leave
Organic food
Crops that are non-GMO, and produce without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, and use sustainable growing practices
Value added crops
Crops that consumers are willing to pay more for because of special qualities or because they are difficult to acquire
Value added farming
Occurs when the farmers process their crops into high value products, rather than simply selling it as it comes from the field
Local food movement
Seeking out food produced nearby
Urban farming
Refers to the production of farm goods within an urban area with the goal of providing locally grown food
Community Gardens
Used to share agricultural products with family, friends, and perhaps those knees rather than as a business
Vertical farms
Grows crops inside in stackable trays, using greenhouses, artificial lights and hydroponics
Hydroponics
Allows crops to grow without soil, using mineral enriched solutions
Community supported agriculture, CSA
Brings producers and consumers into a type of partnership
Food Insecurity
When households lack access to adequate food, because of limited money or other resources
Food desert
Neighborhoods were residents have little to no access to healthy and affordable food
Food distribution system
A network of trade transportation that gets food from farms to consumers
Food processing
The transformation of agricultural products into food, or taking food items, and transforming them into a different type of food
Tariff
A tax on imports
Quota
Limits the quantity of a good imported
Gender inequality
The unequal opportunities, treatment, or rights of a person based on gender
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