APHUG Unit 5 Vocabulary

For Woodhouse's P6 by Leena Liu

subsidy

agribusiness

CAFO

monocropping

The practice of only planting / farming one crop

E.G. In Ireland, many farmers used to mono-crop potatoes due to its ease and nutrition.

bid-rent theory

commodity chain

economies of scale

The higher a country’s economy of scale, the more money, power, resources, and connections they would have.

E.G. The United States has a higher economy of scale than Somalia because their economy has more money and power.

Von Thünen’s model

global supply chain

export commodity

land cover change

desertification

soil salinization

Excessive amounts of salt in the soil.

EX: Can be caused by draining wetlands, as without the water, all that is left in the ground is salt.

slash and burn agriculture

The practice of planting crops in one field, then moving to another field and re-planting

EX: This is often practiced to maintain soil fertility

terrace farming

irrigation

deforestation

The process of destroying trees or forests with the goal to create more land for agriculture

EX: In Brazil, they are trying to integrate into cattle farming. As a result, they are destroying their forests

pastoral nomadism

biotechnology

genetically modified organisms

aquaculture

sustainability

biodiversity

fertilizer

pesticide

run-off

urban farming

community-supported agriculture

value-added specialty crops

fair trade

local-food movement

food security/insecurity

Food security = enough food for everyone; Food insecurity = not enough food for everyone

EX: Typically, in developing countries, food insecurity is a big problem as most people cannot afford foods to feed themselves.

food desert

An area where the residents don’t have access or cannot afford healthy fruits and vegetables.

EX: Depending on the amount of fast food restaurants over grocery stores, an area can be labeled as a food desert when there is a lack of grocery stores. Or, if grocery stores are nearby but not readily accessible, it can also be labeled as a food desert.

suburbanization

Mediterranean climate

Hot & dry summers, wet winters

EX: Common products grown here are grapes, olives, and dates.

tropical climate

Typically countries near the sea. Air is humid, mostly.

EX: Common agricultural products grown in these climates are coffee, sugar, tea, cacao, and pineapple.

intensive agriculture

Farmers must work intensely to be able to make enough food to survive on a single land; usually in developing countries

EX: Before the agricultural Revolutions, intensive agriculture was popular and practiced.

market gardening

The commercial production of vegetables, fruits, and flowers.

EX: This is a type of intensive agriculture, where trucks carry agricultural products to markets to sell them.

plantation agriculture

Large commerical farm that is specialized in one crop

EX: The most popular plantation types back in the days were tobacco and cotton.

mixed crop/livestock system

Grown crops are fed to livestock, and these livestock are fattened for eventual slaughter.

EX: In slaughterhouses, livestock are typically well-fed before being slaughtered to ensure the meat tastes better.

extensive agriculture

Agriculture that is spread out across a large spot of land and requires lesser labor.

EX: Ranching is a form of extensive agriculture where cattle grazes over large areas without heavy labor

shifting cultivation

AKA Slash and burn agriculture; Farmers move from one field to another and harvests crops until the soil becomes less fertile

EX: When my crops have absorbed all the nutrients in the soil, I move to another field with more nutrients and replant there.

nomadic herding

Nomads rely on animals for survival depending on culture and climate.

EX: The land is not suitable to grow crops, but herding animals feeds me.

ranching

Agriculture method where livestock grazes over large areas.

EX: I have a big plot of land which I allow my livestock to graze on, and this allows me to make big money because I have plenty of livestock to sell.

rural settlement pattern

Located in the countryside, outside of urban areas

EX: A town with 300 inhabitants and with farmland all around them, the nearest urban center being 2 hours away via car

clustered settlement pattern

Groups of homes stacked close to each other. Allows strong sense of community and shared resources.

EX: Houses similar to how buildings are placed in New York City

dispersed settlement pattern

A settlement pattern where residency are spread out from each other, resulting in long distances between neighbors

EX: It takes me 10 minutes to walk to my neighbor’s house.

linear settlement pattern

A settlement pattern that develops along transportation systems such as river and roads, makes everyone have access to the same resources.

EX: My aunt lives in a town that has houses placed around a river, and rarely anyone lives far away from the river.

rural survey method

metes and bounds

Metes: Used for short distances and referred to features of specific points // Bounds: Based on larger features

EX: When you reach ___ st, turn left and walk to the big barn house with all the chickens

township and range

Government organized land, often grid like patterns

EX: The shopping plaza is in a grid shape, with each grid belonging to a parking area or a shop.

long lot

A community branches out from the river.

EX: My community lives around a river, and we all branch out from it and get the same supplies.

domestication

The practice of keeping livestock close to you.

EX: Since the Neolithic Revolution, domesticating my cows have made it easier for me to acquire beef and milk rather than having to look for one by hunting!

Fertile Crescent

Indus River Valley

Columbian Exchange

First Agricultural Revolution

Also known as the Neolithic Revolution, the revolution that allowed humans to transition from hunting to domestication

EX: Instead of hunting for cows, I now herd cows together and make them reproduce so I won’t have to go out looking for cows and wasting energy with no guarantees!

Second Agricultural Revolution

Effect of the Industrial Revolution, the Revolution which involved the mechanization of agricultural production such as the seed drill and cotton gin.

EX: With the effects of the Second Agricultural Revolution, agricultural is now more efficient and yields more crops, resulting in an increased carrying capacity.

Green Revolution

Also known as the Third Agricultural Revolution, can only appear after the Second Agricultural Revolution. Mostly in developed countries, science is combined with agriculture to create higher yield of crops and disease-resistant crops.

EX: Pesticides and herbicides were created during the Green Revolution, chemicals making crops resistant to diseases and pests but harmful to human health.

high-yield seed

hybrid seed

mechanized farming

subsistence agriculture

Doing agriculture in order to survive.

EX: Before commercial farms were made, family farms had the goal of subsistence farming in order to feed their families.

commercial agriculture

Agriculture grown for a profit.

EX: Commercial agriculture generates more crop yield compared to smaller family farms, therefore increasing the amount of food in circulation. This is because more crops grown = more money