AP Human Geography - Agriculture

Agriculture

Planting/harvesting domesticated plants and raising domesticated animals for food/products.

Domestication

Human control and breeding of plants/animals for food and labor.

Domesticated Species

Plants/animals intentionally raised and modified by humans.

Physical Environment

Natural features (climate, soil, terrain) that shape farming practices.

Soil Fertility

How nutrient-rich soil is, affecting crop productivity.

Topography

Shape and physical features of land (flat, hilly, mountainous).

Climate

Long-term average weather patterns of a region.

Weather

Short-term atmospheric conditions.

Tropical Climate

Hot, wet climate near the equator, good for farming.

Dry Climate

Climate with very low precipitation, difficult for farming.

Semi-arid Region

Region with limited rainfall, farming is risky.

Moderate Climate

Mild temperatures and rainfall, ideal for agriculture.

Mediterranean Climate

Mild wet winters and hot dry summers.

Intensive Agriculture

High labor/capital inputs on small land to maximize yield.

Extensive Agriculture

Low labor/capital inputs over large land areas.

Yield

Amount of food produced per unit of land.

Subsistence Agriculture

Farming to feed the farmer and family.

Commercial Agriculture

Farming to sell for profit.

Monocropping

Growing one crop in a field at one time.

Monoculture

Growing the same crop repeatedly over many years.

Market Gardening (Truck Farming)

Growing fruits/vegetables near cities for sale.

Truck Farming

Another term for market gardening.

Plantation Agriculture

Large-scale commercial farming of one cash crop.

Cash Crop

Crop grown primarily for sale, not consumption.

Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming

Crops and animals raised together, often supporting each other.

Shifting Cultivation

Farming land until fertility drops, then moving to new land.

Slash-and-Burn Agriculture

Cutting and burning vegetation to clear land and add nutrients.

Nomadic Herding

Moving livestock seasonally to find pasture and water.

Pastoral Nomadism

Another term for nomadic herding.

Ranching

Commercial raising of livestock on large land areas.

Feedlot

Confined area where animals are fattened quickly.

Agricultural Landscape

Visible land patterns created by farming practices.

Terrace Farming

Farming on steps cut into hillsides to reduce erosion.

Rice Terraces

Terraced hillsides used for rice cultivation in wet climates.

Rural Settlement

Where people live in the countryside, often near farms.

Clustered Settlement (Nucleated)

Homes grouped in a village, farmland outside.

Dispersed Settlement

Homes spread far apart on individual farms.

Linear Settlement

Homes arranged in a line along a river, road, or coast.

Land Survey System

Method used to divide land into property boundaries.

Metes and Bounds

Uses natural landmarks to define boundaries.

Township and Range

Grid-based land division system of squares.

Land Ordinance of 1785

U.S. law creating the township and range survey system.

Long Lot System

Long narrow land plots extending from a river.

Neolithic Revolution

First Agricultural Revolution; shift to farming (approximately 10,000 BCE).

First Agricultural Revolution

Transition from hunting/gathering to settled farming.

Sedentary Agriculture

Farming while living permanently in one place.

Hunting and Gathering

Lifestyle relying on wild plants and animals.

Hearth

Place of origin of a cultural practice like agriculture.

Fertile Crescent

Major agriculture hearth in Southwest Asia.

Indus River Valley

Early agriculture hearth in South Asia.

Southeast Asia Hearth

Agricultural origin region known for rice and tropical crops.

Central America Hearth

Hearth where maize (corn) was domesticated.

Diffusion

Spread of cultural traits across space.

Expansion Diffusion

Trait spreads outward from its origin.

Columbian Exchange

Transfer of crops/animals/disease between Old and New Worlds.

Second Agricultural Revolution

Mechanization and improved farming during Industrial Revolution.

Industrial Revolution

Period of mechanized production that reshaped agriculture.

Mechanization

Replacing human labor with machines.

Seed Drill

Jethro Tull invention planting seeds efficiently in rows.

Mechanical Reaper

Machine that harvests grain quickly.

Steel Plow

John Deere invention for plowing tough prairie soil.

Rural-to-Urban Migration

Movement of people from farms to cities for jobs.

Third Agricultural Revolution

Green Revolution; high-yield crops and chemical farming.

Green Revolution

Spread of hybrid crops, fertilizers, irrigation (1960s–70s).

High-Yield Variety (HYV) Seeds

Hybrid seeds bred for maximum crop production.

Hybrid Crops

Crossbred plants designed for stronger yields.

Crossbreeding

Combining plant traits to create hybrids.

Fertilizer

Chemical/natural substance added to soil to increase productivity.

Pesticide

Chemical used to kill insects harming crops.

Irrigation

Artificial watering of land to grow crops.

GMO (Genetically Modified Organism)

Organism whose DNA has been altered in a lab.

Genetically Modified Crops

Crops engineered for traits like pest resistance.

Aquaculture

Farming fish or aquatic organisms.

Food Supply Chain

System of producing, transporting, and selling food.

Global Supply Chain

Worldwide network moving agricultural goods.

Agribusiness

Large corporations involved in commercial agriculture.

Family Farm

Farm owned/operated primarily by a family.

Farm Consolidation

Small farms merging into fewer, larger farms.

Economies of Scale

Larger production lowers cost per unit.

Commodity

Product that can be bought and sold (corn, coffee).

Commodity Chain

Steps of production-processing-distribution-consumption.

Value Added

Increasing a product’s worth through processing or packaging.

Vertical Integration

One company controls multiple stages of production/distribution.

Commodity Dependence

Economy relying heavily on exporting one crop.

Imperialism

Control of colonies for raw materials and economic profit.

Colonial Cash Crop Economy

Colonies forced to grow export crops instead of food crops.

Neocolonialism

Continued economic dependence after colonialism ends.

Infrastructure

Roads, ports, storage systems supporting trade.

Food Subsidy

Government financial support for farmers.

Tariff

Tax on imports that affects trade patterns.

Trade War

Economic conflict where countries impose tariffs on each other.

Fair Trade

System ensuring farmers in developing countries earn fair wages.

Ethical Consumerism

Buying products based on moral/environmental values.

Urban Farming

Growing food inside cities.

CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

Consumers pay farmers upfront for seasonal food shares.

Organic Farming

Farming without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.

Local Food Movement

Preference for buying locally produced food.

Food Insecurity

Lack of reliable access to sufficient nutritious food.

Food Desert

Area with limited access to affordable healthy food.

Environmental Degradation

Damage to ecosystems from farming (pollution, erosion, etc.)