AP HG Vocab U5

clustered settlement pattern

many buildings are grouped together and are often found in lowland areas along roads

dispersed settlement pattern

A rural settlement pattern characterized by isolated farms rather than clustered villages

linear settlement pattern

buildings are built in lines along a road, railroad, or river

metes and bounds system

natural features were used to demarcate irregular parcels of land

township and range system

property lines in grid pattern, one square mile sections that display uniformity

long-lot survey system

divided land into narrow parcels stretching back from rivers, roads, or canals

agricultural hearth

the place from which agriculture, or a form of agriculture, originates

Diffusion

The process of spread of a feature or trend from one place to another over time

Columbian Exchange

The global transfer of foods, plants, and animals during the colonization of the Americas.

Industrial Revolution

A period of rapid growth in the use of machines in manufacturing and production that began in the mid-1700s

crop rotation

Planting different crops at different times to avoid nutrient depletion

genetically modified organism (GMO)

an organism that has been genetically altered by humans

intensive agriculture

Small-area farms and ranches with high inputs of labor per acre and high output per acre

extensive agriculture

requires limited labor inputs, or is spread across large areas of land, or both

market gardening

the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants

plantation agriculture

Growing specialized crops such as bananas, coffee, and cacao in tropical developing countries primarily for sale to developed countries.

shifting cultivation

clearing forests to plant fields for a few years and then abandoning them

nomadic herding

the raising of livestock for food by moving herds from place to place to find pasture and water

subsistence farming

farming in which only enough food to feed one's family is produced

Monocropping

growing a large amount of a single species of plant

Bid rent theory

different land users are prepared to pay different amounts, the bid rents, for locations at various distances from the city center.

Infrastructure

Fundamental facilities and systems serving a country, city, or area, as transportation and communication systems, power plants, and schools

commodity chain

the network of production and labor processes by which a product becomes a finished commodity

Desertification

the process by which fertile land becomes desert

slash and burn

A farming method involving the cutting of trees, then burning them to provide ash-enriched soil for the planting of crops

Terrace

an area of ground on the side of a hill that has a flattened top in order to grow things

Deforestation

the loss or destruction of forests, mainly for logging or farming

organic farming

using natural substances instead of fertilizers and chemicals to increase crop yields

fair trade

trade in which fair prices are paid to producers in developing countries.

food desert

An area in a developed country where healthy food is difficult to obtain

food insecurity

a condition in which people do not have adequate access to food

Sustainability

using resources in ways that do not harm ecological systems that support human existence

Aquaculture

the cultivation of seafood under controlled conditions