UNIT 5 KBAT

Aquaculture

The farming of fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants in controlled environments, such as fish farms or ocean enclosures.

Bid-rent theory

A theory that explains how land value and rent change based on proximity to the market or city center; land closer to the market is more expensive.

Biotechnology

The use of scientific techniques (such as genetic engineering and cloning) to modify plants, animals, and microorganisms for agricultural and medical purposes.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of people or organisms that an environment can sustain without environmental degradation.

Clustered

A rural settlement pattern where homes and buildings are grouped together in close proximity, often for social and economic reasons.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, technology, and diseases between the Americas, Europe, and Africa after Columbus' voyages in 1492.

Commercial Agriculture (Monocropping or Monoculture)

Large-scale farming focused on growing a single crop or raising a single type of livestock, often for sale in global markets.

Commodity Chains

The series of steps involved in the production and distribution of a product, from raw materials to final consumption.

Community-supported agriculture (CSA)

A system in which consumers pay farmers upfront for seasonal produce, supporting local agriculture and receiving fresh food in return.

Deforestation

The large-scale clearing of forests, often for agriculture, logging, or urban expansion.

Desertification

The process where fertile land becomes desert due to drought, deforestation, or poor agricultural practices.

Diffusion of Agriculture

The spread of agricultural practices and crops from their places of origin to other areas through migration, trade, and conquest.

Dispersed

A rural settlement pattern where homes and farms are spread out over a large area, rather than clustered in a village.

Draining Wetlands

The process of removing water from wetlands to make land available for agriculture or urban development, often leading to habitat loss.

Economies of Scale

The cost advantages that come with large-scale production, where per-unit costs decrease as production increases.

Extensive Farming Practices

Farming that requires large areas of land with minimal labor or capital input per unit of land (e.g., ranching, shifting cultivation).

Fair Trade

A movement that promotes fair wages, sustainable farming, and ethical labor practices for producers in developing countries.

Fertile Crescent

A region in the Middle East (including Mesopotamia) known as one of the earliest centers of agriculture and civilization.

Food Deserts

Areas where access to affordable, nutritious food is limited, often in low-income urban or rural communities.

Food Insecurity

The lack of reliable access to sufficient, nutritious food due to financial or geographic constraints.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Crops or animals that have been altered using genetic engineering to enhance traits such as pest resistance or higher yields.

Global Supply Chains/Food Distribution

The complex network of production, processing, transportation, and retail that moves food from farms to consumers worldwide.

Green Revolution

A period of agricultural advancements (1950s–1960s) that introduced high-yield crops, chemical fertilizers, and irrigation, increasing global food production.

Hearths of Domestication

The original centers where plants and animals were first domesticated (e.g., Mesopotamia, Mesoamerica, Indus River Valley).

Indus River Valley

One of the earliest centers of agriculture and civilization, located in present-day Pakistan and India.

Intensive Farming Practices

Farming that requires high levels of labor and capital investment per unit of land (e.g., market gardening, dairy farming).

Irrigation

The artificial application of water to crops to enhance growth in dry areas.

Linear

A rural settlement pattern where buildings are arranged in a straight line, often along a road, river, or transportation route.

Local-Food Movements

Efforts to promote the consumption of locally grown food to support local farmers, reduce environmental impact, and improve food quality.

Farm to Table

A movement emphasizing the direct relationship between farmers and consumers, promoting fresh, locally sourced food.

Long Lot

A land division system where long, narrow plots of land stretch back from a river or road, common in French colonial areas.

Market Gardening

Small-scale farming that grows fruits, vegetables, and flowers for sale at local markets.

Mixed Crop/Livestock

An agricultural system that grows both crops and raises animals on the same farm, often using crops to feed livestock.

Mediterranean Climate

A climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, ideal for growing olives, grapes, and citrus fruits.

Metes and Bounds

A rural survey method using natural landmarks and irregular boundaries to divide land, common in the original 13 American colonies.

Nomadic Herding

A subsistence agriculture practice where people move with their livestock to find grazing land, common in dry regions.

Organic Farming

A method of farming that avoids synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and GMOs, promoting natural soil health and biodiversity.

Pastoral Nomadism

A form of subsistence agriculture where people move seasonally with their herds in search of fresh pastures.

Plantation Agriculture

Large-scale commercial farming focused on cash crops (e.g., coffee, sugar, cotton) often using cheap labor.

Ranching

A form of extensive farming where livestock are raised on large tracts of land, often in dry regions.

Rural Settlement Patterns

The spatial arrangement of homes and communities in rural areas (clustered, dispersed, linear).

Rural Survey Methods

Techniques used to divide land for agriculture and settlement, such as township and range, metes and bounds, and long lots.

Second Agricultural Revolution

The period during the Industrial Revolution that introduced new farming technologies (e.g., mechanization, crop rotation), increasing food production.

Shifting Cultivation

A farming practice in tropical regions where land is cleared, used for crops, then abandoned as fertility declines.

Soil Salinization

The accumulation of salt in the soil, often due to irrigation, reducing soil fertility.

Subsistence Agriculture

Small-scale farming where food is grown primarily for local consumption rather than for sale.

Sustainability

The practice of using natural resources responsibly to meet current needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet theirs.

Terraces

Stepped levels of farmland built on slopes to prevent erosion and maximize arable land in mountainous areas.

Township and Range

A land division system used in the U.S. to create grid-like patterns, dividing land into square-mile sections.

Tropical Climates

Warm, humid climates near the equator that support crops like bananas, cocoa, and coffee.

Urban Farming

The practice of growing food in urban areas through community gardens, rooftop farms, and hydroponics.

Value-Added Specialty Crops

Crops that undergo processing to increase their value, such as organic, heirloom, or artisanal products.

Von Thünen Model

A model that explains agricultural land use based on distance from the market, with perishable goods near the city and extensive farming farther away.