Agriculture and the Environment

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to agriculture and its environmental impacts, as discussed in the lecture.

Agriculture

The rearing/raising of plants and animals to produce food for human consumption and use, animal consumption, and raw materials for industries.

Agrochemicals

Chemicals used in agriculture to enhance crop production, often including fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides.

Monocropping

A farming practice that involves growing a single crop over a large area for many consecutive years.

Subsistence Farming

A farming system where small areas of land are used to grow crops primarily for the farmer's family consumption.

Peasant Farming

A type of subsistence farming characterized by small areas of land being cleared for crops, often with minimal use of agrochemicals.

Food Security

The availability of food and one's access to it, ensuring that all people have enough food for an active and healthy life.

Genetic Engineering

The direct manipulation of an organism's genetic material to alter its characteristics or improve its productivity.

Aquaculture

The farming of aquatic organisms, such as fish, crustaceans, and aquatic plants, in controlled environments.

Mariculture

The cultivation of marine organisms in their natural habitats for food and other products.

Biodiversity

The variety and variability of life forms within a given ecosystem, region, or on the entire Earth.

Eutrophication

The enrichment of water bodies with nutrients, often leading to increased algae growth and depletion of oxygen in the water.

Soil Degradation

The decline in soil quality and productivity due to various factors, including erosion, nutrient depletion, and pollution.

Sustainable Agriculture

Farming practices that aim to meet current food and textile needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Contour Farming

A farming practice where crops are planted along the contour lines of the land to minimize soil erosion.

Crop Rotation

The practice of growing different crops in the same area across a sequence of seasons to improve soil health and reduce pest infestations.

Organic Fertilizers

Naturally occurring substances used to enrich soil, such as animal manure, compost, and green manure.

Inorganic Fertilizers

Synthetic fertilizers manufactured through chemical processes that provide nutrients to plants.