Human Geography Chapter 11

Organic Agriculture

Organic Agriculture

The production of crops without the use of synthetic or industrially produced pesticides and fertilizers. On the rise in North America.

Agriculture

The deliberate tending of crops and livestock to produce food, feed, and fiber.

Primary economic activities

Economic activity involving the products closest to the ground. Ex: agriculture, ranching, hunting and gathering, forestry, mining

Secondary economic activities

Economic activities related to processing raw materials (acquired through primary activities) into a finished product of greater value. ex: toys, processed food, buildings

tertiary economic activities

Economic activities that move, sell, and trade the products made in primary and secondary activities. Ex: bankers, lawyers, doctors, teachers

Quaternary economic activities

Economic activities concerned with research, information gathering, and administration. ex: Researcher

Quinary economic activities

The economic activities that deal with the highest-level of decision-making in both the government and private sectors of the economy. Ex: CEO of a company

plant domestication

deliberately planted and tended by humans that is genetically distinct from its wild ancestors as a result of selective breeding. Southeast and South Asia more than 14,000 years ago is the proposed origin.

Root crops

crops that are reproduced by cultivating either the roots or cuttings from the plants (such as tubers, including manioc or cassava, yams. and sweet potato)

Seed crops

plants that are reproduced by cultivating seeds

First Agricultural Revolution

dating back 10,000 years, achieved plant domestication and animal domestication

animal domestication

animals kept for some utilitarian purpose whose breeding is controlled by humans and whose survival is dependent on humans; differ genetically and behaviorally from wild animals. (When animals are tamed and used for food and profit.)

luxury crops

Non-subsistence crops such as tea, cacao, coffee, and tobacco

subsistence agriculture

growing only enough food to survive

shifting cultivation

A form of subsistence agriculture in which people shift activity from one field to another; each field is used for crops for relatively few years and left fallow for a relatively long period.

slash-and-burn agriculture

a farming technique in which trees are cut down and burned to clear and fertilize the land, a type of shifting cultivation

Second Agricultural Revolution

Basis for the Industrial Revolution. Composed of a series of innovations, improvements, and techniques. Needed in order to generate the amount of food needed for thousands of people working in factories instead of fields.

Von Thunen Model

the first effort to analyze the spatial character of economic activity.

Third Agricultural Revolution (Green Revolution)

later half of 20th century. corresponded with the exponential growth occurring around the world, a direct result of the second agricultural revolution and its profound effect on Europe's ability to feed itself. included biotechnology and genetic engineering. Also involves an increase in chemical fertilizers. Mass production of agricultural goods.

genetically modified organism (GMO)

an organism that has been genetically altered by humans. (In this case hybrid crops and cross-breeding of animals). Principal orientation of Green Revolution.

rectangular survey system

Also called the Public Land Survey, the system was used by the US Land Office Survey to parcel land west of the Appalachian Mountains. The system divides land into a series of rectangular parcels. Main survey system throughout the US. Looks like a checkerboard.

township-and-range system

Designed to facilitate the movement of non-native americans evenly across farmlands of the US interior. Rigid grid-like pattern.

metes and bounds survey

When natural features are used to set the boundaries of an amount of land

long-lot survey system

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

primogeniture

right of inheritance belongs exclusively to the eldest son

commercial agriculture

Term used to describe large-scale farming and ranching operations that employ vast land bases, large mechanized equipment, factory-type labor forces, and the latest technology.

monoculture

the cultivation of a single crop in a given area.

Koppen climate classification system

developed by Wladimir Koppen, a system for classifying the world's climates on the basis of temperature and precipitation

climatic regions

areas with similar climatic characteristics

plantation agriculture

Production system based on a large estate owned by an individual, family, or corporation and organized to produce a large amount of cash crops for local sale or export. Almost all plantations were established within the tropics.

livestock ranching

The raising of domesticated animals for the production of meat and other byproducts such as leather and wool.

Agribusiness

Commercial agriculture characterized by integration of different steps in the food-processing industry, usually through ownership by large corporations.

mediterranean agriculture

An agricultural system practiced in the Mediterranean style climates of Western Europe, California, and portions of Chile and Australia, in which diverse specialty crops such as grapes, avocados, olives, and a host of nuts, fruits, and vegetables comprise profitable agricultural operations.