AP Human Geography Unit 5: Agriculture Cheat Sheet

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts related to agriculture in AP Human Geography.

Subsistence agriculture

Food produced for family use.

Commercial agriculture

Farming for sale and profit.

Intensive farming

High labor and capital investment per land area.

Extensive farming

Low labor investment per land area.

Monocropping/monoculture

Growing one crop repeatedly, risking pests and disease.

Value-added crops

Crops that have been processed to increase their value.

Bid-rent theory

Theory that explains how land price varies with distance from a city.

Carrying capacity

The maximum population that a piece of land can support.

Commodity chain

The process steps from production to the consumer.

Supply chain

The network that moves goods from raw materials to finished products.

Shifting Cultivation

Involves Slash and Burn Techniques-to clear land for agriculture, allowing land to regenerate after use.

Fallow

Land that is left to rest and recover.

Terrace farming

Agricultural practice on stepped hillsides.

Transhumance

Seasonal movement of livestock between fixed summer and winter pastures.

Soil salinization

Salt accumulation in soil from irrigation practices.

Desertification

The degradation of land in dry areas.

Metes & bounds

Land survey system using physical landmarks.

Long lot

A land survey system characterized by long narrow plots.

Township & range

Grid system used for land distribution in the U.S. Midwest.

Linear settlement

Settlements that develop along roads or rivers.

Clustered settlement

Group of homes located closely together.

Dispersed settlement

Farms or homes that are spread out.

GMO

Genetically modified organism.

Organic farming

Farming without synthetic chemicals.

Fair trade

Economic system that ensures equitable trade practices.

CSA

Community-supported agriculture.

Green Revolution

Agricultural innovation characterized by the use of high-yield seeds and fertilizers.

Environmental impacts

Negative consequences of agriculture such as deforestation and soil erosion.

Women in agriculture

Women play a key role in subsistence farming but face barriers.