APHUG Agricultural Geography Vocab

Agribusiness

Large-scale commercial farming and food production operations involving corporate ownership and management.

Agriculture

The deliberate cultivation of land to grow crops and raise livestock for food and other products.

Animal Husbandry

The practice of breeding, raising, and caring for livestock and farm animals.

Aquaculture

The controlled farming of fish and other aquatic organisms in water environments.

Labor Intensive Agriculture

Farming method that relies heavily on human workers rather than machines.

Capital Intensive Agriculture

Farming that uses expensive machinery and technology instead of manual human labor.

Commercial Agriculture

Agricultural system where farmers produce crops primarily to sell for profit.

Commodity Chains

The sequence of processes involved in producing goods from raw materials to consumers.

Dairying

The business of producing and processing milk and milk products from livestock.

Desertification

The process where fertile land becomes arid and desert-like due to environmental factors.

Plant/Animal Domestication

The selective breeding of plants and animals for human use.

Extensive Agriculture

Farming method using large land areas with minimal inputs per unit area.

Feedlots/CAFOs

Confined facilities where livestock are raised intensively for meat production.

Fertile Crescent

Ancient Middle Eastern region where agriculture first developed around 10,000 BCE.

Food Security

Having reliable access to sufficient, affordable, and nutritious food.

Genetically Modified Foods

Crops whose DNA has been altered through genetic engineering techniques.

Green Revolution

Mid-20th century agricultural transformation using improved seeds and fertilizers.

Horizontal Integration

When a company acquires similar businesses at the same production level.

Hunting and Gathering

Ancient subsistence strategy of collecting wild plants and hunting animals.

Industrial Revolution and Agriculture

Mechanization and technological improvements that transformed farming practices.

Intensive Subsistence Agriculture

Small-scale farming focused on maximizing yield from limited land for family survival.

Biotechnology

Using biological processes and organisms to develop new agricultural products.

Livestock Ranching

Raising domesticated animals on large tracts of land for food production.

Mechanization

The introduction and use of machines to replace human or animal labor.

Mediterranean Agriculture

Farming adapted to mild winters and hot dry summers.

Organic Agriculture

Farming without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms.

Pastoralism

Herding and moving livestock between seasonal grazing areas for subsistence.

Pesticides

Chemical substances used to control pests that damage crops.

Cash Crops

Crops grown specifically for sale rather than for personal use.

Luxury Crops

High-value agricultural products like coffee, tea, and cocoa.

Food Desert

Area with limited access to affordable, nutritious food.

Commercial Grain Farming

Large-scale production of cereals like wheat, corn, and rice.

Commercial Livestock Production

Raising animals at large scale for meat, dairy, or other products.

Deforestation

Large-scale removal of forests for agriculture or other land uses.

Maladaptive Diffusion

Spread of agricultural practices unsuitable for local conditions.

Mineral Fuels

Natural resources like coal and oil used for energy.

Mining and Quarrying

Extracting valuable minerals or materials from the Earth.

Mixed/Specialty Crop Farming

Growing diverse crops such as fruits and vegetables in one area.

Nuclear Energy

Power generated from nuclear reactions.

Urban Sprawl and Agriculture

Expansion of cities that converts farmland into developed areas.

Wind Farms

Groups of wind turbines that generate electricity from wind power.

Truck Farms

Small farms near cities growing fresh produce for urban markets.

Enclosure Acts

British laws consolidating small plots into larger, individually owned farms.

Salinization

Buildup of salt in soil that makes land unsuitable for farming.

Shifting Cultivation

Farming method where land is cleared, farmed briefly, then abandoned.

Slash and Burn Agriculture

Clearing land by cutting and burning vegetation before planting.

Subsistence Agriculture

Farming system where families produce only enough food for themselves.

Sustainability

Using resources in ways that preserve them for future generations.

Swidden

Area of land cleared for cultivation by slashing and burning vegetation.

Transhumance

Seasonal movement of livestock between different grazing areas.

Vertical Integration

Company controlling multiple stages of production from farm to market.

Von Thunen Model

Theory explaining how distance from market affects agricultural land use.

Primary Economic Activity

Resource extraction and raw material production.

Secondary Economic Activity

Manufacturing and processing raw materials into products.

Tertiary Economic Activity

Service-based economic activities supporting other sectors.

Quaternary Economic Activity

Knowledge-based services like research and development.

Quinary Economic Activity

High-level decision making by executives and government officials.

First Agricultural Revolution

Ancient transition from hunting-gathering to farming around 10,000 BCE.

Second Agricultural Revolution

Innovations in farming during the Industrial Revolution.

Third Agricultural Revolution

Modern farming transformation using biotechnology.

Township and Range System

US land survey dividing territory into six-mile square townships.

Metes and Bounds System

Land survey using physical features as boundaries.

Long-lot Survey System

French land division creating narrow strips often extending from rivers.

Primogeniture

Practice of eldest son inheriting all family land.

Monoculture

Growing a single crop over a large area repeatedly.

Koppen Climate Classification

System categorizing world climates based on temperature and precipitation.

Climatic Regions

Areas with similar temperature, rainfall, and weather patterns.

Biomass

Organic material used as a fuel source.

Crop Rotation

Practice of growing different crops in sequence to maintain soil health.

Overfishing

Harvesting fish from oceans beyond sustainable levels.

Geothermal Power

Energy derived from Earth’s internal heat sources.

Globalization of Agriculture

Worldwide spread of agricultural products and practices.

Hydroelectric Power

Electricity generated from the movement of water.