APHUG Unit 5

agriculture

planting and harvesting of domesticated plants and raising domesticated animals for food

domesticated plant

a plant that is deliberately planted, protected, cared for, used by humans, genetically distinct from wild

domesticated animal

an animal that depends on people for food and shelter, different from the wild in looks and behavior

physical geography

study of earth’s physical characteristics and processes

important elements of physical geography

soil, topography/landforms, climate

topsoil

the upper layer of soil, nutrients are absorbed through plant roots which allow plants to survive

topography

arrangement of shapes on earth’s surface (mountains, valleys, plains)

climate

average pattern of weather, 30 yr period, in particular region

weather

day to day atmospheric conditions effect daily decisions

tropical climates

average 80 degrees F , along near equator,

tropical wet climates

rains every day of the year, limited agriculture, small scale, tropical rainforests

monsoon

seasonal reversal of winds, onshore (summer) & offshore (winter)

brings monsoon rains

monsoon rains

long periods of heavy rains everyday at end of short dry season

dry climates

deserts, hot year-round, extremely cold in winter months

arid (dry)

receives less than 10 inches of rain

semi arid (steppe)

10-20 inches of rain , enough to support farming, droughts

moderate climates

75 degrees F, 2 seasons (summer and winter)

humid subtropical climtes

long hot summers & short and mild winters variable perception

marine west coast climates

the western coast, has a moderate climate, longer summer less humid, ocean breeze brings warm air & polar winds bring colder

demitarian climate

around the Mediterranean sea & California coast, mountains block winds from oceans

continental climates

large range of temp & moderate precipitation, away from oceans, interior of continents

humid continental climates

4 seasons, dramatic changes in weather patterns (heatwaves, tornadoes, snow)

humid cold climates

subarctic climates, frigid temp year-round

intensive agriculture

high levels of labor

subsistence agriculture

planting small gardens & raising a few animals to use for family/local villages

commercial agriculture

crops sold in local, regional, or global markets; hired workers, lots of money to run farms

market farming

small-scale farming in which a farmer plants a few acres that produce a mixture of vegetables & fruits, sold

truck farm

type of market gardening, grows a single crop, limited crop diversity

plantations

large landholding. specializes in a single crop, vast flat areas near coastal regions

monocropping

process of growing the same crop on the same piece of land every year

mixed crop/livestock agriculture

diversified system based on cereal grains, root crops, herd livestock; small villages live on edge of the field

cereal grains

seeds that come from a wide varety of grasses cultivated around the world

root crop

vegetables grown underground, digged out (yams potatoes)

peasants

small scale farmers, rely on own fields, family labor

paddy rice farming

system of wet rice cultivation on small levels bordered by water-tight dikes; humid tropical, terraced hillsides

grain farming

intensive (according to textbook) extensive (uses hundreds of acres) production of cereal grains

livestock farming

intensive system of animal feeding, limits movement & weight loss of animals; large feedlots, vast holding pens, slaughterhouses

feedlots

fenced enclosure for feeding, fattening livestock for slaughter, meat-producing regions

dairy farming (Dairying)

specializes in breeding, utilization of livestock to produce milk & various products, feedlot systems, small (100 cows) or large (5000); buildings for storage & milking

extensive agriculture

crop cultivation and livestock rearing, little hired labor or investment

shifting cultivation

cultivation of plot of land until it becomes less productive, rotation system; several small clearings & abandoned land

slash-and-burn agriculture/swidden

cutting small plots in forests, burning cuttings to clear ground and release nutrients (lasts for 10-20 yrs before moving on)

intercropping

different crops share same clearing, benefits each other

nomadic herding/pastoralism

system of breeding and rearing domestic animals by moving them over expansive areas of pasture lands (vertical/transhumance & horizontal); less permanent imprint, visible when herders are stationary

livestock ranching

semi-arid regions, large lands to raise large herds of livestock to sell meat, hides, wool; hundreds of acres of land, open range

rural area

area located outside towns and cities, not many ppl

rural settlement

small groups of ppl living outside of an urban area

agricultural landscape

area used for agricultural production

corn belt

Ohio to Dakota, vast fields of corn

dikes

long walls that contain and control water necessary for growing rice plant

grain elevators

large storage facility for grain, owned by corporations (Grain farming)

suitcase farms

nobody lives in, planting and harvesting are done with hired crews who commute (Grain farming)

silo

round/square tower-like structure that stores feed for livestock (dairy farming)

settlement patterns

ways in which ppl organize themselves on land

clustered settlements/farm villages

tightly bunched settlements, center of farm operations

farmstead

center of farm operations (farmhouse, barns, etc.)

dispersed/isolated settlement pattern

families live distant to each other

lineal settlement pattern

building arranged in line alone river or road, long-lot pattern, farmstead at one end (closest to transportation)

survey methods

land surveys use to lay out property lines, resulting in survey patterns/land division patterns

cadastral survey

systematic documentation of property ownership, shape, use, and boundaries

metes and bounds

natural features used to delineate property bounds (trees, streams) less rectangular

township and range

grid of square shapes townships with 6 mile sides, equal squares

longlot survey

basic rectangle unit, long and slim, along a road or river (water/transportation source)

domestication

a long-term process where humans selectively breed, protect, and care for unique plants and animals taken from the wild to create genetically distinct species

first agricultural revolution

diffusion of plants and animals, hunter gatherers to farmers

plant domestication

before animal domestication, selective breeding (growing seeds of the healthier plants)

teosinte

large wild grass, produced by small ears of maize,

maize

corn, let to protection & seed selection

Carl Daver

process of domestication developed independently at different locations and diffused

animal dommestication

animals and humans depend on each other (cow, pig, sheep, goat)

hearths

centers where new practices develop and form which the new practices spread

South west Asia (hearth)

largest # of animals domesticated, home to Sumerian and Harappan civilizations

fertile crescent

origin of great cereal grains, first animal domestication, 1/3 hearth regions for domesticated cattle

Indus river valley

highlands of Tibet & along the border between Pakistan and India; first to use animals to help w/ plow

Asia

the domesticated form of dry rice and strains of wheat; 1/3 domestication of cattle

china

domesticated rice, soybeans, sugar cane, pigs

new guinea

domesticated bananas, taro

south-east & south asia

domesticated root crops before seed plants

Africa

1/3 region of cattle domestication, a mixed stock with Indus river valley

east & west africa

domesticated peanuts, yam, coffee, strains of barley wheat, and rice

americas

domesticated maize, corn (very important)

native Americans in Mesoamerica

domesticated maize, tomatoes, beans, squash

south america

domesticated root crops

Peruvian Andes

domesticated potato, squash; llama, alpaca, guinea pig, muscovy duck

Columbian exchange

widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human population, tech, disease, ideas; relocation diffusion

demographic collapse

phenomenon of near genocide of native populations

Irish potato crisis

potatoes diffused to parts of Europe and became a large part of European diets. potato blight (infection) caused millions to starve in Ireland

second agricultural revolution

improved methods of cultivation, harvesting, and storage of produce; tools developed, fertilizers, pesticide

seed drill

used for planting or sowing seeds equally, more efficient than normal

scattering method

took seeds out by hind & scattered in wide area while walking

hand plow

broke up soil/turned soil over so fresh soil w/ nutrients prepared, pulled by oxen (iron parts, cast iron plow, steel plow)

mechanical reaper

machine used to harvest grain crops mechanically, pulled by horses, cut and bundled grain; increased yields by 10 times

scythe

harvesting cutting grain, hand tool w/ long curved blade

tractor

used for plowing, planting, cultivating, fertilizing, and harvesting crops; heavy, difficult to transport

internal combustible engin

small lightweight source of power , saving on manual labor

railrads & shipping canals

provide farmers w/ shipping and hauling to/ from farms, affordable access

refrigerated train car

ship perishable food (meat) over greater distances

agrichemicals

chemical compounds made from petroleum & natural gas used in agriculture

synthetic fertilizer

general term for industrially manufactured nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium; increased crop yields

natural fertilizer

materials such as animal manure, ashes, decayed organic material