APHG Vocabulary Unit 5: Agriculture and Rural Land-Use Patterns and Processes

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and definitions from Unit 5 of APHG, focusing on agriculture and rural land-use patterns.

Mediterranean agriculture

A specialized form of agriculture that occurs only in areas where the dry-summer Mediterranean climate prevails, such as the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, parts of California, and Chile; common crops include grapes, olives, and citrus.

tropical climate

A climate found in low-latitude regions near the equator, characterized by consistently high temperatures and significant year-round rainfall, which supports the growth of rain forests.

intensive agriculture

A system of cultivation in which farmers must expend a relatively large amount of effort, labor, and capital to produce the maximum feasible yield from a specific unit of land.

market gardening

Also known as truck farming, this is the small-scale production of fruits, vegetables, and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants near urban markets.

plantation agriculture

A large-scale commercial farm in a tropical or subtropical region that specializes in the production of one or two crops, such as coffee, tea, or rubber, for sale to developed nations.

mixed crop/livestock system

The most common form of commercial agriculture in the United States and much of Europe, where the integration of crops and livestock allows crops to be fed to animals rather than consumed directly by humans.

extensive agriculture

A system of crop cultivation or livestock ranching that uses small amounts of labor and capital relative to the total area of land being farmed; examples include nomadic herding and ranching.

shifting cultivation

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

nomadic herding

A form of subsistence agriculture based on the herding of domesticated animals in dry climates where planting crops is impossible, also known as pastoral nomadism.

Ranching

A form of commercial agriculture in which livestock graze over an extensive area, typically practiced in semiarid or arid climates where the vegetation is too sparse for crops.

rural settlement pattern

The distribution and spatial arrangement of people and buildings in the countryside, categorized as clustered, dispersed, or linear.

clustered settlement pattern

A rural settlement in which the houses and farm buildings of each family are situated close to each other, with fields surrounding the central village.

dispersed settlement pattern

A rural settlement pattern characterized by isolated farms rather than clustered villages, common in the United States Midwest and Great Plains.

linear settlement pattern

A settlement pattern where buildings are clustered along a road, river, or dike to facilitate communications and provide access to transportation routes.

rural survey method

Technical systems used to measure land ownership and boundaries, such as metes and bounds, township and range, and long lots.

metes and bounds

A system of land surveying used in the eastern United States that relies on natural features like streams and trees to mark the boundaries of irregular land parcels.

township and range

A rectangular land division scheme designed by Thomas Jefferson to disperse settlers evenly across farmlands of the United States interior using a grid system.

long lot

A land survey system prevalent in French-influenced areas where land is divided into narrow strips stretching back from a river or road to provide all owners access to transportation.

domestication

The process of taming animals or adapting plants for human use, leading to genetic changes that make the species dependent on human care.

Fertile Crescent

An arc-shaped region in Southwest Asia known as the hearth of the Neolithic Revolution, where the domestication of wheat, barley, and various animals first occurred.

Indus River Valley

An early agricultural hearth located in modern-day Pakistan and Northwest India, known for the development of irrigation and the cultivation of cotton and grains.

Southeast Asia

A major agricultural hearth where crops such as taro, yams, bananas, and rice were first domesticated through early vegetative and seed planting.

Central America

The agricultural hearth of Mesoamerica, where highland and lowland farmers domesticated maize (corn), beans, and squash.

Columbian Exchange

The global diffusion of plants, animals, diseases, and technologies between the Americas and the Afro-Eurasian regions following the voyages of Christopher Columbus.

First Agricultural Revolution

The transition from nomadic hunting and gathering to sedentary farming and the domestication of plants and animals, occurring approximately 10,000 years ago.

Second Agricultural Revolution

A period that coincided with the Industrial Revolution and involved the mechanization of farming, improved crop rotation, and increased yields to support growing urban populations.

Green Revolution

The Third Agricultural Revolution, which began in the 1940s and involved the creation of high-yield seeds, chemical fertilizers, and advanced irrigation to combat global hunger.

high-yield seed

Genetically improved or hybrid seeds developed during the Green Revolution to produce more grain per plant than traditional varieties, particularly in wheat, rice, and corn.

mechanized farming

The use of machinery such as tractors and combines to perform agricultural tasks, significantly reducing the human labor required and increasing commercial productivity.

subsistence agriculture

Agriculture designed primarily to provide food for direct consumption by the farmer and their family, characterized by small farms and high labor intensity.

commercial agriculture

Agriculture primarily undertaken to generate products for sale off the farm, often characterized by large-scale production, mechanization, and high capital inputs.

monocropping/monoculture

The agricultural practice of growing a single crop year after year on the same land, characteristic of modern commercial agribusiness.

bid-rent theory

A geographical economic theory explaining that the price and demand for land decrease as the distance from the central market or business district increases.

commodity chain

A series of links connecting the many stages of production, distribution, and consumption of a product, from the raw material to the final consumer.

economies of scale

Cost advantages gained by a company when it increases production levels, allowing for lower costs per unit, which typically favors large-scale agribusinesses.

Von Thünen’s model

A 19th-century economic model that explains the spatial arrangement of agricultural activities in concentric rings based on land rent and transportation costs to the market.

global supply chain

The worldwide system of organizations, people, and resources involved in moving a product from its origin to the global market.

export commodity

A primary agricultural product or raw material that is produced largely for sale on international markets to generate foreign currency.

pollution

The introduction of harmful substances or waste into the environment, such as runoff from chemical fertilizers and pesticides used in intensive farming.

land cover change

The transformation of the physical surface of the earth by human activities, such as converting forests or wetlands into agricultural fields.

desertification

The degradation of land, especially in semiarid areas, primarily because of human actions such as overgrazing or deforestation, turning fertile land into desert.

soil salinization

The accumulation of soluble salts in the soil to a point where plant growth is suppressed, often occurring in arid regions due to improper irrigation practices.

conservation

The sustainable use and management of natural resources, such as soil and water, to ensure they remain available for future generations.

slash and burn agriculture

A farming technique in which vegetation is cut down and burned to clear fields; the ash provides nutrients, but the soil is exhausted quickly.

terrace farming

A method of farming used in mountainous regions where steps are cut into hillsides to create flat land for cultivation and reduce soil erosion from water runoff.

irrigation

The artificial application of water to the land or soil to assist in the growth of crops, essential for farming in dry areas.

deforestation

The clearing and destruction of forests to harvest wood or create land for agricultural use, contributing to climate change and habitat loss.

pastoral nomadism

A form of subsistence agriculture based on herding domesticated animals; nomads move seasonally to find grazing land and water.

biotechnology

Technological applications that use living organisms or biological systems to produce or modify products, such as developing drought-resistant seeds.

genetically modified organisms

Organisms whose genetic material has been altered through GE techniques to introduce desired traits, such as resistance to pests or herbicides.

aquaculture

The cultivation of seafood, such as fish and shellfish, under controlled conditions to increase food production without depleting wild populations.

sustainability

An approach to using resources in a way that meets current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

biodiversity

The variety and number of different species in a specific habit or ecosystem; it is often reduced by large-scale monoculture farming.

fertilizer

Chemical or natural substances added to soil to provide nutrients for plant growth, a key component of high-input intensive agriculture.

pesticide

A chemical substance used to kill pests, such as insects or weeds, that are harmful to cultivated crops.

urban farming

The cultivation of food within urban environments, such as on rooftops or in community gardens, to improve food security and reduce carbon footprints.

community-supported agriculture

A system (CSA) where consumers purchase shares of a local farm's harvest in advance, providing the farmer with capital and the consumer with fresh produce.

value-added specialty crops

Agricultural products that have been processed to increase their market value, such as turning organic milk into artisanal cheese.

fair trade

A social movement and trading partnership that aims to pay producers in developing countries more equitable prices and ensure better working conditions.

local-food movement

A social movement that encourages consumers to buy food from producers within their own region to support local economies and reduce environmental impacts.

food insecurity

A condition in which people lack consistent access to enough nutritious food for an active and healthy life.

food desert

An area, often in low-income urban neighborhoods, where access to affordable and healthy food options is severely limited.