Unit 5 APHG - Agricultural Patterns and Processes

agribusiness

the system of commerical farming found in developed countries

(first) agricultural revolution/neolithic revolution

when humans first started domesticating plants and animals and didn’t rely on hunting and gathering anymore

aquaculture/aquafarming

cultivation of seafood under controlled conditions

fishing

the capture of wild fish and other seafood living in waters

bid-rent theory

a theory that states that as you move farther from an urban area, the price of land decreases because of lower population density, value, and demand

carrying capacity

the maximum population size of a species that the environment can sustain indefinitely

cash crop

a crop that is grown for sale

crop rotation

the practice of planting different crops each year to avoid exhausting the soil

commercial agriculture

the production of cash crops primarily for sale off the farm (mostly in MDCs)

commodity chains

the production processes of goods sold to consumers

community-supported agriculture (CSA)

a direct-to-consumer arrangement where customers receive food straight from the farmer (like a farmer’s market)

desertification/semi-arid land degradation

human actions that cause land to deteriorate to desert-like conditions

double cropping

obtaining 2 harvests per year from the same field (ex. alternating between rice and wheat)

extensive farming

type of agriculture that requires less labor/money but more land

food security

physical, social, and economic access to safe and nutritious foods

fair trade

a certification program that provides farmers with better wages and working conditions that reduce poverty and exploitation

fallow

land that is left unsown in order to restore its fertility

genetically-modified organism (GMO)

a living organism that possesses a combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern technology

intensive farming

type of agriculture that requires less land and more labor/money

long lot

a land survey method that divides land into long, narrow plots so they can all access a resource (usually water)

metes and bounds

a land survey method that uses natural features (streams, hills, etc.) to draw irregularly shaped plots. metes = lines connecting geographical points, bounds = the reference points

monocropping

the practice of growing the same crop year after year

monoculture

a type of agriculture where one crop is planted year after year (monocropping)

organic agriculture

depends on the use of naturally occurring substances while limiting synthetic substances

overfishing

catching fish faster than they can reproduce

pastoral nomadism

type of agriculture centered around the herding of domesticated animals in dry climates, where planting crops is impossible

shifting cultivation

a type of agricultural practice where people shift from one field to another

slash and burn agriculture

slashing wild vegetation and burning them to make room for crops (part of shifting cultivation)

soil salinization

when salts accumulate in the soil because of nutrient depletion and cause the land to be unsuitable to grow on

subsistence agriculture

the production of food primarily for the farmer’s family (mostly in LDCs)

supply chain

a system of organizations, people, technology, activities, information and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer

swidden

the cleared area of slash-and-burn agriculture

terrace farming

a type of agricultural practice which utilizes flat “steps” in the side of a mountain

township and range

a land survey method that divides land into a grid pattern with evenly distributed squares

transhumance

the seasonal migration of livestock between mountains and lowland pasture areas

undernourishment

dietary energy consumption that is below what is needed for a healthy life

high yield seeds

genetically modified seeds that produce higher yields or another desired trait

von thunen’s model

theory which predicts human behavior in terms of landscape, economy, and types of agricultural practices

green revolution

the invention and rapid diffusion of more productive agricultural techniques (high yield seeds, chemical fertilizers, etc.) during the 1950s-1980s

inter-planting

purposeful integration of crops and plants to benefit both of them

sustainability

the use of natural resources in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

animal domestication

the process by which wild animals are cultivated into a resource supply for humans

columbian exchange

the transfer of plants and animals between the Western Hemisphere (previous colonies controlled by European countries) and Europe

chemical fertilizers

a synthetic substance that is added to soil to encourage plant growth

chemical pesticides

a synthetic substance that is used to kill pests, rodents, etc.

mechanization

farming techniques that rely on machines to more efficiently produce crops

economies of scale

the cost advantages that can come with a larger scale operation

commodity-dependent

when a single product or type of good accounts for more than 60% of a country’s exports

market gardening/truck farming

a type of agricultural practice where fruit and vegetables are produced and sent on trucks to be shipped

value added specialty crop

a crop that is made into a new product and sold for a higher price