APHG Unit 5

Agriculture

The deliberate modification of Earth’s surface through cultivation of plants and rearing of animals.

Subsistence agriculture

Farming to provide food for the farmer’s family.

Commercial agriculture

Farming for sale or profit.

Agrarian society

A society based on agriculture and farming.

First Agricultural Revolution (Neolithic)

Transition from hunting and gathering to farming (around 10,000 years ago).

Domestication

Taming of plants and animals for human use.

Hearths of agriculture

Original locations where agriculture developed (e.g., Fertile Crescent, China, Mesoamerica).

Shifting cultivation

Slash-and-burn farming; common in tropical regions.

Pastoral nomadism

Herding animals in dry climates.

Intensive subsistence agriculture

High labor, small plots, such as rice farming in Asia.

Plantation agriculture

Large-scale mono-cropping of cash crops (e.g., coffee, sugar).

Mixed crop and livestock farming

Crops feed animals, and manure fertilizes fields.

Grain farming

Wheat and corn farming that is common in the U.S. and Canada.

Dairy farming

Farming near urban areas due to the perishability of products.

Mediterranean agriculture

Grapes and olives farming typically found in coastal areas like California and Italy.

Market gardening (truck farming)

Fruits and vegetables grown near markets.

Second Agricultural Revolution

Coincided with the Industrial Revolution; increased production through better tools and crop rotation.

Third Agricultural Revolution (Green Revolution)

20th century advances in agriculture through chemicals, GMOs, and high-yield seeds.

High-yield seeds

Genetically enhanced seeds designed for increased productivity.

Mechanization

The use of machines to replace manual labor in farming.

Fertilizers/pesticides

Chemicals that increase productivity but may harm the environment.

Irrigation

The artificial watering of crops.

Von Thünen Model

A model that explains agricultural land use around a market, including dairy/market gardening, forest, grains, and livestock ranching.

Bid-rent theory

The theory that land closer to the city is more expensive.

Rural settlement patterns

Patterns of rural settlement such as clustered, dispersed, and linear.

Metes and bounds

Land described by natural features, common in colonial America.

Township and range

A grid system used in the U.S. Midwest for land division.

Long-lot system

System consisting of long narrow lots stretching from rivers or roads, used in French colonies.

Desertification

Land degradation in dry areas.

Soil salinization

The buildup of salt in soil from irrigation.

Overgrazing

Damage to land caused by too many animals.

Monoculture

The practice of growing a single crop, which can be risky and deplete soil.

Agribusiness

The integration of agriculture into a large food production industry.

Food desert

Areas with limited access to nutritious food.

Sustainable agriculture

Farming practices that protect the environment, such as organic farming.

Fair trade

Ethical production standards that protect producers in developing countries.